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2 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 1 Copyright Notice - IT IS ILLEGAL TO POST THIS DOCUMENT ONLINE The material enclosed is copyrighted. You do not have resell rights or giveaway rights to the material provided herein. Only customers that have purchased this material are authorized to view it. If you think you may have an illegally distributed copy of this material, please contact us immediately. Please support@knowledgespotinc.com to report any illegal distribution. Copyright Knowledge Spot Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or by information storage and retrieval systems. It is illegal to copy this material and publish it on another web site, news group, forum, etc. even if you include the copyright notice. Legal Notices While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. The publisher wants to stress that the information contained herein may be subject to varying state and/or local laws or regulations. All users are advised to retain competent counsel to determine what state and/or local laws or regulations may apply to the user's particular operation. The purchaser or reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these materials and information. Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, federal, state and local, governing professional licensing, operation practices, and all other aspects of operation in the US or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader. The publisher and author assume no responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of any purchaser or reader of these materials. Any perceived slights of specific people or organizations is unintentional. The author and publisher of this document and their employers make no warranty of any kind in regard to the content of this document, including, but not limited to, any implied warranties of merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author and publisher of this document and their employers are not liable or responsible to any person or entity for any errors contained in this document, or for any special, incidental, or consequential damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this document. Consult Your Physician The techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this document are not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice! Consult your physician or health care professional before performing any exercise or exercise technique. Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this document is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

3 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 2 Contents Contents... 2 Introduction... 4 Fault #1: Uppercutting or Dipping... 4 Drill #1: One Knee Drill... 5 Drill #2: Hammer Drill... 5 Drill #3: Tee Chair Drill... 7 Fault #2: Stepping Out or Flying Out... 9 Drill #1: Ping Pong Paddle Drill... 9 Drill #2: Outside Soft Toss Drill Fault #3: Head Jumping (AKA "No Backside" Hitting) Drill #1: Attack Drill Drill #2: Fast Ball/Curve Ball Bounce Drill Drill #3: No Stride Batting Drill Drill #4: Stride-Backside-Hands Drill Drill #5: Medicine Ball Drill Drill #6: Figure '8' Partner Drill Fault #4: Poor Ball Tracking Drill #1: Pinto Bean Drill Drill #2: Release Point Drill Drill #3: Color Ball Drill Drill #4: Hit or Get Hit Drill Fault #5: Slow Bat Drill #1: Hard Toss Drill Drill #2: Weighted Bat Swing Drill Drill #3: Isometric Swing Training Fault #6: Poor Hand Position at Contact Drill #1: Tee Challenge Drill Drill #2: Soft Toss Challenge Drill Fault #7: Locking Out The Arms... 33

4 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 3 Drill #1: Fence Drills Fault #8: Poor Balance Drill #1: 2x4 Balance Drill Final Thoughts More Coaching Resources... 37

5 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 4 Introduction Hitting a baseball is arguably one of the hardest techniques to master, in any sport. Even after players learn and understand the basic mechanics of the swing, it's very common for them to develop bad habits that hamper their hitting effectiveness. As coaches, we need to be able to identify these bad habits, and make the necessary mechanical adjustments to guarantee that player s success. And that's the purpose of this ebook. In the following pages, we will cover eight of the most common hitting faults you will find at all levels of play. You will learn exactly what causes the mistake, and how to correct it with simple, effective hitting drills that can be performed during team batting practice, or private hitting workouts. NOTE: If you would like to see all of these faults and fixes demonstrated on video with step by step instructions, you can upgrade your package to include the Hitting Faults and Fixes Online Video Clinic by going here: Ready to go? Let s get started! Fault #1: Uppercutting or Dipping When you have a player that tends to be a fly ball pop-up hitter, it is likely because he is uppercutting or dipping. This happens when a player drops or dips his back shoulder too far back which allows the barrel of the bat to drop down below his hands when hitting. Swinging from this angle will cause the ball to popup high into the air. The following three drills will help players focus on the proper posture and swinging techniques needed to eliminate uppercutting and dipping when hitting. Dipped Shoulder Barrel below Hands Uppercutting or Dipping

