What drills to do to improve my daughters succes at the plate

PEPPERS said:

IMO the drill SB is referring to helped DD get her timing down for the really speed pitchers, which she saw many in 18 Gold, some I would guess in the mid to upper 60’s. After doing this drill for a while, it was hard to throw a fastball by her.

The ideal way is to have a person feeding a machine like the Jugs softball pitching machine, making an arm circle to simulate a pitchers motion and feed the ball into the machine to simulate a pitch. Howard advised you did not want to get any closer than 15 feet for safety. Start at the back edge of home plate, each successful hit take a step forward and hit again when you get to the 15 feet marker start backing up until you get to the starting point. Speed depends on age and ability IMO the first few times set the machine at a speed the hitter can be successful as skill improves increase speed.

As SB advised also move in and out on the plate for inside and outside pitches, it helped DD a lot IMO.

SB if you have a better description than mine I would like to have a copy also.

Thanks SB

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FiveFrameSwing said:

It isn't surprising that no one has posted video of this version of the Barry Bonds drill ..... mainly because the way it is described is harmful to the swing and video would point that out.

At 15ft, a ball out of the pitching machine at 60mph would have a comparative reaction time to a ball pitched at 172mph at 43ft.

Do the math ... and you'll see that many that have described performing this drill are not simulating reality ... and when I've seen the drill performed I've seen it turn good swings into poor swings.

Recommendation: If you must perform this drill then consider the following increments .... 1) move up 3ft from the normal pitched distance, then 2) move up 2ft closer, or 5ft from the normal pitched distance. Moving up more than 5ft isn't overly helpful in terms of the goal, and those moving up 25ft are negatively impacting the swing.

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It got the name from friends of mine that actually worked camps with Bonds back in the 90's.

As a right handed hitter use a left handed glove and we get about 10 feet away and bounce balls and the hitter sets up in their normal stance hands up, stride ,track the ball into the glove with the their eyes and catches the ball palm up. Once they get that have them do it with a person standing about 15 feet away and do an arm circle and we load at the K and step on the release.

Now set the speed to 55 MPH (choose age or athletic appropriate) The hitter sets up beyond where the catcher sets up. We are working low to high as we advance one step after each catch and slow to fast as we move forward. In my opinion wear a helmet! Common sense dictates with the glove you must adjust so you can catch the low pitch and high pitch as you move forward and gain confidence. The right handed person who is being converted to left find this drill really helps them a lot! Work up the middle, then away and finally inside.

When you get forward remember your mechanics for catching the ball is still relevant to palm up as would be for hitting, reverse the process and step rearward after each catch. We considered this one cycle then get out and take a break. Then introduce the bat and start as noted above and try to see how close you can get to the machine SAFELY! IF you get to close the ball may rebound off a tire or wheel or even go back through the machine and hit the feeder. I would use an L screen.

You will find once they have moved 4 to 7 feet most hitters will struggle with the increased speed as it presents a timing issue. This is why I laugh when I see a coach move all his team up in the batters box during a game without understanding what 4 plus feet can do IF the kids have never practiced for it!

We feel this creates a swing DNA as they learn to adjust, visually and mentally and see the difference and will start to understand their load and stride, hip sequence and momentum. They start with low pitches and have to adjust to higher pitches and faster speeds and then from higher to lower and less speed. Then move them away from the plate and instruct them them to hit the ball to the opposite field and then move them in and instruct then to pull everything. At the end of his presentation Bonds would slide a glove onto the end of his bat and say if I can catch it with my glove then I can catch it with my bat!

I have used this drill for at least 11 years as I do not use pitching machines for batting practice, I use it for timing and rhythm adjustments.

Thanks Howard

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PEPPERS said:

DD would go to a facility called Pitcher Perfect Swing a few years ago (no longer in business) in Chattanooga, TN, the owner was a hitting instructor for The Chattanooga Lookouts. They had a 70 MPH hitting station with an Iron Mike pitching machine with baseballs, DD would do the Bonds drill when at the facility and became kind of famous at the facility for the drill. When a baseball guy would complain about the speed he would offer for them to watch DD hit and do the Bonds drill.

He even began using the drill at the facility and with his players on the Lookouts, if a minor league hitting coach did not have a problem with the drill and adopted it for his players I certainly don’t have a problem with it.

FFS I would suggest if you don’t like the drill then don’t use it simple as that.

Below is how Howard explained the drill.

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/2301-where-would-i-find-barry-bonds-drill.html

Howard's post.

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Eric F said:

I was responding to the drill shown in the video.

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FiveFrameSwing said:

70mph, at 15ft, would be the equivalent reaction time as for 200mph at 43ft.

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PEPPERS said:

Really!!!!!! No where did I say we got to 15 feet, what was said is that Howard advised for safety not to get closer that 15 feet.

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PEPPERS said:

IMO the drill SB is referring to helped DD get her timing down for the really speed pitchers, which she saw many in 18 Gold, some I would guess in the mid to upper 60’s. After doing this drill for a while, it was hard to throw a fastball by her.

The ideal way is to have a person feeding a machine like the Jugs softball pitching machine, making an arm circle to simulate a pitchers motion and feed the ball into the machine to simulate a pitch. Howard advised you did not want to get any closer than 15 feet for safety. Start at the back edge of home plate, each successful hit take a step forward and hit again when you get to the 15 feet marker start backing up until you get to the starting point. Speed depends on age and ability IMO the first few times set the machine at a speed the hitter can be successful as skill improves increase speed.

As SB advised also move in and out on the plate for inside and outside pitches, it helped DD a lot IMO.

SB if you have a better description than mine I would like to have a copy also.

Thanks SB

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PEPPERS said:

Your claim is that I said DD got to 15 feet at 70 MPH and that was never stated, 15 feet is a reference for safety, again you put words in peoples mouth.

IMO the drill is to be taken in steps as the hitter gets better at the drill the closer he/she can get to the machine, if you can’t hit it then you get no closer, if you can get 15 feet then by all means get to 15 feet, and then turn the machine up the next time you try drill.

I never seen it but I heard that Bustos could get to five feet at 60 MPH, but never get that close.

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