Hitting Opinions and Absolutes

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I have never heard of an ACL injury from hitting, how often does it happen, a player suffering an ACL injury from swinging a bat ?

There is a lot more to our method of instruction as we teach throwing mechanics first to promote flex in the front knee so the weight will shift properly. We put a lot of emphasis on this to prevent ACL injuries from happening as the female anatomy and firing of the knee is much different than the males. I have never seen a poor female hitter be a good thrower in 20 years however I have seen it in boys as they pitch well and have poor hitting mechanics.

Did not say hitting see above...we see that the female in general does not release from the back side and use their legs to throw as much as they do by being more upper body as to strength when throwing. Because they do not flex the knee or use it as a hinge. They land on the knee more like how a ball joint works. So we teach them to bend and flex the front knee when throwing to promote a weight transfer. Once they understand that concept teaching them to step on a flexed front leg is easier to understand when teaching hitting. Look at how many hitters are over the front leg verses up against the front leg.

I recently worked with the Static coaches doing a mini clinic at the house and Heather a former student of yours was used as a typical female athlete. I had her hit a ball without any instruction and predicted from observing her hit that she probably did not throw very hard so we had her throw. She did not release from the back side and she did not throw very hard either. We had her jump up in the air and she landed making a lot of noise because she was not landing on the balls of her feet or flexing the knee upon landing.

Next we had her bend at the waist first and then soften the knees next and you could not hear her land because she had flexed her knee upon landing.

I ask her to land on the ball of her lead foot and think nose over the toes and within three throws she could feel the difference and every coach there could hear the impact difference. She had a huge smile on her face and quickly understood the differences in our approach.

Recently while doing a clinic with Crystl and Jenny Topping, Jenny made the statement to the people attending the clinic, "If I would have know about the information Howard just presented I would not have had three ACL surgeries."

I hope this explains it better.

 

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What is everyones thoughts on the position of the head? Should the head down or level, or tilted. Should the chin be tucked? Any thoughts on this would be welcomed!

Mike

Stance...we let the hitter choose their stance based on vision or getting a good two eyed look. We teach to bend at the waist first and then soften the knees in that sequence or sequential core loading.

We explain it as if the head is a camera and the eyes are the lenses of the camera we want the head turned as far to the left as a right handed hitter. If the head is not turned far enough it would be like taking binoculars off one eyed and trying to see the picture or subject you are looking at and it be in focus.

There is a book titled, Keep Your Eye on the Ball by Dr. Terry Bahill that covers the subject really well...in part,"Because the head is heavier than the eye and consequently takes longer to get moving; therefore, in the beginning of the movement, as the starts turning to the right (ahead of the ball), the vestibular system in the inner ear signals the oculomotor system to make a compensating left eye movement."

Getting a good two eyed look to me is keeping the head as erect as possible and both eyes turned towards the pitchers release point.

We do not teach tucking the chin down however we promote keeping the head down during and after contact for strength. If the speed of the ball is over 35 MPH you can track it and see the ball and bat collide.

I took a vision training clinic with Dr. Bill Harrison of Slow the Game Down.com and learned more about vision and vision training that really has helped our kids track the ball better.

Make sure they can see the ball without any stress in their neck or shoulder area.

I hope I have answered your questions...

 

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“We demonstrate these techniques at all of our clinics and consider it our foundation for hitting and preventing ACL injuries from happening”.

Apparently I took this the wrong way, sorry for the confusion.

 

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Chip what is it that you go over to demonstrate this and how do you explain it?

Thanks Howard

 

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I am good, I was responding to your quote and I was apologizing for the apparent misread, it's all good here.

 

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12 Step Batting Program!

1. Step into the Batter's Box.
2. Grip the Bat.
3. Get your batting stance right.
4. Don't be afraid of the Ball.
5. I know it hurts went you get Hit.
6. Look at the Pitcher not your Parents.
7. Don't close you eyes.
8. See the Ball to the Bat.
9. Don't swing at nothin' over your head.
10. Swing at anything close.
11. Make her pitch to you.
12 And Pray for a HIT!

I hear this alot from other coaches, so it must be right!

That's it in a Nut Shell!



FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!

 

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12 Step Batting Program!

1. Step into the Batter's Box.
2. Grip the Bat.
3. Get your batting stance right.
4. Don't be afraid of the Ball.
5. I know it hurts went you get Hit.
6. Look at the Pitcher not your Parents.
7. Don't close you eyes.
8. See the Ball to the Bat.
9. Don't swing at nothin' over your head.
10. Swing at anything close.
11. Make her pitch to you.
12 And Pray for a HIT!

I hear this alot from other coaches, so it must be right!

That's it in a Nut Shell!



FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!

One thing seldom talked about is a hitter's attitude. If a hitter goes up to bat with any doubt in their mind of getting a hit, their chances of making good contact drops dramatically. It's all about attitude....to the point of cockiness. A hitter needs to go up to bat knowing they will hit the ball hard and get on base. A person can go to hitting lessons all year long but if they do not believe they will hit the ball hard in a game situation, then all those lessons are for naught. It's about attitude. Go up to the plate knowing you will hit the ball hard.

