Hitting

1. Hitting

2. There are many different styles of hitting, but there are a few consistencies when it comes to point of contact Back elbow in close to the body 30-35 degrees on the shoulder level Hands in front of the bat Heel over Toe Center balanced, head over the back leg Firm Front side

3. You will all be committed to these consistencies

4. Grip and Stance

5. Most great hitters do not line up their door knocker knuckles. Rather, they use what is often referred to as an axe grip. Bottom hand should have a firm grip on the bat, and the top hand should be more relaxed.

6. Not a cookie-cutter approach Shoulders level

7. Shoulders level Back toe Elbows similar height

8. Stride and Load

9. STRIDE: It doesn’t necessarily matter how you stride/load, as long as your hands end up at the top of the zone, your head stays level, and your timing is correct with that certain pitcher. There are typically 3 different types of strides/loads – Kick, Tap, No Stride. Kick No Stride Tap

10. Very good load, kept “L” with top hand/arm Kept angles with front arm/bat

11. Bad load Hands dropped Lost his front side “L” and hands are below his shoulders

12. Guy from previous slide (Hands dropped Lost his front side “L”) Front foot roll-over = over rotation by shoulders Doesn’t get heel over toe on backside Collapsing front leg = No power in hip rotation Hooking!!!

13. Bad load

14. No pivot on backside, no lock-out of front side = over rotation with shoulders

15. Elbow in the Slot“inside circle”

16. Back elbow close to body, just above your hip = slot

17. Inside Circle is made by your hands Outside Circle is made by your bat head The tighter the inside circle = less distance on swing = quicker = less casting/hooking = more time to watch pitch = better pitch selection = more production

18. Good pivot by the hips, but bad “bar arm” Hands casting away from the body (big inner circle) Bad head flopping (swinging around the ball)

19. Inside circle, Elbow in slot

20. Point of contact“Inside the ball”“Firm front side”“toe over heel”“hands in front of barrel”

21. BALANCE: You must have balance in your body at the point of contact with a strong and firm front leg. Watch players who seem to hit the ball out in front – such as A-Rod – they are still at a balance point at impact

22. Point of contact “Inside the ball”

23. Hit the ball at the 7 On a clock 12 11 1 2 10 9 3 8 4 7 5 6 Inside part of the ball

24. Inside or behind the ball * hands have not activated, which prevents rolling-over. * allows for extension after contact

25. If you hook the ball by hitting the outside part, Your wrists have already activated, and you are pulling the bat through the zone, and there is no snap of the wrist (bat head speed), and no acceleration through contact Spin force = hooked foul

26. Extension long through contact Point * keeps front side on ball * prevents hitting across ball

27. Swinging across the ball No extension through contact Bat being pulled across the ball Ball will roll-off the end of the bat = spinning toward right field line

29. Inside half of ball!

31. Prince Albert stays inside the ball better than anyone

32. Point of contact “firm front side”“heel over toe”Backside “L” (knee below hip)

33. BALANCE: You must have balance in your body at the point of contact with a strong and firmfront leg. Watch players who seem to hit the ball out in front – such as A-Rod – they are still at a balance point at impact “firm front side” “heel over toe” Backside “L” (knee below hip)

34. Watch this video of Albert Pujols and his balance through the swing. His head remains centered over his belt from stride to contact.

35. Look where the knee is located

36. Slot Firm front leg Heel/toe Knee

37. Driving hands inside

38. It’s all there

39. Point of contact “hands in front of barrel”

40. BARREL BEHIND THE HANDS…: Much like the throwing arm is the last thing to explode through your throwing motion, the barrel should be the last thing through your hitting motion. Hips-Hands-Barrel. Keeping it back then using the torque you’ve created to whip it through gives life to your bat and power with your hips.

41. If hands are in front of barrel, wrists have not activated = no roll-over Hands in front of barrel Elbow in slot in front of barrel Firm front side Heel over toe

42. If hands are in front of barrel, wrists have not activated = no roll-over Hands in front of barrel Elbow in slot Firm front side Heel over toe Knee driven forward, not knee driven back

43. Do not want to swing across the ball *caused by no forward movement on stride. Player goes up and down, pulls shoulders off ball, and swings across the pitch

44. *Short to it, long through it” Long extension through point of contact *short to it = inside circle * long through it = extension through contact point

45. GET EXTENDED: Once your barrel is through the zone, get your hands extended. You can’t hit with them in your chest – by extending them, you keep your bat through the hitting zone longer and use the entire length of torque you’ve generated.

49. Head down, full extension through point of contact Hands still not rolled-over

50. Full extension without wrist roll-over