Swinging with intent - increasing game bat speed

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Well, that all really depends on how fast the pitcher is throwing and her mechanics and that is all measured while on deck.
The pitcher would have be throwing REALLY slow if you are starting your gather/negative move at pitch release..to
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
I know what you mean as I have seen that a lot. But I don’t think it is the issue I am trying to combat. She really doesn’t care if she strikes out and only swings if she likes a pitch. She had a good coach in 10U who was extra understanding if she struck out on a bad pitch and would compliment her for not swinging at the pitch because she didn’t want her ruining her swing swinging at junk (umpires can be pretty bad at the lower age groups). I think that mentality has stayed with her. I also know it’s not the issue because she does the same swinging off the tee.

However, my DD does employ a slow momentum load (starts when the pitcher is just about to release ball) with a leg kick but then tends to finish Slower than she is capable (kind of one speed - Start slow...finish slow).

With this on deck drill I want her to get the feel of finish fast when it is time to go and have that feel be the last thing in her head as she walks to the plate (last thing after figuring out the optimal time to start load based on the pitchers mechanics and speed that is). Groove the fast follow through to apply to her timed up swing.

Take her out to a field. Throw front toss. Have her try to hit the ball as far as she can. Have her try to hit the next one farther than the last one. Repeat until you run out of balls. Pick up all the balls, and do it again...and again...
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
In general, I tell my DD to start moving when the pitcher reaches 12 o'clock when on deck. Make adjustments from there. On deck swings mimic their real swings. During front toss, which I do from about 20 feet, I hold the ball at 9 o'clock and do a weak windmill action. When I moves, she moves. I like slow early loads, coils, or whatever you want to call it.
 
Sep 1, 2014
85
8
In general, I tell my DD to start moving when the pitcher reaches 12 o'clock when on deck. Make adjustments from there. On deck swings mimic their real swings. During front toss, which I do from about 20 feet, I hold the ball at 9 o'clock and do a weak windmill action. When I moves, she moves. I like slow early loads, coils, or whatever you want to call it.
I like the slow load too. I agree “dance with the pitcher”. Both my daughters do it. My older daughter explodes into the ball when it is go time. My younger seems like she loads slow and then follows through slow - that is what I am trying to fix.

Jeff Edwards has a great swing drill with a piece of thin pvc pipe - like the Michelson video attached here but faster each swing - you can really here it whipping through the wind by the fifth swing. That is what I was trying to recreate here with a bat while on deck.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top