Len

 

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There is a lot more to our method of instruction as we teach throwing mechanics first to promote flex in the front knee so the weight will shift properly. We put a lot of emphasis on this to prevent ACL injuries from happening as the female anatomy and firing of the knee is much different than the males. I have never seen a poor female hitter be a good thrower in 20 years however I have seen it in boys as they pitch well and have poor hitting mechanics.
We demonstrate these techniques at all of our clinics and consider it our foundation for hitting and preventing ACL injuries from happening.

Please undestand that I am not trying to start a controversy. I am trying to visualize and understand the rotation concept you teach, because what I am currently visualizing causes stress on the knee joint, and to a lesser degree the hamstring and lead hip.

In a correct throw, the front knee is not locked and the lead foot turns roughly 20 degrees in when throwing, and the follow through causes a step through over the smaller toes of the front foot.

In your (new RVP) swing, fast forward to toe touch at 45 degrees, then heel plant, then bring back elbow through, initiating hip rotation. The lead foot remains at 45 degrees from neutral as the hips rotate to 90 degrees from neutral. Back foot is up on the toe or just off the ground.

I tried this and I could really feel the stress on the inside of my lead knee joint, a stretched hamstring, and to a lesser degree stress in the hip socket. My front foot wanted to roll to the outside but I fully expected that from the torque created in my swing. I honestly believe this method causes great stress in the knee joint verses starting hip rotation after toe touch. What am I missing? Am I doing something wrong?
Len

 

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What about players who consistently stride open or closed rather than neutral?

 

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Len almost any review of film will show some degree of torque or the lead foot rolling or moving due to ground reaction forces being generated.

To test for how much power you are generating try this...stand belly button to belly button with one of your hitters while they are in their hitting stance and hold onto their shoulders firmly. They don't step and make sure the edge of the foot is pointing toward the pitchers position. Then have them turn their shoulders slowly and you try to prevent them from turning. In most cases you can not hold them from turning.

Now repeat and this time have them open their foot open to about 45 degrees and repeat and you will be able to hold them from turning and they will feel the leverage is greatly reduced from the lead hip area.

Crystl and I did this in the garage many years ago and I marked the floor starting at 90 degrees and marked it in 10 degrees increments50 to 60 degrees felt comfortable and provided the most torgue and yet allowed good rotation and the hips to clear.

Many books on hitting will encourage opening the foot to 45 degrees to allow the hips to open and we do not. I was at the WSU hitting clinic Saturday and Coach Larabee stated, "Since incorporating Howard's and Crystl's techniques we doubled our offensive output and went from 22 to home runs to 67 home runs."

We have never had anyone complain of hip or knee pain by staying more closed. We say step toe to toe and stay as closed as possible and rotate as needed and get to heel plant on time.

We did a clinic for the Static a few weeks ago and their was a young lady with an ACL brace on and the dad said,"My daughter knee is hurting her using this style of hitting." I went over and watched her swing and she was squishing the bug. We widened her stance lowered her heel and put flex in her front knee and she hit with no pain and hit noticeably harder and she got that smile on her face when you know they get it. After the clinic he and his daughter stopped by and thanked us and I ask how her knee was feeling and she said she had no pain at all now. Maybe Lester or Sonny could tell you who it was however I do not recall her name.

 

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What about players who consistently stride open or closed rather than neutral?

So I get it correct as to direction open would conotate the foot would be pointing some what towards the pitcher and closed would be the edge of the lead foot would be pointing toward the pitcher.

We set up in our stance so they get a good two eyed look to the ball and they choose what feels good to them so as they do it they do not feel any tension in their neck or shoulder area. They adjust open or closed using their back foot...when they stride we stride even or linear or straight ahead and not to the plate or away from the plate unless we are baiting the pitcher.

 

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Len almost any review of film will show some degree of torque or the lead foot rolling or moving due to ground reaction forces being generated.

To test for how much power you are generating try this...stand belly button to belly button with one of your hitters while they are in their hitting stance and hold onto their shoulders firmly. They don't step and make sure the edge of the foot is pointing toward the pitchers position. Then have them turn their shoulders slowly and you try to prevent them from turning. In most cases you can not hold them from turning.

Now repeat and this time have them open their foot open to about 45 degrees and repeat and you will be able to hold them from turning and they will feel the leverage is greatly reduced from the lead hip area.

Crystl and I did this in the garage many years ago and I marked the floor starting at 90 degrees and marked it in 10 degrees increments50 to 60 degrees felt comfortable and provided the most torgue and yet allowed good rotation and the hips to clear.

Many books on hitting will encourage opening the foot to 45 degrees to allow the hips to open and we do not. I was at the WSU hitting clinic Saturday and Coach Larabee stated, "Since incorporating Howard's and Crystl's techniques we doubled our offensive output and went from 22 to home runs to 67 home runs."

We have never had anyone complain of hip or knee pain by staying more closed. We say step toe to toe and stay as closed as possible and rotate as needed and get to heel plant on time.

