Stride Vs No Stride

[Mike]

Are you saying that for a hitter with limited ability and skill that the no-stride is better?

I believe a stride is important in creating rythem, timing, etc... that said the first thing I do with a new or "messed up" hitter is take the stride away. I have them load by lifting the stride leg heel towards the inside of the front foot and by turning or cocking the front knee in just a bit to load the rear leg. At the same time they move the hands back just a bit, and they launch by dropping the front heel. It solves some initial problems, lunging, bending the front knee, and it seems to give them a good base to start from. Then we can add a stride later on. Also I have them in a wider than normal stance to start with. Seems to work.
I know you werent asking me just thought I would add my thoughts.

Thanks
Mike

p.s I have added quite a few things to the arsenal since howard has been posting.

 

[Hitter]

I believe a stride is important in creating rythem, timing, etc... that said the first thing I do with a new or "messed up" hitter is take the stride away. I have them load by lifting the stride leg heel towards the inside of the front foot and by turning or cocking the front knee in just a bit to load the rear leg. At the same time they move the hands back just a bit, and they launch by dropping the front heel. It solves some initial problems, lunging, bending the front knee, and it seems to give them a good base to start from. Then we can add a stride later on. Also I have them in a wider than normal stance to start with. Seems to work.
I know you werent asking me just thought I would add my thoughts.

Thanks
Mike

p.s I have added quite a few things to the arsenal since howard has been posting.

Mike

This is why we teach throwing first so they understand how to shift their weight. I use the half full water bottle first and then have the thrower stand in front of me and as they slowly come over the top to throw I hold onto the index and social finger of the ball hand. I should not feel resistance as I pull them forward. If I do I point out there is no flex in the lead foot knee and they landed flat footed and did not land on the ball of the foot. We repeat and I suggest they think their nose and chest is over the toes and I can guide them with little to no resistance felt in the fingers. Now we do grounder foot work and my floor has a pattern drawn on it and we walk through it a couple times and then get a little faster and they are throwing into my net and their sense of timing and rhythmic movement improves greatly in a short amount of time.

Next we do the ball in the top hand drill...inter lock the bottom index finger to the top hand baby finger and hold the ball in the top hand. Explain they will throw the ball while keeping the hands together just like we will swing a bat. I do not show them at this point they are actually loading I just say throw the ball and they do their own weight shift and step separate and throw. I stand with my foot against the outside edge of their back foot and the bug squish is gone. Give them something to relate to such as when we were throwing they moved the ball hand rearward for momentum. Now when we stride to hit because both hands are on the bat the lead hand arm will determine how far our hands will separate or move rearward. We tap the back of our helmet with the bat to get a proper bat angle and more importantly to keep the hands closer towards the head so they have are not stretched too far rearward to begin with and can develop that momentum feeling like they did when throwing. Other wise they start the shoulder roll in or leaning backwards to try and get momentum.

Now hand them a bat and do the face the fire drill and your teaching time was just reduced a whole lot! The weight shift, flexing of the front knee and separation from throwing just became for many the first time they have ever done it correctly. If they knew how to throw the back leg would be releasing and when they hit they usually stride to get that same timing and rhythm they use to throw the ball....if I see no weight shift in a girls swing after soft tossing three balls inside , middle and away then I can safely predict their back leg will not release when they throw. I have never been wrong using this on girls. However a boy could show no weight shift hitting and throw perfectly!

I have worked with Coach Larabee formally at Wright State University and now Head Coach at Arkansas on making this observation about the girls who throw poorly are probably not his best hitters. The exception is slappers and their coaches who only let their hitters slap and not hit! He said, "I have been teaching this game a long time and never tied in throwing to teaching hitting!" That has all changed now and I look forward to his upcoming first year at Arkansas. After we implemented this at WSU we went from 22 home runs to 67 and doubled his offensive out put. He is a great teacher and motivator of the game in my opinion.