6 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 5 Drill #1: One Knee Drill The purpose of this drill is to force a player into a more upright position when hitting. If the player were to uppercut from this kneeling position he would lose his balance and fall backwards. The kneeling position forces the hitter to swing in a more downward motion. The player will be in his batting stance with the back knee on the ground (on a soft surface). A net will be set up to receive the batted balls. The coach will be soft-tossing him balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: 1. The player drops down onto his right knee. His left leg should be extended out straight to keep his balance. 2. The coach will feed him soft toss pitches. 3. The player hits the ball into the net while focusing on maintaining correct posture. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps. One Knee Drill This is a high repetition drill so have as many balls as possible sitting next to you. The goal is to develop a muscle memory pattern to eliminate uppercutting or dipping. Drill #2: Hammer Drill The purpose of this drill is to create the proper hand action down to the ball. The player will try to cut the bat downward (like chopping a tree), forcing the ball into the ground, instead of cutting the bat upward and the ball high into the air (uppercutting).

7 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 6 The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be soft-tossing him balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: Part 1 Top Hand Only 1. The hitter stands in a Ready Position while holding the bat with his top hand only. His bottom (left) arm should be held across his chest throughout this part of the drill. 2. The coach feeds him a soft toss. 3. The player cuts the bat downward, hitting the ball and driving it into the ground. 4. Complete 2 sets of 5 reps Hammer Drill Top Hand Only Part 2 Bottom Hand Only 1. The hitter stands in a Ready Position while holding the bat with his bottom hand only. His top (right) arm should be held behind his back throughout this part of the drill. 2. The coach feeds him a soft toss. 3. The player cuts the bat downward, hitting the ball and driving it into the ground. 4. Complete 2 sets of 5 reps

8 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 7 Hammer Drill Bottom Hand Only Part 3 Both Hands 1. The hitter stands in a Ready Position with both hands on the bat. 2. The coach feeds him a soft toss. 3. The player cuts the bat downward, hitting the ball and driving it into the ground. 4. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps This is called the Hammer Drill because the player is hammering the ball into the ground. Emphasize the hands coming down to hit and driving the ball into the ground. This motion is the opposite of uppercutting, Drill #3: Tee Chair Drill The purpose of this drill is to force the player to use a downward swing by placing a chair in front of a tee. If the player were to use an uppercut swing during this drill, his bat would hit the back of the chair. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. Place a chair facing the backstop, so the backrest is lined up with the hitter's front hip. Place a batting tee roughly 12 inches in front of

9 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 8 the chair, lined up with the hitters front foot. The coach will be standing close by to replace balls. Execution: 1. The player swings at the ball on the tee with a slight downward motion in order to avoid hitting the chair. 2. The coach replaces the ball on the tee and the player repeats the swing. 3. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps Tee Chair Drill Again, this is a high repetition drill so have as many balls as possible sitting next to you. The more often the correct motion is practiced, the more quickly the player will develop proper muscle memory.

10 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 9 Fault #2: Stepping Out or Flying Out Stepping out occurs when a hitter s first reaction to the ball being thrown is to step their stride foot out into an open position (ie. pointing the toe toward the pitcher). Stepping out and opening up that foot forces the rest of the body, including the lead elbow and shoulder, to open up as well. This begins the hip turn prematurely, leaking power out of the swing, and also makes it very difficult to cover the outside half of the plate. Stride Foot in Open Position Stepping Out Flying out is when a player s shoulder and head open up too far when he swings. Moving the head during the swing makes it much more difficult to track the incoming pitch. And, like stepping out, this action will limit the hitter's plate coverage. We often see a player stepping out, which then causes flying out as well. Head and Shoulder Opening Too Far Fixing both of these issues comes down to stride foot placement. When the hitter's stride foot lands, it should stay semi-closed - with the toes pointing at an angle towards first base (not at the pitcher) Flying Out The following two drills will help reinforce the important mechanical adjustment. Drill #1: Ping Pong Paddle Drill Correct Form: Stride Foot Semi-Closed Incorrect Form: Stride Foot Opened to the Pitcher The purpose of this drill is to force the player to keep his front elbow and shoulder locked into the hitting zone during the stride and swing.

11 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 10 Using a ping pong paddle instead of a bat will reinforce the required movement. The paddle is so short, and the hitting surface so small, that it's almost impossible to make contact if the hitter opens up prematurely on the pitch. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net or fence. The coach will be soft-tossing him whiffle balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. A ping pong paddle and whiffle balls are required. Execution: 1. The player will stand in the Ready Position holding the ping pong paddle with his front arm. 2. The coach uses an underhand throw to toss whiffle balls to the player. 3. The player keeps his elbow and shoulder close to his body, within the hitting zone, and hits the whiffle ball. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps. Ping Pong Paddle Drill If you have a player who is having a hard time making contact during this drill it is because he is flying out. Remind him to keep his elbow tight to the body until contact (see middle picture above.

