The Physics of Developing Great Hitters

Efficient hitters are successful hitters. Learning how and why it's important to keep your hands inside your elbows, stay connected with your hips and drive the forces through the ball are important elements of being efficient and powerful.

Randy Schneider uses his knowledge of physics and bio-mechanics to show you how to construct a scientifically efficient and powerful softball swing. Coach Schneider deconstructs the swing phase-by-phase, explaining the key points and the laws of physics associated with each phase. He also shares his knowledge of educational psychology, explaining the importance of how hitters are taught.

Stance
Get your hitters into a strong, balanced stance to deliver force into the ball. Coach Schneider opens with a discussion of key principles for the stance position. Referencing several of Newton's laws of motion, he explains how to harness the energy coming from the ground to put hitters in a strong position to hit.

Load
Another key factor in the softball swing is the athlete's load and negative movement. Coach Schneider explains how to use the load to create separation of the hands, which is critical for producing power. He demonstrates how to activate the hands to create a double pendulum effect, which helps hitters generate more bat speed, thereby increasing power and consistency.

Connection
Making an efficient connection move helps hitters stay in a strong position to create a transverse force. Coach Schneider explains how to start the swing with the back elbow to create a whipping effect, while driving and popping with the hips. The back elbow starts the swing and therefore can be the first mechanical part of the swing to breakdown causing the rest of the swing to be off time and balance.

According to Coach Schneider, understanding variables is an important part to teaching and coaching hitting. He explains differential learning and also discusses how to better prepare hitters by adding variables into your practices to make them more game-like.

Coach Schneider is the master of the physics and the bio-mechanics of the softball swing. With his thorough explanations and examples, you will be better equipped to teach hitters how to change the game with one swing of the bat.

64 minutes. 2014.