I heard this nice quote the opposite day:
Simplicity is the last word sophistication
At Driveline Baseball we’re clearly recognized to be data-driven, and whereas that’s true (and gained’t change), we don’t need our coaching environments for younger gamers to be needlessly sophisticated – by information, or anything that doesn’t serve our final purpose of talent improvement. To that finish, one of many best methods to use this concept of “refined simplicity” is to make use of Hitting Plyos – particularly the Mini Hitting Plyos – when coaching younger hitters.
Whereas we’ve mentioned the advantages of Hitting Plyos earlier than, it’s value discussing in additional element the simplicity that they carry to coaching, and the precise advantage of that simplicity for youthful gamers to have their hitting mechanics formed by the standard of the batted balls they produce.
The Downside With Placing Hitting Mechanics First for Youth Hitters
We will (and do) argue concerning the mechanics of hitting all day lengthy. We’ve been doing it on-line for the reason that daybreak of the web, and for many years previous to that in numerous books on baseball coaching. Whether or not it’s advocating for gamers to have a rear-legged swing, a front-legged swing (Charlie Lau anybody?), no-legged (sure I’ve seen this too), linear actions, or rotational actions…our trade has been barking into an echo chamber about these concepts seemingly endlessly.
As dad and mom and coaches – and fogeys who coach – this attract of “right mechanics” for youth gamers is extremely highly effective because of our degree of affection, care, and funding in our athletes. When working with younger athletes there may be additionally usually the sense that as a result of we’re working with children – who could be a proverbial clean slate – we are able to “set up” these mechanics the identical means we’d set up an element on our automobile.
The primary drawback that arises with this strategy is whether or not the bodily mechanics we’re making an attempt to put in are an accurate match for the bodily functionality of a youth athlete at their present state of organic improvement and whether or not they’re bodily able to stepping into the positions we expect correspond to our so-called “right” mechanics. On condition that more often than not we’re trying to skilled athletes for inspiration on our best swing mechanics, and since these skilled athletes are bodily mature adults, a mechanics-first strategy for youngsters impressed by the actions of adults could be very more likely to be ailing fitted to kids due to substantial bodily discrepancies between the 2 teams.
Past that concern, more often than not that the way in which this mechanics first strategy is “put in” has youth gamers focusing extra on the way in which that their our bodies are shifting and far much less on the batted ball outcomes that they’re creating. That is extremely problematic due to the way it can negatively have an effect on the perceptual process of hitting – deciding when and the place to swing – and the way it locations the batted ball results of the swing secondary to the mechanics of the swing.
The easy actuality is that good hitting is:
- Being on time
- Transferring the bat quick
- Creating flush bat-to-ball contact
with the best end result being a hard-hit ball. If we wish to construct a pyramid of best swing manufacturing, the bottom of that pyramid is being on time. And if we all know that each on-time swing begins with an on-time swing resolution, we have to equip gamers with the kind of cognitive readability that enables for that swing resolution to occur on time and be instantly translated into motion. Having gamers deal with the intention of their swings, not their mechanics, and deploying that intention on time helps gamers by placing the very first thing first:
Be on time.
Because the previous saying goes there are “many roads to Rome”. The purpose of that expression right here is that attending to your vacation spot – in our case being on time with the bat relative to every particular person pitch, and creating flush contact between bat and ball – issues greater than the way you truly get there. If the interior cueing usually used when swing mechanics are put above swing outcomes comes with some vital web negatives for notion and motor output with older athletes, it’s not unreasonable to count on that youth athletes would endure these flaws extra considerably because of their already biologically restricted motor management and proprioceptive improvement.
Moreover, with regards to gamers subconsciously limiting motor output in an effort to transfer “accurately”, getting good at shifting sluggish isn’t a Ability That Scales, so we needs to be very delicate to any cues or teaching that pushes gamers towards this level.
A extra best coaching atmosphere for younger gamers has them specializing in a selected intention as the results of their swings, after which utilizing batted ball suggestions to verify whether or not they generated what they meant. If that’s the case – nice! If not, then it’s time to re-assert the identical intention and take a look at once more. We will prepare with this type of particular intention and get rapid suggestions on our swing outcomes through the use of Mini Hitting Plyos.
Mini Hitting Plyos = Easy Intention & Fast Suggestions
Probably the most vital advantage of utilizing Mini Hitting Plyos is the constancy of suggestions between the swing intention and swing end result. The participant has a transparent goal of what every swing ought to produce, and utilizing the Mini Hitting Plyos makes that suggestions on whether or not they achieved the target or not instantly obvious.
The best final result for every swing with Mini Hitting Plyos is extremely easy:
- Hit the ball flush
- Hit the ball far
When a participant’s bat makes contact with the Mini Hitting Plyo considered one of two issues will occur.
- If the participant’s bat made flush contact with the ball, then the Mini Hitting Plyo goes to initially compress towards the barrel, then rebound off of it and retain its round form.
- If the participant’s bat isn’t making flush contact – both because of not being on time with the incoming pitch, not being on aircraft with the incoming pitch, or some mixture of each – the Mini Hitting Plyo goes to “pancake” out – mainly spin off-axis and have its form deform.