12 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 11 Drill #2: Outside Soft Toss Drill The focus of this drill is to work on the outside pitch. This is often a weakness for hitters who fly out or step out. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be soft-tossing him whiffle balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Balls, a bat and net are required. A tee is optional. Execution: 1. The hitter is in a Ready Position with both hands on the bat. 2. The coach feeds him a soft toss to a position that simulates an outside pitch (the outer third of the plate). 3. The player hits the ball into the net. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps. Soft Toss Drill - Where to Feed Ball to Simulate an Outside Pitch Optional Variation: 1. Set a tee to an outside pitch position. 2. The player hits the ball, driving it toward right field. This will be impossible for him to hit if his head or shoulder flies out. 3. The coach replaces the ball on the tee. Soft Toss Drill with Tee This drill forces a player to wait for the ball to get to him and keep his shoulder in the hitting zone. Remind players to keep their stride foot semi-closed as they approach the ball.

13 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 12 Fault #3: Head Jumping (AKA "No Backside" Hitting) Some hitters have a tendency to move their head forward as they swing. We call these hitters head jumpers. When a player's head moves forward, it becomes very difficult to recruit the hips, quads and core to generate power, resulting in a weak, arms-only swing. We also call these players no backside hitters. Compounding the problem, the head movement will also make fastballs look faster and offspeed pitches appear to break even more sharply. A quick way to determine if a hitter is "head jumping" is to get a him into his stance, stand beside him, then hold up your hand showing his head positioning before the swing. Keep your hand steady while he swings, then tell him to freeze. Use your other hand to demonstrate where his head position is after the swing and the distance he has moved. Head Position Before Swing Head Position After Head Jumping Difference in Positions To fix this hitting fault, we want to isolate the head, keeping it still so when the hitter strides, he is not moving forward. Focus on creating a strong backside force by driving the back hip into the ball and getting proper rotation off of the back foot. The following six drills will effectively force a player to utilize his backside strength while keeping his head in a proper position.

14 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 13 Drill #1: Attack Drill The purpose of this drill is to encourage the player to keep his head back and explode the hips. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be soft-tossing him balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in a Ready Position with both hands on the bat. 2. The coach feeds him a slow, looping, soft toss pitch. 3. The player waits to hit the ball until the last possible second, then yells Attack! and hits the ball with explosive movement. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps. Rotate Back Foot and Drive Back Leg into the Ball If your player continues to struggle to keep his head back, use the same head position demonstration outlined above Hold up your hand and ask him to keep his head lined up with your hand throughout his entire swing. He will be able to see the ball better and utilize the added power of his back side. Drill #2: Fast Ball/Curve Ball Bounce Drill Head jumping often occurs when players misjudge an off speed pitch, causing them to lean out in front of it and lose their backside power. This is a great drill to help with pitch recognition, timing, and rhythm.

15 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 14 The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be standing off to the side with a bucket of tennis balls. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in a Ready Position. 2. The coach holds a tennis ball at head height and drops it straight down. At the same time as the release, he calls either fastball or curve ball. 3. The player hits the tennis ball based on the call. i. On fastballs, the player will let the ball hit the ground, then make contact as it bounces up through the strike zone (before it begins to fall back down). ii. On curveballs, the player will let the ball hit the ground, bounce up, then begin to fall back down. He will stay loaded and wait to trigger his swing until the ball is dropping back through the strike zone. Fastball/ Curveball Bounce Drill Fastball Contact Point Curveball Contact Point

16 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 15 Drill #3: No Stride Batting Drill This drill removes the stride from the swing sequence, to help a hitter concentrate on staying back and avoiding the head jump. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be soft-tossing him balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: 1. The hitter stands with his feet wider than shoulder width apart. 2. The coach tosses a soft pitch. 3. The player keeps his front foot in place and rotates his backside as he hits the ball. The back quadriceps should be driving into the ball. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps. No Stride Batting Drill

