Teaching the "Auburn Hop"

[_MIA_]

I would look at it the other way. Teach them and they have another tool in their belt. If their HS coach doesn't want it, they still have that skill.

I never did it when I played (it wasn't a thing back then) but the small little hop after a prep step would have been simple to implement, and get rid of if my coach didn't like it. I see kids do it without a prep step and to me that would have been more difficult to get used to because I was used to taking a prep step.

 

[texasck1]

I never did it when I played (it wasn't a thing back then) but the small little hop after a prep step would have been simple to implement, and get rid of if my coach didn't like it. I see kids do it without a prep step and to me that would have been more difficult to get used to because I was used to taking a prep step.

DD plays 3rd. I showed her the Auburn video and she has since seen other college and TB player doing it. She has started to play with it on her own. I have tried to let her figure out as much as possible on her own because the fastest way to get her to stop is dad acknowledging it and god forbid make a suggestion on how to improve it. She has always taken a prep step, or as she learned it to "creep". I think doing it while moving looks much easier to learn and get the timing right. But then I'm just a bucket dad who played football and knows nothing. Just ask my kid.

 

[Towny9]

Some players will take it a step further and corner infielders will use the hop as a type of shift. They will land on right foot or left foot first depending on where they think the hitter will hit the ball.

 

[schwabach]

Is there any statistical analysis of the efficacy of the hop versus just being ready (e.g. on your toes, not flat-footed). I am aware of the theoretical underpinnings of the hop, but was curious to know if its actual effectiveness had been studied.

 

[black17]

Is there any statistical analysis of the efficacy of the hop versus just being ready (e.g. on your toes, not flat-footed). I am aware of the theoretical underpinnings of the hop, but was curious to know if its actual effectiveness had been studied.

Its almost scary for me to say, while not EXACTLY applicable, in the late 90's as an undergrad student, I was on a team that studied muscle pre-tension with regards to reaction time in sprint starts. To get right to the money shot, we found on a basic level yes, muscular pre-tension does have a positive effect on reaction time.

That said, from what I am reading here, the discussion is not about reaction time per se, but fixing some other negative movement pattern. I cannot address that. Nor can I address that with regard to muscular pre-tension and softball, it would seem to me there would be very specific situations where it would help but also certain situations where it could be a negative. Sprinters go only one way. Softball players while defending, can literally go any way. Lots of variables to consider.

After all that, maybe I should just shut up and say "I dont know".

 

[Towny9]

Is there any statistical analysis of the efficacy of the hop versus just being ready (e.g. on your toes, not flat-footed). I am aware of the theoretical underpinnings of the hop, but was curious to know if its actual effectiveness had been studied.

I’m pretty sure it got termed the “Auburn Hop” even though they definitely didn’t come up with it because they did the science on why it is effective.

 

[Towny9]

For folks who aren’t familiar with the term “false step” I will give you an example of how I felt it helped me as a 3rd baseman.

When a batter takes a big, hard swing your natural body reaction is to anchor down and go to your heels. It’s almost like a self preservation or instinctual reaction to the swing. But then the batter is out in front of the ball and nubs it off the cap of the bat. Well now you are slow to get to it because you anchored down like a hockey goalie in anticipation of a hard grounder.

The hop takes out the false movement of backing up or going to the heels in that example and helps you just read the actual ball and not the swing.

 

[black17]

I’m pretty sure it got termed the “Auburn Hop” even though they definitely didn’t come up with it because they did the science on why it is effective.

If they do it for reaction time improvements, while I don't know when the Auburn Hop started, the research we did was in no way cuttting edge even then (1996-97). For sure, Auburn did not invent the concept. Probably just mainstreamed it for the casual sports fan.

 

[BigSkyHi]

May find some clues here. At your level, recommend less than the full Auburn hop. Oops forgot to hit post reply

 

[Wildfire]

What age are your players? Is it a Class B team?