Please give it a try Mike as I find it confusing to teach no stride and then when you think they got it poof we change it again. These kids are smarter than what we think!

Thanks Howard

 

[Mike]

This is why we teach throwing first so they understand how to shift their weight

.

Yes, we concentrate heavily on throwing fundamentals the first few weeks of practice. They are understanding weight transfer better and that it is the same in hitting. But in the cages I have been doing a poor job of showing them. I don't go no stride with all, but there have been some that I was almost overwhelmed with the thought of where do I start and the no stride seemed to help me more than them I guess.

Next we do the ball in the top hand drill...inter lock the bottom index finger to the top hand baby finger and hold the ball in the top hand. Explain they will throw the ball while keeping the hands together just like we will swing a bat. I do not show them at this point they are actually loading I just say throw the ball and they do their own weight shift and step separate and throw.

I will try this, the other times I read this I did not get it. Now I get the idea behind it. I will keep you posted.

Thanks Mike

 

[Hitter]

.

Yes, we concentrate heavily on throwing fundamentals the first few weeks of practice. They are understanding weight transfer better and that it is the same in hitting. But in the cages I have been doing a poor job of showing them. I don't go no stride with all, but there have been some that I was almost overwhelmed with the thought of where do I start and the no stride seemed to help me more than them I guess.



I will try this, the other times I read this I did not get it. Now I get the idea behind it. I will keep you posted.

Thanks Mike

Mike

Do not give up as we have all been there before!

The face the fire drill will work wonders for you...have the hitter set up about where the catcher sets up with their belly button facing the pitcher and bat on their shoulder. Explain the head is a camera and the eyes are the lenses of the camera and then put your hand on top of their head and move it around a little and ask if they have a good picture? Of course not1 We want them to be able to move their body under their head without jarring the yes in the socket. Have them look through the net at something that represents the pitchers window of release and then as a RH hitter move their back leg around them and plant it and then stride while moving your eyes from the pitchers window of release to the ball on the tee. We glue a white rag in the tee to promote keeping the head down during the swing as we are stronger with our heads down verses up. They may have to adjust up or back a little to get into a proper position to the ball on the tee when they stride. The focus is on being able to move their body with timing and rhythm and moving the hands rearward slightly and tracking the ball. Look for the eyes to be forward and then shift to the ball. Once they get this then do it by soft tossing...as you lower your hand they start their move and as they get to toe touch soft toss the ball. They will get it pretty fast using this. I do not like the simple walk up drill as fielding the ball and running the bases incorporates making adjustments and this presents making adjustments in a fun way and the momentum lesson is HUGE! Stay out of the cages until they master the tee and soft toss and then the timing drop drills in my opinion.

Thanks Howard

 

[ifubuildit]

Shawn

Dana, not Dane, like it 1920 (is that how Dane was spelled back then).

Another useless piece of advice always floating around every game, be more aggressive. And usually the only meaning the hitter understands from the statement and the lame demonstrations is to swing harder, more effort. Which doesn't really address why the hitter isn't aggressive in the first place.

Aggression is a funny thing in kids. I have had kids who come in aggressive and others who dont have an aggressive bone in their body because they were never taught to be aggressive. In some cases their parents have taught them non aggressive behavior yet they expect them to thrive as athletes on a playing field. Then they wonder why little Mike or Michelle stands up there at the plate and wont swing. Its because you neutered them mentally to not be aggressive. They are scared to death of any kind of contact, and if someone shouts something to them they pull their head into their shell and wont come out.

So I have had to teach many kids its OK to swing hard and its OK to be aggessive. I even grabbed one one day just playing around with him a little and you would have thought I tortured the kid from the initial look on Moms face. He came away laughing and she had to compose herself after seeing me grab her son. It was pretty interesting but I explained to her that we needed to teach her son how to be aggressive not only at batting but on the ball field too.

Its a huge part of the game.

Dana.