Jeff Duncan's Five Absolutes of The Swing

with Jeff Duncan,
Kent State University Head Coach;
2018, '17, '16 MAC Conference Champions; 2x MAC Tournament titles ('14, '18);
3x MAC Coach of the Year ('16, '17, '18);
188-95 overall head coaching record; has coached four All-Americans; former MLB outfielder for the New York Mets

The goal of most young hitters is to develop a fundamentally sound swing. A solid swing will help a hitter be consistent and consistently achieve the results they're looking for. In this video, Kent State University head coach Jeff Duncan shows you the five absolutes of a fundamentally sound swing, as well as the drills to build those absolutes.

Rhythm to Trigger

Great hitters have good timing, and one of the ways they keep their timing is by having good rhythm. Coach Duncan will show you four ways to trigger, including:

• Reach
• Toe tap
• Pick up and put down
• Heel

Regardless of which trigger the hitter uses, having a repeatable rhythm will help them in their quest for consistency.

Power Position, Connection, and Extension

A hitter's goal should be to get to a good power position. This is the position where all great hitters, regardless of how they start, begin to look the same. Duncan shows how to consistently get to a good power position.

Connecting the lower half and upper half of the body is a critical part of the swing. This connection allows the hitter to generate power without actively trying. Coach Duncan uses the Chase Utley drill to help the hitter feel this connection. In the drill, the hitter takes a normal swing, but doesn't fully finish and follow through, similar to how major leaguer Chase Utley takes his regular swing. This drill helps the hitter to have a better feel and balance in the swing.

The previous absolutes should allow the hitter to get to a strong contact position. After contact, Duncan shows how to get good extension. Batters want good extension because the equation for power is Balance + Extension = Damage.

Tee Drills and Approach

Duncan helps you translate these absolutes from practice to a game, starting with tee drills and building to more game-like drills. He shows how to speed the hitter up using a machine to help the hitter be on time for real pitching.

In this video, you'll get 14 drills from Coach Duncan to help build a fundamentally sound and repeatable swing. Learn tested and proven absolutes that hitters must master to unlock major league potential!

66 minutes. 2019.