We did a clinic for the Static a few weeks ago and their was a young lady with an ACL brace on and the dad said,"My daughter knee is hurting her using this style of hitting." I went over and watched her swing and she was squishing the bug. We widened her stance lowered her heel and put flex in her front knee and she hit with no pain and hit noticeably harder and she got that smile on her face when you know they get it. After the clinic he and his daughter stopped by and thanked us and I ask how her knee was feeling and she said she had no pain at all now. Maybe Lester or Sonny could tell you who it was however I do not recall her name.

Hey Howard,

Was she a lefty? I believe it was Janeen, a girl who recently joined my team after having her second ACL surgery. We call her Robo cop because of her two ACL braces. One was torn two or three years ago and the other at the end of this past season. She had immediate relief once you worked with her. I can also tell you that the "hitting is throwing and throwing is hitting" technique that you demonstrated with Heather works. She liked it so much that she told you that she wished she had known about this technique while she was playing collegiately. I had two of my players approach me at our last indoor workout to tell me that they had more zip and felt less stress on their arms using the method of throwing that you showed them at the clinic. One of the girls has been having alot of problems with tendonitis but said she had no pain or soreness after using this style.

Sonny

 

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Yes she was left handed...thanks for remembering her name.

She seems like a very nice person and her dad was amazed at how much harder she hit and with no pain.

 

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The foot is a good point but I was actually talking about the linear move at toe touch not going nuetral. I have seen many players who either stride lightly toward(closing righty) or away (open righty) from the plate without regard to baiting or pitch location.

 

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One thing seldom talked about is a hitter's attitude. If a hitter goes up to bat with any doubt in their mind of getting a hit, their chances of making good contact drops dramatically. It's all about attitude....to the point of cockiness. A hitter needs to go up to bat knowing they will hit the ball hard and get on base. A person can go to hitting lessons all year long but if they do not believe they will hit the ball hard in a game situation, then all those lessons are for naught. It's about attitude. Go up to the plate knowing you will hit the ball hard.

Len

Len we have a slide presentation we do at the clinic's and it goes something like this:

"Believe in yourself and your abilities, do not think IF we are going to hit the ball but where is the defense going to give us the greatest opportunity to hit the ball. Do not think if I am going hit the ball but where am I going to hit it!

You have nine players trying to get you out plus two to three coaches looking for every perceived weakness in you and your swing so focus on putting the ball in play and getting on base or advancing the runners and you have done your job!"

Your batting average is not as important as the TEAM wining! If called upon to bunt just do it!

Another one I like is hanging in the garage by Mike Schmidt, "You MUST focus on your execution and not on the results. You've got no control of the results only on the execution. Tension comes from fear of failure, one thing you must learn to cope with in baseball, you will fail more than you will succeed."

 

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The foot is a good point but I was actually talking about the linear move at toe touch not going nuetral. I have seen many players who either stride lightly toward(closing righty) or away (open righty) from the plate without regard to baiting or pitch location.

I understand now....we call that our line of force and they must step on it or linear as you say. We want them at toe touch prior to the pitcher releasing the ball. The face the fire drill helps promote tracking and stepping linear in our opinion. This is the one where we start from the catchers position.

 

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Attitude.......coming from a football back ground, i think the movie Marshall said it best....Mobile, hostile , agile, do not go to the plate swinging the bat like your trying not to miss, Own the plate and the pitcher, be her worst nightmare, Howard teaches dancing with the pitcher, I personaly like to take it one step further and call it messing with the pitcher, get in her head. Every pitcher has a weakness, be it mental or physical, become a student of the game and exploit her weaknesses, granted this is for an older player, but it never hurts in my opinion to plant the seed of becoming an aggressive hitter when they are younger. The players can be ladies off the field, when you cross the chalk, nothing else matters, that is what will get a young lady noticed when its time for her to graduate and move to the higher level of college ball

 

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forum,
The amount of information posted within this topic is overwelming... For people between 8 and 18 years of age this could be a challenge of challenges to understand and execute...
Good Luck, to all the young ladies trying to accomplish the task hitting a softball...
Ron Poole

 

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forum,
The amount of information posted within this topic is overwelming... For people between 8 and 18 years of age this could be a challenge of challenges to understand and execute...
Good Luck, to all the young ladies trying to accomplish the task hitting a softball...
Ron Poole

Hi Ron
This thread is under "Coaches' Corner" so it is not designed for the typical 8-18 year old, it is designed for coaches, parents with a basic understanding of the swing and its components, and hitting instructors.

Len

 

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One thing seldom talked about is a hitter's attitude. If a hitter goes up to bat with any doubt in their mind of getting a hit, their chances of making good contact drops dramatically. It's all about attitude....to the point of cockiness. A hitter needs to go up to bat knowing they will hit the ball hard and get on base. A person can go to hitting lessons all year long but if they do not believe they will hit the ball hard in a game situation, then all those lessons are for naught. It's about attitude. Go up to the plate knowing you will hit the ball hard.

Len

Hey len,

If I sense that any of my players are approaching the plate apprehensively I ALWAYS tell them this " Your will to succeed must ALWAYS superceed your fear of failure" or "You gotta know"...they know this means they have to believe 100% in themselves that they will come through for the team. I agree that your attitude at the plate is a big part of hitting successfully...good point Len!


Sonny