FiveFrameSwing
Banned
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
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.