Players should Know All Hitting Terms check out Coach Jims Hitting Fundamentals Page for a full explanation Squash The Bug- The correct action of the hitters back foot. Trigger-The hitters final inside turn movement before the swing. See The Ball Flat-See the ball until it goes flat against the bat and comes off Hit to Wins Website is http://hit2win.com/hit2wintrainerdrills.html

Drill # 1 Top-Hand Drill (Hit-N-Stik Drill)

The top hand on the grip is the hand that takes the bat to the ball. It is improtant to develope strength and skill with this hand. To do this we do a one-handed isolation drill. The batter uses just the top hand. Gripping the bat at the top of the grip and using the bat like a tomahawk, the batter tries to get over the top of the ball and hit it into the ground. The batter has a coach or player soft toss the ball above the waist. The batter hits the ball from the top and drives its straight into the ground. Suggested - 25 Swings - 3 Times a week.

Drill # 2 Power Hand Drill (Hit-N-Stik Drill)

A hitters power comes from the bottom or pull hand. This drill develops bottom hand strength. Have batter, using only one arm at a time, take stance, inward turn, stride and full cut at balls off of a tee. Emphasize "staying back" on the ball. Batter will need to choke up a lot, and initially need to place the unused hand under the armpit of the swinging arm for additional support. Take about 20 cuts at a time with each arm, making sure to keep the barrel higher than the hands, and follow through. At first, most players will find their top arm to be stronger; therefore, requiring more reps with the bottom arm. The objective is to reduce the gap between the ability of each arm, ideally becoming equally adept with both. (Many players suffer from a weak lead hand!) You can soft toss to older players.

Drill # 3 Multiple Location Contact Drill (Hit-N-Stik Drill)

The hitter is given three pitch locations to practice hitting; inside, away and middle. On the inside location, the batter must learn to involve the hips and turn on the pitch, pulling it. On the middle pitch the batter hits the ball dead up the middle. On the away pitch, the batter makes sure to take the ball to the opposite field. The coach may want to put spots on the ground showing where the batter attacks each pitch location. The inside pitch is attacked on a spot located in front of the plate. The middle pitch is attacked on a spot located just behind the instep of the hitters front foot. The away strike is attacked on a spot located just inside of the hitters back foot. Suggested - 20 At Each Location - 3 Times Weekly.

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Drill # 4 Colored Ball Soft Toss (need two different colored balls)

The hitter learns to concentrate and keep the weight back. The coach tosses the two balls at different hights. The coach calls the color to hit after the balls are releasd. The hitter hits the called ball into the fence or screen. This drill can be done from different locations. The coach should also fake toss and change the release points as well as vary the speed of the balls.

VARIATIONS:

1.) Once you've mastered the first version of this drill, try three balls. Or allow your partner to call out colors that aren't being tossed.

2.) You might even try to write numbers on the ball with a magic marker -- simply have your partner call out the number to hit, just like you did with colors.

3.) Instead of coloring the balls, simply use regular baseballs and have the tosser call out "high" or "low." By switching between the high and low ball, the hitter learns to adjust to high pitches when he was expecting a low pitch and vice versa.

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Drill #5 Long Toss BP

One of the best misconceptions in baseball is that to benefit from batting practice the pitcher must be at regular distance and throw game speed. Much more can be accomplished when the pitcher throws from half the regular distance. At this distance the pitcher has better control and more work isaccomplished. The ball is thrown at a steady appropriate speed. The speed at this distance should make the batter develop a quicker bat and great skill. The coach should never do this drill without a L-screen. This drill can also be performed with regular or golf-ball sized wiffles.

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Drill #6 Bring-By Drill

The purpose of this drill is the increase of bat speed. The batter hits a ball that is coming from his back side going toward the pitcher. The hitter must see the ball and catch-up with it before it gets by him. The speed of the ball is increased to challenge the hitter more and more.

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Drill # 7 HitnStik Closed Eye Drill (Hit-N-Stik Drill)

This is one of my favorite drills. I developed this drill in the late 80s. The hitter assumes a comfortable and correct stance each time. Then the hitter closes the eyes. The coach or stik holder will change the strike height and location each time. A verbal command is given, the hitter opens the eyes and hits the ball correctly wherever it is located. The batter must use the correct swing to hit inside, middle, and away pitches. The holder will also locate the ball out of the strikezone. Any ball above the hands or on the ground is a ball and should not be hit. Suggested - 15 Swings - 3 Times a week.

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Drill # 8 Backside Barrier Drill

 

(Designed for hitters who extend their arms and hands too early in their swing {casting}, sweeping at the ball.) Have hitter take batting stance with the outside of the rear end against a fence or wall. The object is to have the hitter take a normal swing without making contact with the fence or wall. Start in slow motion, for obvious reasons. Improper swing and bat angle will provide immediate negative feedback. The key here is to keep the barrel above the rear shoulder at the proper bat angle (good launch position) and swing through the ball. If a hitter does this with hands in close to the body (inside the ball), allowing back foot to begin first, they will complete the drill properly. If hitter takes a stride, rotates back foot and hips, keeping the bat head above the hands, hands inside the ball, and opens up away from the fence, they can swing down and through the ball without hitting the fence. Full arm extension does not takeplace until immediately after contact.

