Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: 55 () on Wed Mar 5 19:27:34 2003

I recently viewed a video that purports to have a guaranteed hitting style for slowpitch softball. The premise has to do with timing. I don't want to give away the guys idea, but it involves a swing motion that I want to ask your opinions on.
>
> He uses a HUGE foot lift, and turn away from the pitcher towards the catcher (having to do with lengthening the motion and getting proper timing). Like turn away to load up and then rotate toward the pitcher. For those of you that liken a swing to a pitcher's motion, it really aproaches

a baseball pitcher's lift, turn away, an

d launch cycle.

> Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to test it against live pitching (and the video only shows hitting off a tee), but in dry swings it feels like I'm getting more rotation with the exagerrated "turn away" loading motion. Am I wasting motion or getting rotation?
>
> You can see a clip here:
> www.softballhitting.com

I think you will find(as in golf) the fewer the moves the better.While a big "leg kick" will definately help with timing and power it can make a player do detrimental things like drop his rear shoulder or hands or move his head off axis.It helps a great deal to practice in front of a mirror.In slowpitch you have a lot of leeway with your lead foot because your reaction time is so much greater than in baseball.Some slowly bring their front foot up as soon as the ball leaves the pitchers hand,others will very quickly leg kick just before the ball reaches the hitting area.Some bring their front knee back others will push off their back foot and their first movement with their front leg will be forward.But one thing is almost universal with the great hitters...their upper body remains "quiet" while the lower body moves toward the mound.In other words their upper body attempts to maintain vertical and horizontal balance as they move toward toward the pitch.

Very rarely will you see one of the big boys turn his shoulder back to create a longer arc.If they want to create a longer arc they just take a longer stride.(while keeping hands back)Why move away from the ball when you can move forward and accomplish the same thing?

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> I recently viewed a video that purports to have a guaranteed hitting style for slowpitch softball.  The premise has to do with timing.  I don't want to give away the guys idea, but it involves a swing motion that I want to ask your opinions on.
> > 
> > He uses a HUGE foot lift, and turn away from the pitcher towards the catcher (having to do with lengthening the motion and getting proper timing).  Like turn away to load up and then rotate toward the pitcher.  For those of you that liken a swing to a pitcher's motion, it really aproaches
> 
> 
>  a baseball pitcher's lift, turn away, an
> 
> d launch cycle.
> 
> 
> 
> > Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to test it against live pitching (and the video only shows hitting off a tee), but in dry swings it feels like I'm getting more rotation with the exagerrated "turn away" loading motion.  Am I wasting motion or getting rotation?
> > 
> > You can see a clip here:
> > www.softballhitting.com     
> 
> 
> 
> I think you will find(as in golf) the fewer the moves the better.While a big "leg kick" will definately help with timing and power it can make a player do detrimental things like drop his rear shoulder or hands or  move his head off axis.It helps a great deal to practice in front of a mirror.In slowpitch you have a lot of leeway with your lead foot because your reaction time is so much greater than in baseball.Some slowly bring their front foot up as soon as the ball leaves the pitchers hand,others will very quickly leg kick just before the ball reaches the hitting area.Some bring their front knee back others will push off their back foot and their first movement with their front leg will be forward.But one thing is almost universal with the great hitters...their upper body remains  "quiet" while the lower body moves toward the mound.In other words their upper body attempts to maintain vertical and horizontal balance as they move toward toward the pitch.
> 
> Very rarely will you see one of the big boys turn his shoulder back to create a longer arc.If they want to create a longer arc they just take a longer stride.(while keeping hands back)Why move away from the ball when you can move forward and accomplish the same thing?

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