BP drills that ACTUALLY WORK!!

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squirt

squirt

strokin and swingin
I know everyone has an opinion on what the best BP drills are to make guys better hitters. I am sure a few of the noobs would benefit from drills like, taking bp with only the lead arm, to learn basic form.

I know taking live bp and only swinging with the lead arm for the first 15 swings, then overlapping my guide hand has helped a lot. If I find that I am in a funk, I go back to that drill to get my fundamentals back.

any other drills? hell, do you disagree with the lead arm bp drill?
 
squirt

squirt

strokin and swingin
Atiyeh said:
Yup, how far can you hit it over the fence is a fun one.
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:biggthumpup: never been a fan of every bp session turning into a homerun derby... Calling the location of your hits is a lot more impressive than just hitting shots!!!
 
DRock88

DRock88

What's the problem here?
Put a garbage can in each gap or specific hole that you need to work. During BP, try to hit the balls into the garbage cans.
 
DRock88

DRock88

What's the problem here?
TonyB said:
I would think that swinging with one hand would hurt your form.
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I agree with this. I can remember doing 1-arm drills for baseball, but we used a lighter bat (thunderstick) to make sure that form was kept.
 
trip

trip

stfu
tire thumpers for one arm drills.

those thundersticks were like 40 ounces weren't they?
 
slaughterhaus

slaughterhaus

Addicted to Softballfans
Standing bats distance from a pole/ tree, fence and swing. definitely taught me how to keep my hands inside and barrel back.
 
rhound50

rhound50

Rec Coed Superstar
Stop over thinking stuff, take BP and try to hit the ball like you want to in games. If you want to work on hitting bombs work on hitting bombs, if you need work going oppo work on your oppo swing. I usually just work on hitting the ball where its pitched, outside pitch work on hitting the RCF gap. Inside work on hitting line and lcf gap. BP is a chance to work on the parts of your game that need improvement, as many gimicks as people wanna throw in the best practice for hitting is hitting.
 
kokamojo15

kokamojo15

Manager
Set up cones in 5-6 hole 1-2 hole and allies in the outfield take 40 pitches and try to hit 10 in each zone. Buddy's and I do this and it has helped alot
 
S

smokeum99ta

Addicted to Softballfans
rhound50 said:
Stop over thinking stuff, take BP and try to hit the ball like you want to in games. If you want to work on hitting bombs work on hitting bombs, if you need work going oppo work on your oppo swing. I usually just work on hitting the ball where its pitched, outside pitch work on hitting the RCF gap. Inside work on hitting line and lcf gap. BP is a chance to work on the parts of your game that need improvement, as many gimicks as people wanna throw in the best practice for hitting is hitting.
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Couldn't have said it any better myself.
 
djcs1204

djcs1204

King Jackie!!!
Hitting hr derby actually helps my swing by getting my body and everything back in sync. I can then flatten out my swing plane and hit the liners I need. Anyone else notice this?
 
ImminentDanger

ImminentDanger

Up and Over
One of our BP sessions this year (when we got most of our guys out to the session) we did the following:

Two guys in a hitting rotation... One bats, the other catches... the rest field the hits...

Each gets three good hits while looking to only swing at strikes... The catcher calls out balls & strikes to keep the batter honest... After three good hits, they switch between batting & catching...

After three rounds each, they go to the field & two more come into bat/catch...

This routine (while it is less actual at bats) helps the players focus on looking for a good pitch and making good contact - rather than simply swinging away at everything or getting in a groove with the pitcher and mindlessly swinging at meatballs...

In a real game situation, you come in to bat with only one chance to make a good hit - If you dribble it, you're likely out - If you skyball the hit, you're likely out...

This routine is more game-like without being boring or taking a lot of time to get everyone through the rotation - After everyone has hit, you can repeat the same sets of players again for another round of game-like practice...

Then we took infield practice - letting the outfield guys swap into one of the infield positions just to keep everyone involved...

In another practice, after everyone had a normal batting practice of a bucket each, we did the following:

I placed two cones in the outfield about 60-feet apart - all the guys stand by one cone (let's say left side)... I hit off my tee into the center area between the cones and the players have to run from left cone to where the hit is and make the play -- then take the ball to the right cone and wait for everyone to have a chance at making plays from the left cone...

Then, taking turns again, repeat the exercise from the right cone running to the hit and ending up at the left cone... These can be real wind-sprints depending on where I hit the ball...

Then another round of regular BP... They were tired when we were done...

%%%
 
Y

yance

Addicted to Softballfans
kokamojo15 said:
Set up cones in 5-6 hole 1-2 hole and allies in the outfield take 40 pitches and try to hit 10 in each zone. Buddy's and I do this and it has helped alot
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I read to the end of the comments and can't believe no one called you on it. How do you hit the 1-2 hole. That is between the pitcher and catcher. Is that a swinging bunt or does that mean you are practicing hitting the pitcher? LOL
 
MFCEO

MFCEO

Star Player
Find a good pitcher who can put it anywhere around the plate, and see what kind of hits you get
 
I

iz_2

Addicted to Softballfans
rhound50 said:
Stop over thinking stuff, take BP and try to hit the ball like you want to in games. If you want to work on hitting bombs work on hitting bombs, if you need work going oppo work on your oppo swing. I usually just work on hitting the ball where its pitched, outside pitch work on hitting the RCF gap. Inside work on hitting line and lcf gap. BP is a chance to work on the parts of your game that need improvement, as many gimicks as people wanna throw in the best practice for hitting is hitting.
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I agree with your philosophy in baseball cause of the time you have to adjust. But don't you think in softball you will make a ton of outs basically just hitting it where the pitcher wants you to?
 
The BP Hero

The BP Hero

Addicted to Softballfans
yance said:
I read to the end of the comments and can't believe no one called you on it. How do you hit the 1-2 hole. That is between the pitcher and catcher. Is that a swinging bunt or does that mean you are practicing hitting the pitcher? LOL
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Mr Technical over here... you knew what he meant! :p
 
I

iz_2

Addicted to Softballfans
The things I work on are my feet in the box, (different foot positioning) and hitting my spots I want to hit it to no matter where they pitch it. I use cones as hitting lanes to hit the balls through. This has helped me be able to have confidence in my base hitting in game situations..
 
C

Crazy Range

Addicted to Softballfans
I like using a SHI**Y pitcher who has no consistency what so ever. I get pitched around a fair bit, so its good to practice those high arc or outside pitches etc
 
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