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Drill # 9 Step in Drill (Hit-N-Stik Drill)

One of the most common faults with young hitters is stepping out. This drill is used to combat that bad habit. The hitter sets up to start the drill one step behind where he should be when he hits the ball. The hitter will step toward the plate with the back foot first then the front foot. When the front foot hits the ground the batter will attack the ball. There should be no hesitation. Step, step, HIT! The hitter will develop the habit of stepping into the ball when he attacks it. His momemtum is going toward the plate during this drill so it is very difficult for the hitter to step out.

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Drill #10 Bunt Pepper

This is a great drill to develop bunting skills. The drill involves 5 players in each group. The players may use the pivot or square around bunt technique. The batter must bunt the ball to each of the four fielders. The hitter bunts one to each and then takes the left fielders (facing the batter) place. The right fielder comes to bat and the other move over one place. The coach should emphasize that the batters bunt the ball softly to the fielders. The bat should be keep at a 45 degree angle and the batter should change height by bending the knees. Fielders should catch the ground ball, bare-handed, out front, then square the feet around and throw the next strike to the hitter. This makes a great warmup drill for the beginning of practice. Defensive skills should also be stressed.

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Drill # 11 Full Count Game

This is a great game simulation drill that teaches hitters to be agressive and to hit under pressure. Two teams face off in a 7 inning game with each batter coming into the box with a full count. Action is quick and players must be alert both offensively and defensively. The count may also be changed to 2-2 and each team can be given one out to start the inning.

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Drill #12 HitnStik Bat Speed Drill (Hit-N-Stik Drill)

The drill begins with the drill stik ball on the ground. The holder will raise the ball to the batters numbers. The batter will hit the ball when it gets to certain called spots, eg. knee, belt, numbers. The speed that the ball is raised is varied to make the batter wait sometimes and react quickly at other times. The drill is great for developing concentration, bat speed, and patience. (note-wouldn’t this work better if you lowered the hit-n-stik? like a ball coming in from the pitcher from high to low?)

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Drill #13 HIP TWISTS:

Hitter places bat (stick, broom handle, etc.) behind back on waistline. With hands gripping the bat from behind, get in stance. Take inward turn, stride and stop. Keeping the bat horizontal to the ground, bend your arms and keep the bat in the space between your biceps and forearms. Look out at where the pitcher would usually be and imagine him winding up and pitching. Rock back as you would in a game, step, and pivot your back foot.Then forcefully pull bat around waist, rolling up on back foot (squishing the bug) with head down, toward imaginary ball. Knees and belly button should then be facing the "pitcher." Go back to normal stance and repeat. Doing this 10-20 times a day programs young hitters to get that lower body working correctly without conscious thought (Muscle Memory).

THE RESULT: By isolating your lower body, you are allowing yourself to work only on your hips and legs. Make sure to get a good "explosing from your back leg while keeping your front leg straight. This is a very good drill to do in the on-deck circle, especially when your facing a particularly hard thrower.

VARIATIONS:

1.) Set up a tee and practice the drill while actually hitting the ball with the exposed part of the bat. You may not hit the ball at all or you may lightly tap it, but this variation makes it easier to see exactly how much the hips must rotate during a swing.

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Drill #14 WIFFLE GOLF BALL SOFT TOSS:

Do this in groups of 3 or 4, with the coach soft-tossing; one player batting and the rest fielding the balls and returning them to the bucket. Have the hitter take their normal stance, inward turn, and stride, and then hit the wiffle golf balls as you toss them. You can make it more challenging by having your hitters use a 1.5 foot broom handle instead of a bat. This forces the hitter to really "SEE" the ball, by keeping their head (both eyes) down on the ball, in order to make contact. Really emphasize the "head down" aspect by making them keep their heads down, even after completion of a proper follow-through.

Drill # 15 CHAIR DRILL: (Good drill for Uppercutters.)

Place a batting tee on home plate, with a folding chair behind the tee, with the seat part closest to the tee. Make sure that the tee is just slightly lower than the back of the chair so that the hitter must swing with a slightly downward angle through the ball. If the hitter uppercuts, they will only hit the back of the chair (again, providing instant feedback). Metal chairs seem to be very effective in teaching the proper bat angle during the swing. This drill can be taught relatively easily and is excellent for developing the necessary "line drive" stroke.

Drill #16 ARM ISOLATION DRILL: (Used to develop equal strength in both top and bottom arms.) (Hit-N-Stick drill)

Have batter, using only one arm at a time, take stance, inward turn, stride and full cut at balls off of a tee. Emphasize "staying back" on the ball. Batter will need to choke up a lot, and initially need to place the unused hand under the armpit of the swinging arm for additional support. Take about 20 cuts at a time with each arm, making sure to keep the barrel higher than the hands, and follow through. At first, most players will find their top arm to be stronger; therefore, requiring more reps with the bottom arm. The objective is to reduce the gap between the ability of each arm, ideally becoming equally adept with both. (Many players suffer from a weak lead hand!) You can soft toss to older players. top

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