The 4 Pillars of a Complete Hitter
Why the swing, athletic development, mental training, and the hitting processor must work together.
READ ARTICLE →Backspin Blog — Free Instruction / The Early Days of AHD
From the 2015 archive
This is historical coaching writing originally published under Krush Athletics. The wording reflects its original period. For current guidance, use AHD lessons and SwingChecker.
Most hitters and coaches think that working on hitting is taking batting practice... they are correct but only partially. Understanding, addressing and working on all the ingredients of being a good hitter is the only way to maximize any hitters potential.
Each fast pitch softball hitter is an individual and each has their strengths and weaknesses but going through this checklist may help identify both and get them on their way to marked improvement.
The swing · The actual physical swing mechanics · Creating a “sound or mechanically correct” swing gives the hitter the best chance for contact and force(power) The phase we all work on the most 2. The mental approach · Ignored by a lot of fastpitch softball hitting instructors(because of the lack of concrete ideas and it has the widest variety of opinions, thoughts and ways the element is applied) · This can be anything from their approach at the plate to practice habits 3. Vision, tracking, pitch recognition and decision making · This element is blatantly ignored as something hitting coaches teach and yet it is arguably the most important element. · It goes without saying that we, as a group of coaches, do not work on this enough. 4. Work ethic · The intangible… how bad the individual wants to master the craft… this applies to both hitters and hitting coaches 5. Optimum physical performance training … maximizing the hitting machine · As an athlete, your body is your business … understanding what and how to train your body to maximize performance and creating maximum injury resistance is paramount.
To find out how to maximize the fast pitch softball hitter’s potential and teaching kids to be at their best… you need to understand these 5 elements and need to acknowledge, learn about and work on the elements as much as possible.
We always work on the swing… sometimes lift weights or condition…but how often do we work on
pitch recognition? How many times do we actually work on seeing pitches?
Time, space, knowledge and finances are always challenges but in order to become elite, these areas must be learned and mastered.
Quick answers
Is batting practice enough to become a good hitter?
No. Batting practice works the swing, but hitters also need the mental approach, pitch recognition, work ethic and physical training.
What part of hitting is most often ignored?
Vision, tracking, pitch recognition and decision making. It’s arguably the most important element and the one coaches work on least.
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