17 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 16 Some coaches find it helpful to emphasize a strong rotation of the back foot by telling the player to squash the bug. This can be a useful coaching tip, but be careful! The purpose of the back foot rotation is to rotate the entire back side and generate power from the hips. Make sure the hitter is not simply rotating the back foot in place, without transferring power up through the back leg and into the hips. As soon as you see a player head jumping, have him practice 20 repetitions of the nostride drill before returning to normal batting. Drill #4: Stride-Backside-Hands Drill The purpose of this drill is to build a slow motion progression of the hitting sequence in order to separate the components and build muscle memory through repetition. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be soft-tossing him balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position. 2. The coach calls stride. The player steps out with his stride foot. 3. The coach calls backside. The player rotates this back leg. 4. The coach calls hands as he tosses the ball. The player hits the ball. 5. Complete 3 sets of 25 reps.

18 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 17 Ready Stride Backside Hands Building muscle memory requires repetition. Practice this drill over and over again to teach the brain and body the importance of a strong backside in hitting. When a player hears the words stride, backside, hands in combination with performing the movements, he will develop muscle memory faster than just performing the movements. Drill #5: Medicine Ball Drill This is another slow motion progression of the hitting sequence. But this time, we will use a medicine ball instead of a bat, to provide more resistance and build hip strength. The hitter sets up in his batting stance holding a lb medicine ball at his right shoulder. The coach will be standing roughly 10 feet away, ready to receive the pass. Execution: 1. The hitter stands holding the medicine ball. 2. The coach calls stride. The player steps out with his stride foot.

19 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page The coach calls backside. The player rotates this back leg. 4. The coach calls hands. The player explodes from the hips and thrusts the medicine ball to the coach. Ready Stride Backside Hands The ball should be propelled forward using the right hand (for right handed hitters). The left hand is there primarily for guidance, not for use in the final thrust. This is a great strength training drill for players who have a weak backside. A heavier or lighter medicine ball can be used depending on a player s age and strength. Drill #6: Figure '8' Partner Drill Develop core strength and flexibility, enabling the hitter to explode through the hips and generate more power from the back side. Two players stand back to back, with their heels roughly 18 inches apart. One player is holding a lb medicine ball at belt level.

20 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 19 Execution: 1. Both players rotate clockwise at the hips and shoulders to face each other, while keeping their feet pointed straight ahead. 2. Player 1 quickly hands the ball off to Player After the handoff, both players rotate back in the opposite direction (counter clockwise) and complete another handoff, this time from Player 2 to Player Complete 3 sets of 15 handoffs, rotating back and forth each time so the ball moves in a figure 8 pattern. Figure 8 Partner Drill Coaching Tips Focus on keeping the shoulders square and the back straight. Do not hunch over or bend at the waist during the handoff. Start slow, and focus on technique, rather than speed. As the players become more comfortable, speed up the drill and try to get each player to "snap" the ball into his partners hands with explosive force.

21 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 20 Fault #4: Poor Ball Tracking Visually tracking a ball can be difficult for some players, yet it is key to becoming a successful hitter. A hitter must keep his eye on the ball at all times in order to: Determine the type of pitch that is being thrown. Decide whether to swing or not. Watch the ball meet the bat - to hit it squarely and in the right direction. The following four tracking drills will focus on tracking a tiny object, practicing pitch identification, seeing the ball as it hits the bat, and hitting to the opposite field. Drill #1: Pinto Bean Drill The purpose of this drill is to exercise a hitter s eyesight, tracking, and hand-eye coordination. The player s brain must identify a tiny object and track it through the air, all the way to contact. The hitter sets up in his batting stance. The coach will be pitching to him from straight on, roughly 15 feet away. The coach will need a bucket of pinto beans for this drill. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position. 2. The coach tosses a pinto bean into the strike zone. 3. The player swings and hits the pinto bean. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps Pinto Bean Drill Wear sunglasses or other protective eye wear as the pinto beans can fly back at your face.