The good thing about this suggestions simplicity is that it distills the purpose and results of every swing all the way down to the most straightforward and straightforward to grasp degree for the athlete. If flush contact is our first goal, then we’re going to need to have our bat each on time and on-plane with the incoming pitch to generate it.
Our second goal is to hit the Mini Hitting Plyo arduous as a result of doing this not solely necessitates flush bat-to-ball contact but in addition necessitates bat velocity. Relating to Abilities That Scale in hitting for youth gamers, there may be nothing extra vital than growing bat velocity. Whereas bat velocity makes the balls we hit with flush contact productive, it additionally will increase the chance that the balls we don’t make flush contact with are extra productive than they in any other case can be.
To briefly unpack this concept, as a lot as we’d prefer it to not be true, gamers will usually make non-ideal contact in competitors. The distinction between a straightforward to discipline floor ball and a ball that squeaks via the infield, or an infield pop-up versus a flare that will get over the infielders’ heads is within the quantity of retained bat velocity that will get imparted to the ball.
The good thing about coaching bat velocity and elevating its peak worth is that by doing so we’re additionally elevating the bat velocity utilized throughout non-ideal contact conditions or when gamers are fooled and need to get off one thing apart from their “A swing”.
Hitting the ball arduous is sweet, bat velocity and flush contact are obligatory components to realize that final result, and don’t let anybody let you know completely different.
Robbie “Byrd” Tenerowicz exhibiting that good issues occur while you transfer the bat quick and hit the ball flush
Simplicity in Motion
As a result of younger gamers are nonetheless studying easy methods to hyperlink motion options (their swings) to perceptual duties (their swing choices) and we don’t wish to sample a contact first swing that lacks output, it’s finest to begin utilizing the Mini Hitting Plyos in comparatively straightforward coaching environments like tee work or facet smooth toss in order that gamers can sample a swing the place flush contact AND bat velocity are rewarded. Then, as their success price goes up, we are able to progressively scale up the issue of the atmosphere to agency entrance flips and even dwell arm as wanted.
Taking part in easy video games with clear goals is one of the simplest ways to get gamers began utilizing Mini Hitting Plyos, and having gamers obtain these best goals and be rewarded with factors is one of the simplest ways to interact and encourage them.
An instance of this for a younger participant beginning with Mini Hitting Plyos can be to take 8 swings and have a easy purpose of hitting 4 of the 8 balls flush. Relying on the age, talent, and expertise of the participant it’s possible you’ll wish to have them begin with the ball on a Tee, however I’d typically advocate beginning with the least difficult coaching atmosphere the place the ball remains to be shifting as a result of we are able to then interact gamers within the improvement of their swing AND deploying that swing based mostly on their notion of the place and when the ball goes to be.
You may then scale the issue of your coaching video games up both a modification to the coaching atmosphere, the issue of the coaching atmosphere, or some mixture of each, relying on the aptitude and efficiency of the participant.
| MODIFICATION | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 |
| Consequence | 4 of 8 flush | 6 of 8 flush | 4 of 8 flush at distance purpose | 6 of 8 at distance purpose |
| Problem | Facet Tender Toss | Agency Entrance Flips | Stay Arm | Stay Arm w/ random velocity modifications |
| Constraint | Hook ‘Em | Step Backs | Offset Rotation | Shuffle Swings |
| Implement | Sport Bat | Velocity Trainers | Quick / Lengthy Bat | Gauntlet (3-4 completely different size & weight bats) |
| Sport | Kill The King | Round The World | Kill The King | Round The World |
Irrespective of the configuration in an effort to maintain participant engagement degree excessive it’s vital to keep up our dedication to the clear goal of the duty (hit the Mini Hitting Plyo flush and much) in no matter coaching atmosphere we assemble. And as tantalizing as it’s to right no matter swing flaws it’s possible you’ll detect alongside the way in which, with regards to younger children who’re consistently rising you’re serving to them – not hurting them – by placing their swing end result first, as long as the swing outcomes are oriented round our best batted ball final result objectives.
Conclusion
If we’re coaching hitters, particularly younger ones who’re consistently studying & relearning easy methods to use their our bodies, we must always typically pay extra consideration to their batted ball manufacturing than their mechanics. Younger gamers who’re consistently navigating round their very own quickly altering our bodies can very simply get wrapped up on their very own on this seek for “right” mechanics, even with out the suggestion of what these “right” mechanics are by well-intended coaches or dad and mom. It’s an issue that may find yourself as a directionless Journey to Nowhere when that search doesn’t handle the elemental final result we wish for every swing, whatever the:
- Velocity
- Location
- Spin
- Motion
We must always prepare youth gamers to all the time hit the ball flush, arduous, and ideally far. That is the last word goal for each swing, as a result of it’s the most efficient final result we are able to generate within the recreation itself. And coaching productive batted ball outcomes performs, whether or not you’re in a facility or on the sphere.
Hold it sophisticatedly easy 😉