Hitting Workout (Using tee)

Hitting Workout #1

-  Make sure to get your stretching done before taking your swings to avoid getting injured and/or compromising your swing mechanics.

-  Climb into each swing as you would climb into the box during the game.  This is a great time to practice your routine and make adjustments as you'd like.  Once you are in, take a deep breath and find the pitcher.  Count to three and slowly start your swing.  Slow everything down in your back swing, and explode into the ball after planting that front heel.

-  If you have any questions at any time, either text me at 309-339-1982 or send me an email at mamillhollin@gmail.com.

-  Video your swings and go back and watch them.  Download an app like Coaches Eye or Technique Hudle and go back and watch your swing at a lower speed.  Many times it's easier to see where things are going wrong or going right when you can see it for yourself on video  The goal is for you to learn your swing inside and out so that you can make adjustments on the fly.  

Warm Up

(1)  Set the tee up for a ball down the middle.  8-10 reps at 60-70% of your full speed swing

(2)  Load and Stride Work (10 reps of each)

     (A)  Load and stride to front heel plant.  Stop at this point and check your stance.  Is our balance 50/50?  Are our shoulders still closed or has the front shoulder already flown open?  Has our front foot slightly opened?  Do we still have some bend in that front leg?  Bat knob is facing the catchers feet?  After checking these points, bring the back foot to the front foot, and do the same thing.  Do about 5 of these, then turn around, and do 5  back.

     (B)  Load, stride, and come to contact.  Check that the front foot is slightly open, the rear foot has turned towards the pitcher, the belly button has turned towards the pitcher, front elbow is working its way up and out, hands are close to our core and not outreached out in front, top hand is palm up, bottom hand is palm down.

     (C)  Load, stride, and stop at extension.  Check all the previous items, but this time, the hands have come through the ball.  Make sure that the top wrist has not yet rolled, as this occurs after extension.  Bat barrel should be pointed at the pitchers head at this point, and  we should have a good strong balance with the lower half.

Turns-  2 Rounds of 10 Reps

     (A)  Half Turns - 10 Reps

Ensure the bat starts and ends tight against the back shoulder and back leg.  Drive the hips and end with your belly button facing the pitcher and your back foot gaining a little ground.

     (B)  Full Turns-  10 Reps

Start with the bat handle facing behind you.  When you end, the handle should be facing the pitcher, your back facing the opposite batters box, and you should have gained a little ground in the back foot due to driving the hips.

Stride Work

(1)  Stride and Pause: 10 Reps

Pause at toe touch and check yourself to make sure everything is where it needs to be.  After the pause, drop the front heel, drive the knee and hips, and drive through the ball

(2)  Flamingo Drill:  10 Reps

Get your knee as high as possible why still keeping your balance.  Really work on loading those hips and hands as your front foot extends out.

Pick 3-  

Pick three drills to do, and during your next workout,  pick three different drills.  Try to find out which drills benefit you most.  10 Reps each, do two rounds.

(1)  Single Arm to Extension

Ensure on bottom hand work that you are palm down all the way to extension.  On top hand work you are palm up all the way to extension

(2)  Slow Turn In

Slow and controlled turn in to the ball.  Make sure you are getting turned into the ball and stepping at the pitcher, rather than stopping short, resulting in stepping outside of the pitcher.  Drive theses ball back up the middle.

(3)  Rock The Baby

Let your shoulders do the work on the rock, not the hands.  Maintain an "L" shape with both arms.  Incorporate the lower body to be in sync with the upper half.  Bottom had sits normal on the grip, top hand covers the end cap of the bat.  Start slow until you are able to get up to your normal game speed.

(4)  Knob to Knee

Bring the hands down and the knee up to meet each other.  By the time the front foot lands, your hands should be back to the load position so they are ready to fire at heel plant.

(5)  Walk Throughs

Start with the back foot stepping behind the front foot so that the should turns in.

(6)  Don't Squish the Bug

If you are not creating space between the bucket and your foot on leg drive, chances are your upper half is pulling back pff the ball.  The knee and hip drive should move you forward through the back and move the foot away from the bucket.

(7)  Step Back Drill

Set yourself up so that you are not reaching for the ball when you drive forward

(8)  Bat Path Drill

This drill works on getting the barrel turned early and on path as early as possible.  Take your time with this and allow the shoulders to change planes after the hips drive.

(9)  See Saw Drill

This is part of drill number 8, however, in this we are simply working on the see sawing of the swing.  As we load, we slightly see saw forward with the shoulder, creating a slight down angle from back shoulder to front shoulder.  As we heel plant and driver, we allow the hips and shoulders to see saw the other way, TOGETHER, which gets the bat on plane earlier in the swing.  For right hand batters, you will find you bat knob going from the catchers feet in the load, to the first baseman on the drive.  Lefties, the knob will go towards third base and your swing see saws.

Zoned Tee Drills

For the first 5 reps of each zone, do two slow motion approaches to contact before going to full swing at full speed.

(1)  Belt High Inside:  10 Reps

(2)  Knee High Inside:  10 Reps

(3)  Chest High Inside:  10 Reps

(4)  Belt High Outside:  10 Reps

(5)  Knee High Outside:  10 Reps

(6)  Chest High Outside:  10 Reps