22 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 21 After completing numerous repetitions of this drill, tracking and hitting a tiny object, a baseball will look huge in comparison! Drill #2: Release Point Drill The purpose of this drill is to help hitters focus on the pitcher s release point and identify what pitch is coming. This is a great tracking drill. This drill can be performed by multiple players standing anywhere on the field. Each player will have a bat, and require 5-10 feet of space on all sides. The coach stands 20 feet away facing the players. Execution (Part 1): 1. The players stand in the Ready Position. 2. The coach will go through his windup and simulate a pitch (without holding a ball). At the release point, he freezes and holds up between 1 5 fingers. 3. The players will call out the number of fingers the coach is holding up as soon as they can identify them. 4. Complete 1 set of 10 reps, varying the number of fingers throughout. Release Point Drill Execution (Part 2): 1. The players stand in the Ready Position. 2. The coach will go through his windup and simulate a pitch (without holding a ball). At the release point, he freezes and shows the hitters the grip he is using. He will alternate between fastball (4-seam and 2-seam), changeup, curve ball and split finger grips.

23 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page The players will call out the type of ball the coach is throwing as soon as they identify his grip. 4. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps, varying the grip throughout. This drill helps hitters quickly identify the type of ball that is coming so that they can adjust their swing timing accordingly. Start with part one of this drill and move on to part two once the hitters quickly and accurately identify the number of fingers you are holding. Identifying pitching grips will be a lot more difficult. Drill #3: Color Ball Drill The purpose of this drill is to help the hitter "fine focus" on the baseball right up to the point he makes contact. For this drill, you will need one or more "colored" training baseballs. You can buy these from sporting goods retailers for roughly $5, or make your own by using a magic marker to fill each quadrant of the baseball with a distinct color. Colored Training Baseball The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be soft-tossing him the colored balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position. 2. The coach tosses him the colored ball.

24 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page The player calls out the last color he sees as his bat makes contact with the ball. (Ex. Blue! ) 4. If his head is flying out he will not be able to identify the color. Unfortunately this drill isn t effective for hitters who are color blind. Find out which colors a hitter does see well and create a ball for that player. Make sure your player keeps his head in position and tracks the ball all the way into the hitting zone. Drill #4: Hit or Get Hit Drill The drill works on hitting a ball to the opposite field. To get a ball to the opposite field, a player must let the ball get deep before swinging. This is hard for some players as they naturally want to swing early. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing a net. The coach will be overhand tossing him tennis balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position. 2. The coach tosses a tennis ball, aiming for the hitter s bellybutton or belt area. 3. The hitter swings and hits the ball. He must stay back and wait for the ball to get deep. If he tries to swing early, he will get hit by the ball.

25 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 24 Hit or Get Hit Drill Your player may have a hard time hitting the ball until he gets into a rhythm. He will get hit by the ball if he does not hit it, so use tennis balls or whiffle balls for this drill. Patience is the key to letting the ball get deep before hitting. Tell your hitter to imagine he is hitting the ball right out of the catcher s glove.

26 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 25 Fault #5: Slow Bat When a player consistently has a slow reaction time to the pitch, we call that a slow bat. This fault is really noticeable when the hitter is up against a hard throwing pitcher. The following three drills will help a player develop quicker hands, hips and overall reaction time to the ball through strength training, isometric training and cage work. Drill #1: Hard Toss Drill The purpose of this drill is to improve reaction time against a fast throwing pitcher. If you have access to a batting cage with enclosed sides and a pitching screen, use it for this drill. The hitter sets up in his batting stance facing the coach. The coach stands behind a pitching screen roughly 30 feet away with a bucket of balls. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position. 2. The coach throws medium-speed fastballs to the hitter. 3. The hitter uses a quick reaction time to hit the ball squarely. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps. Hard Toss Drill Increase the speed of the fastballs once the hitter gets the hang of the drill. Once the hitter is consistently hitting the hard balls well, begin switching up hard and soft throws.

27 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 26 Always step behind a protective screen after pitching. Drill #2: Weighted Bat Swing Drill This drill uses weight plates to add strength and quickness to a hitter s swing. Begin with a 2.5 or 5 pound plate. Depending on the hitter s age and strength, he can eventually move up to a 10 pound plate. The hitter is standing anywhere on the field. The coach should be standing at a safe distance nearby to supervise. A bat and weight plate are required. Weighted Bat Swing Drill Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position with a weight plate on his bat. 2. Complete 3 sets of 10 swings.

