Top 5 Essential Work Stations for Team Hitting Practice

[Westwind]

Re: the Pro-Hammer training bat, I see they have a fastpitch model now.

I have a 31" baseball model, it is supposed to simulate a -3 drop wood bat.

What do you guys think of this idea? We haven't used ours in quite awhile. Bought it before I learned so much here at Discuss FP, not sure I buy into the value of it anymore. ww

 

[2bucketdad]

My 5
1. negative stride and leg drive,

(batter sets up on T looks long takes a reverse step onto the inside of her rear foot as the foot hits the ground she fires it back into a firm front side initiating the swing)

2. Reverse Top Hand

3. Two T's
( set up about 10 feet apart for a target up the middle, if the batter misses it needs to be to the oppo side never pulled)

4. Freeze at contact (start stop swing)

5. Live hitting or TCB balls tossed...

I'd like to add
6. Broken Bat

7 Whip It

 

[hen]

Re: the Pro-Hammer training bat, I see they have a fastpitch model now.

I have a 31" baseball model, it is supposed to simulate a -3 drop wood bat.

What do you guys think of this idea? We haven't used ours in quite awhile. Bought it before I learned so much here at Discuss FP, not sure I buy into the value of it anymore. ww

Honestly I see it as a vision training tool more than technique fixer. Same idea as using the small diameter bats or smaller balls. Just taking whatever mechanics you have and using them to hit the ball squarely (line drives) on the sweet spot. You could have the best mechanics in the world, but if your hand/eye coordination can't accurately put the bat where the ball will be what good is that?

 

[RayR]

Here is a clip of the drill - depending on the hitter's capabilities is where you would set up the tee and the height of the ball. We can also adjust the height of the rope to the hitter' height or a pitch location.

MTS. I built something like that around 10 years ago. Whiffle didn't last long, so I updated it to a pitching machine softball and drilled a hole thru the middle. Prohammer bat. Tim wouldn't it work the same as Howard's Hammer bat ? I wonder what they would think if we posted the axe bat that we pulled on Howard!

 

[RayR]

Hen - very good point - as we near the beginning of the season - we are using the whiffles and atec machine with a swift stik....whiffle movement is substantial but not as extreme as using lite flights so we can set the speed higher and the atec 2 wheel machine allows us to change movement to drops or rises or a combination....and depending on the condition of the whiffle the movement is all over the place....for the younger kids it provides a hand/eye training in a no fear zone.....I cannot explain to you how huge this is for some kids....or the fact that machine balls in cold weather up here are like hitting rocks on some days....

Honestly I see it as a vision training tool more than technique fixer. Same idea as using the small diameter bats or smaller balls. Just taking whatever mechanics you have and using them to hit the ball squarely (line drives) on the sweet spot. You could have the best mechanics in the world, but if your hand/eye coordination can't accurately put the bat where the ball will be what good is that?

 

[softballphreak]

Here is a clip of the drill - depending on the hitter's capabilities is where you would set up the tee and the height of the ball. We can also adjust the height of the rope to the hitter' height or a pitch location.

I think I see some good use for this drill; especially if the yellow rope represents the ball path.

What if the rope was almost touching the tee? What if it came closer to representing the path of the ball to contact? Suppose you could add a post or two to curve the yellow rope path to the desired POC? Maybe even use a thicker (5/8") rope.

Comments?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Here is a clip of the drill - depending on the hitter's capabilities is where you would set up the tee and the height of the ball. We can also adjust the height of the rope to the hitter' height or a pitch location.

MTS ... just an observation .... if you expand the video and observe the rear heel, you'll notice that it isn't in contact with the ground here.

 

[softballphreak]

MTS ... just an observation .... if you expand the video and observe the rear heel, you'll notice that it isn't in contact with the ground here.

I would be more concerned with the front heel touching down too soon (at what should be toe touch).

 

[RayR]

not a concern at all - something we teach - although they don't have to use it ....it helps keeps the weight from getting over the rear leg....she is one of my best hitters....lets keep the comments to the use of the drill....

@Freak....Bautista from the Bluejays....toe touch is over rated.....I don't care if any of my hitters get to toe touch....but if you look close there is one frame of toe touch....

The rope is a constraint for the hands and barrel...it is also a visual constraint for the hands going outside....rope is a visual guide for ball flight....ball should stay on that side of the rope....if it crosses over they are sweeping....

MTS ... just an observation .... if you expand the video and observe the rear heel, you'll notice that it isn't in contact with the ground here.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

No problem MTS, I thought you were teaching something a bit different with the cue of "walking off the back heel". Just wanted to point it out.