Video Analysis with Matt Antonelli

[tj501]

Copied and pasted from his website -

He provides a breakdown of your hitting mechanics and describes exactly what you are currently doing and what needs to be done to improve.

He then compares you to a Major League baseball player, detailing the core principles used by elite hitters to help provide a mechanical advantage.

He lastly provides over 50 individualized drills chosen specifically for you to help correct your faults and engrain new movements and mechanics.

In total, you receive almost 90 minutes of instructional video to help improve your swing!

What do you guys think? Worth $199?

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Just use ChatGPT. It's free

Developing a high-level MLB swing involves a combination of drills that focus on different aspects of hitting, such as mechanics, timing, balance, bat speed, and mental approach. Here are 50 drills that can help enhance your baseball swing:

### 1. **Tee Drills**
1. **High Tee Drill**: Place the tee above the belt to work on driving high pitches.
2. **Low Tee Drill**: Place the tee at the knees to practice hitting low pitches.
3. **Inside Tee Drill**: Position the tee closer to your body to work on hitting inside pitches.
4. **Outside Tee Drill**: Place the tee further away to practice driving outside pitches.
5. **Two-Tee Drill**: Set up two tees at different heights and hit both to focus on adjusting to different pitch levels.
6. **One-Handed Tee Drill**: Use one hand (top hand or bottom hand) to focus on hand strength and path control.
7. **Backhand Tee Drill**: Practice with the backhand to develop stronger top-hand involvement.
8. **Step-Back Tee Drill**: Step back before swinging to simulate a stride and balance.
9. **Reverse Tee Drill**: Set up with the tee behind the plate to work on staying back on off-speed pitches.
10. **Walk-Up Tee Drill**: Walk into your swing to simulate game movement.

### 2. **Front Toss Drills**
11. **Regular Front Toss**: Have a partner toss balls underhand from the front for timing and mechanics.
12. **Short Distance Front Toss**: Decrease the distance to speed up your reaction time.
13. **Soft Toss with Inside Pitch Focus**: Front toss targeting inside pitches.
14. **Soft Toss with Outside Pitch Focus**: Front toss targeting outside pitches.
15. **Soft Toss with Varied Speeds**: Mix fast and slow tosses to work on timing adjustments.
16. **Two-Ball Toss Drill**: Partner holds two balls and calls out which one to hit at the last moment.
17. **No-Stride Front Toss Drill**: Keep feet still to focus on upper body mechanics.
18. **Step-In Front Toss Drill**: Step in with the pitch to simulate game conditions.
19. **Reaction Front Toss Drill**: Toss at random intervals to test reaction time.
20. **Rapid-Fire Front Toss Drill**: Continuous tosses to develop bat speed and quick reactions.

### 3. **Bat Path and Mechanics Drills**
21. **Top-Hand Drill**: Hold the bat with your top hand only to emphasize the top hand’s role.
22. **Bottom-Hand Drill**: Hold the bat with your bottom hand only to focus on the bottom hand’s role.
23. **Knob-to-the-Ball Drill**: Focus on leading with the knob of the bat to the ball to promote a direct swing path.
24. **Back Elbow Slot Drill**: Practice dropping the back elbow into the slot position to stay on plane.
25. **Weighted Bat Swings**: Swing a heavier bat to build strength.
26. **Short Bat Drill**: Use a shorter bat to emphasize quick hands and bat control.
27. **Stop-at-Contact Drill**: Swing and stop at the point of contact to ensure proper positioning.
28. **Check-Swing Drill**: Practice stopping your swing after contact to focus on control.
29. **Pause-and-Go Drill**: Pause halfway through the swing and then continue, focusing on mechanics.
30. **Balance Drill**: Perform swings on a balance beam or foam roller to improve balance.

### 4. **Live Batting Practice Drills**
31. **Situational Hitting Drill**: Simulate game situations (e.g., hitting to opposite field, advancing a runner).
32. **Two-Strikes Drill**: Simulate a two-strike count to focus on making contact and protecting the plate.
33. **Opposite Field Drill**: Focus on hitting to the opposite field to develop an all-fields approach.
34. **Pull-Side Drill**: Work on pulling the ball with power.
35. **Hitting to All Fields Drill**: Alternate between hitting to different parts of the field.
36. **Curveball Machine Drill**: Use a machine to simulate curveballs and practice adjusting.
37. **Changeup Machine Drill**: Use a machine to simulate changeups to work on timing adjustments.
38. **Fastball vs. Off-Speed Drill**: Alternate between fastballs and off-speed pitches to work on timing.
39. **Hit-and-Run Drill**: Focus on making solid contact in hit-and-run scenarios.
40. **Power Hitting Drill**: Focus on maximizing power on each swing.