28 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 27 Use common sense to make sure the weight plates are handled safely. Make sure they will not fly off the barrel of the bat during the swing. The hitter should not be swinging hard. Focus on a nice, fluid swing. Players should progress very slowly when increasing weight. Always supervise this drill to ensure that players are using proper mechanics. This drill can lead to injury if not performed correctly. This drill should only be used during the off season or preseason to increase strength and muscle memory. It may cause too much muscle fatigue during the regular season. Drill #3: Isometric Swing Training Isometrics are a type of strength training in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during contraction. Isometrics are done in static positions, rather than being dynamic through a range of motion. The purpose of this drill is to isolate specific muscles that are used during the swing and develop a quicker bat. We will go through three drills, covering the inside (pull hitting) pitch, down the middle pitch, and outside (opposite field) pitch. The hitter stands in his batting stance in front of a fence pole or similar object.

29 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 28 Inside Pitch 1. The hitter will set up in his stance with the front foot roughly 12 inches behind the fence post. 2. He extends his arms in a position where he would make contact with the inside pitch - out in front of the plate (as shown in the image to the right) 3. On the coaches signal, he pushes against the fence with as much force as he can muster, keeping the arms fully extended, the head down, and the lower body in an athletic position. Inside Pitch Isometric Drill 4. Complete 3 sets of seconds. Then take a short break before moving on to the next phase. Down the Middle Pitch 1. The hitter will set up in his stance with the front foot lined up with the fence post. 2. He extends his arms in a position where he would make contact with a down the middle pitch - in the middle of the plate and lined up with his front foot (as shown in the image to the right) 3. On the coaches signal, he pushes against the fence with as much force as he can muster, keeping the arms fully extended, the head down, and the lower body in an athletic position. Down the Middle Pitch Isometric Drill 4. Complete 3 sets of seconds. Then take a short break before moving on to the next phase.

30 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 29 Opposite Field Pitch 1. The hitter will set up in his stance with the front foot roughly 6 inches in front of the fence post. 2. He extends his arms in a position where he would make contact with an outside pitch - deep in the strike zone and lined up with his back hip. (as shown in the image to the right) 3. On the coaches signal, he pushes against the fence with as much force as he can muster, keeping the arms fully extended, the head down, and the lower body in an athletic position. Opposite Field Pitch Isometric Drill 4. Complete 3 sets of seconds. This drill requires a lot of focus and concentration, and can be strenuous on the hitter's energy system. Allow adequate rest between each set so the hitter can attack the exercise with 100% intensity each time. Take this opportunity to teach the concept of the "line of hitting" or "ideal contact points." Inside pitches should struck at the front of the plate, middle pitches at in the middle of the plate, and outside pitches in the back half of the plate. Position the hitter in the appropriate spot relative to the fence post, so he can simulate those ideal contact points in each phase of the drill. These isometric exercises can easily be performed during practice or at home. All you need is a bat and a pole!

31 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 30 Fault #6: Poor Hand Position at Contact Improper hand positioning at the point of contact is a common hitting fault. If a hitter is producing too many ground balls or pop ups he may need to correct his hand positioning. Incorrect Positioning Some hitters have a tendency to tilt their palms in a diagonal direction. This leads to uppercutting because the barrel of the bat drops below their hands, and results in weak pop flies. Other players tend to bring their top hand over too soon. This raises the barrel of the bat up over the ball, and results in weak ground balls. Correct Positioning A player should focus on keeping a palm up, palm down or push/pull position at the point of contact. This means that the bat is parallel to the ground and the top hand palm is facing straight up and the bottom hand palm is facing straight down.

32 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 31 Drill #1: Tee Challenge Drill The purpose of this drill is to hit the ball off of the tee into the hole of a sock net. This is challenging the player to hit to a very specific location. If the player is using a proper palm up, palm down hand position he should be able to hit a line drive right into the hole of the net. The hitter sets up in his stance, facing a net roughly feet away. Ideally, you should use a sock net that will provide a target for the hit ball. Otherwise, use masking tape or paint to mark a target into a standard net. Place a tee in front of the hitter with a ball teed up. Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position next to the tee. Tee Challenge Drill 2. The hitter focuses on hitting the ball into the target with squared shoulders and a palm up, palm down positioning at contact. 3. The coach or a partner replaces the ball on the tee. 4. Complete 2 sets of 10 swings. If the hitter is pulling the ball toward the third base side, he may be pulling his front shoulder out. If he is hitting too far toward first base, he is probably letting his hands drop too far.

33 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 32 Drill #2: Soft Toss Challenge Drill Once a player has mastered the Tee Challenge Drill, he can move on to the Soft Toss Challenge. This drill continues to focus on hand positioning and hitting line drives, but utilizes live pitches instead of a tee. The hitter sets up in his stance facing a net roughly feet away. Ideally, use a sock net that will provide a target for the hit ball. Otherwise, use masking tape or paint to mark a target into a standard net. The coach will be soft-tossing him balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Execution: Soft Toss Challenge Drill 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position. 2. The coach feeds the player soft toss balls. 3. The player focuses on hitting the ball into the hole with squared shoulders and a palm up, palm down positioning at contact. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 swings. Mastering this drill will create more solid contact, more line drives and more base hits. Players usually like this drill because it can be a challenge to get the ball into the hole. Keep score to create a friendly competition between players.

34 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 33 Fault #7: Locking Out The Arms The arms are a vital part of a player s swing. They can help you get to a ball quicker to hit an inside fastball or make adjustments for an off-speed pitch. A common arm fault is locking out. This means that the player has extended his front arm straight and locked his elbow. This creates a sweeping swing which results in a slow bat and difficulty in hitting an inside pitch. The front arm should have a slight bend in the elbow during the swing and the hands should stay inside the ball. The following fence drills will help the player keep his arm loose to get to the inside fastball. Arm Locked Out Drill #1: Fence Drills The purpose of this drill is to maintain proper arm positioning throughout the swing. If his arm is in the proper position, the bat should barely graze the fence. If the player begins to lock out his arm or "cast" the bat out too widely, the bat will hit the fence hard. The hitter will be performing slow motion swings while standing adjacent to a fence. Facing the Fence 1. The hitter sets up in his stance with his toes facing the fence, roughly inches away. 2. The hitter goes through his swing sequence in very slow motion. He will avoid striking the fence with his bat by keeping the front elbow slightly bent and hands inside the ball. 3. Complete 2 sets of 5 slow motion swings, then 2 sets of 5 full speed swings.

35 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 34 Fence Drill Facing the Fence Fence to the Back 1. The hitter sets up in his stance with the fence off his back elbow (where the catcher would normally be positioned) 4. The hitter goes through his swing sequence in very slow motion. He will avoid striking the fence with his bat by keeping the front elbow slightly bent and hands inside the ball. 5. Complete 2 sets of 5 slow motion swings, then 2 sets of 5 full speed swings. Fence Drill Fence to the Back Locking out the arm creates a very slow bat. If the bat is hitting the fence during the full speed swings, have the player go back to slow motion swings to build muscle memory.

36 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 35 Fault #8: Poor Balance Proper body balance is essential to become a successful hitter. Some players have a tendency to dive into the plate or away from the plate during the swing, which leaks power, and makes it difficult to make mid-pitch adjustments. The following drill will help players improve their balance at the plate, have better quality atbats, and make more consistent contact. Drill #1: 2x4 Balance Drill The purpose of this drill is to practice balance and holding a straight stride. The player will balance on a 2x4 while hitting balls. Place a 2x4 piece of wood, roughly 5-6 feet long on the ground inside the batter's box. The hitter will stand on top the wood and assume his stance, facing a net. The coach will be softtossing him balls from the side, approximately 10 feet away. Soft Toss Balance Drill Execution: 1. The hitter stands in the Ready Position. 2. The coach feeds the hitter a soft toss.

37 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page The hitter strides and swings with a fluid motion into the ball while maintaining proper body balance on the 2x4. 4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps. If the player has poor balance and tends to dive into the ball, he will fall forward off of the 2x4 after he swings. If you have a player that tends to uppercut, he will fall backward off of the 2x4 after he swings.

38 Hitting Faults and Fixes Page 37 Final Thoughts We have covered eight different hitting faults that you may encounter with your players. As you can see, there are many effective drills you can use to correct these faults. Improper hitting techniques not only affect the number of quality at-bats a player has, but they also put the player at risk of injury. These tools and techniques can benefit every baseball program regardless of age or skill level. Good coaching, proper mechanics and lots of practice will ensure your hitter's success! More Coaching Resources Thanks for reading this report! NOTE: If you would like to see all of these faults and fixes demonstrated on video with step by step instructions, you can upgrade your package to include the Hitting Faults and Fixes Online Video Clinic by going here: If you'd like to see my complete collection of drills and online clinics, please visit: You can also check out my free coaching blog here: Or follow me on Facebook!