### 5. **Visualization and Mental Approach Drills**
41. **Pitch Recognition Drill**: Work on recognizing different pitches from the hand release point.
42. **Reaction Time Drill**: Use a reaction training device to improve response time.
43. **Mental Rehearsal Drill**: Close your eyes and visualize the perfect swing.
44. **Count Awareness Drill**: Practice swinging with different counts in mind (e.g., 0-2, 3-1).
45. **Pressure Situation Drill**: Simulate high-pressure game situations.
46. **Batting Cage Meditation Drill**: Focus on breathing and staying calm in the cage.
47. **Game Situation Replication Drill**: Simulate a full at-bat with different pitch sequences.
48. **Pitch Location Prediction Drill**: Predict pitch location and practice adjusting your swing.
49. **Positive Reinforcement Drill**: Focus on positive self-talk and maintaining confidence.
50. **Strike Zone Awareness Drill**: Work on knowing the strike zone and swinging only at strikes.

These drills should be practiced regularly and with intent, focusing on different aspects of the swing. Incorporate them into a balanced training routine to develop a well-rounded approach at the plate, and don't forget the importance of video analysis and feedback from coaches to continually refine your swing mechanics.

 

[CoachCeetar]

And for a twist, ChatGPT with cheese.

1. Cheese Grip: Firmly grasp the cheese bat (preferably a block of cheddar) with both hands. Make sure your fingers sink in just enough to grip but not break the cheese.
   1. Stance: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Imagine you're standing on a giant wheel of brie.
   1. Load Up: As the pitch approaches, transfer your weight onto your back leg, like you're squishing into a gooey camembert.
   1. Cheesy Coil: Rotate your torso, coiling like string cheese being twisted.
   1. Swing Path: Swing level with the cheese bat, imagining you're slicing through a block of gouda. Keep your eyes on the ball and follow through with your swing, like spreading melted mozzarella on a pizza.
   1. Cheddar Chatter: As you make contact with the ball, shout out your favorite cheese, like "GOUDA!" or "BRIE-LIANT!"
   1. Cheese Wheel Celebration: After a successful hit, round the bases with your arms outstretched, pretending to roll like a giant wheel of cheese. Don't forget to make cheesy sound effects!
   1. Grilled Cheese Glove: Instead of a traditional baseball glove, use a grilled cheese sandwich and try to catch the ball with it. Bonus points if you actually have a grilled cheese sandwich to snack on during the game.
   1. Cheesy Dance Party: Create a special "cheesy" dance to celebrate a home run or a great play. Get your teammates to join in and make it a team tradition.
   
   
   

 

[tj501]

Thank you but I would much prefer a human coach to see the flaws she needs to work on.

 

[softballphreak]

Antonelli has some great videos on YouTube also. He’s a little windy (thorough) but very easy to understand. He works with softball players as well.

 

[tj501]

Antonelli has some great videos on YouTube also. He’s a little windy (thorough) but very easy to understand. He works with softball players as well.

Thank you. I do watch them and he makes easy to understand.

 

[softballphreak]

There are several in particular I watch regularly on YouTube. Most of those on YouTube I found from recommendations on discussfastpitch. Those are Dan Blewitt, Lou Colon, MegRem, Josh Cathcart.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Copied and pasted from his website -

He provides a breakdown of your hitting mechanics and describes exactly what you are currently doing and what needs to be done to improve.

He then compares you to a Major League baseball player, detailing the core principles used by elite hitters to help provide a mechanical advantage.

He lastly provides over 50 individualized drills chosen specifically for you to help correct your faults and engrain new movements and mechanics.

In total, you receive almost 90 minutes of instructional video to help improve your swing!

What do you guys think? Worth $199?

You pay $500 for a bat. $199 to learn how to use it seems like a deal. TBS, he got a ton of free stuff on-line that could be useful.

 

[CoachJD]

You pay $500 for a bat. $199 to learn how to use it seems like a deal. TBS, he got a ton of free stuff on-line that could be useful.

His free stuff is great.

I guess the way the $199 is worth it is as a shortcut: You could watch 500 of his videos, try to figure out which ones specifically apply to your hitter, etc. For a lot of people this is daunting and also maybe not possible. Not every parent can see what they need to see to diagnose flaws.

Even if his breakdowns are largely just saying "Here, look at these videos I already made. Do these drills to fix your daughter's problems" that might be worth the money alone.

 

[tj501]

His free stuff is great.

I guess the way the $199 is worth it is as a shortcut: You could watch 500 of his videos, try to figure out which ones specifically apply to your hitter, etc. For a lot of people this is daunting and also maybe not possible. Not every parent can see what they need to see to diagnose flaws.

Even if his breakdowns are largely just saying "Here, look at these videos I already made. Do these drills to fix your daughter's problems" that might be worth the money alone.

Thats exactly what i was thinking.