Super8Hitting by Joe Brockhoff

[chriso17]

Joe Brockhoff (who was the coach at Tulane Univ) has been very active in my area with pushing his super8hitting system.

Just wanted to know if anyone here has any experience with this system and whether it's any good. Or how similar it is to others I see mentioned in this forum (Englishby, Oleary, Yeager, etc>?

This a very, very brief snapshot of his hitting theories (I think it's just meant to get you interested in buying more of his stuff):

http://www.ehow.com/how_4998251_hit-power-baseball.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4995532_hit-a-baseball.html

I've seen some portions of his videos and they seem pretty good (albeit, they were created in the 90's).

[BallCoach06]

I have seen quite a bit of "preview" stuff of the Super 8 System. From what I saw it will help hitters stay short, quick, and compact with their swings. It might not fit the "MLB" model that most around here try to fit, but I think (from what I saw) the system would produce results.

A lot of what I saw in the "preview" stuff, I saw in the 2009 Florida State hitters. Man could they swing it.

[CoachL4]

What does he teach different then the MLB swing? I'm curious too about the "system". Have serious doubts about it.

[Encinitas]

Brockhoff I should say at least one youtube video was given glowing reviews by the owner of hitting illustrated. So I'd say there is some compatibility there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZdhzqbvMYM

[BallCoach06]

What does he teach different then the MLB swing? I'm curious too about the "system". Have serious doubts about it.

For one, from what I saw in the previews, he promotes keeping the elbow in the slot position (or close to it) throughout the stance, load, and swing. Kind of Epsteinish. Not saying anything is wrong with that.

There is also no teaching of "walking away from the hands" (or whatever others refer to it as), during the the stride. At least from what I saw in the short segments I saw. Again, not saying anything is wrong with that.

I am a firm believer in going with what works for YOU and/or your team.

Like I stated above, IMO the best example of this approach would be taking a look at a lot of the '09 Florida State hitters. Quite a few of them swung with an approach very similar to this and produced pretty solid results.

[GetYourBestSwing]

For one, from what I saw in the previews, he promotes keeping the elbow in the slot position (or close to it) throughout the stance, load, and swing. Kind of Epsteinish. Not saying anything is wrong with that.

There is also no teaching of "walking away from the hands" (or whatever others refer to it as), during the the stride. At least from what I saw in the short segments I saw. Again, not saying anything is wrong with that.

I am a firm believer in going with what works for YOU and/or your team.

Like I stated above, IMO the best example of this approach would be taking a look at a lot of the '09 Florida State hitters. Quite a few of them swung with an approach very similar to this and produced pretty solid results.

Florida State could rake. No doubt.


I know for a fact though they are not teaching any type of system.

I know the volunteer assistant.


Not saying you are suggesting they were using this system- but if they looked like this, it is purely coincidental. Or maybe it suggests the instructor has seen something in successful hitters that can work.

Actually kind of funny how little instruction FSU is given. They let each player do their thing.

[BallCoach06]

Florida State could rake. No doubt.


I know for a fact though they are not teaching any type of system.

I know the volunteer assistant.


Not saying you are suggesting they were using this system- but if they looked like this, it is purely coincidental. Or maybe it suggests the instructor has seen something in successful hitters that can work.

Actually kind of funny how little instruction FSU is given. They let each player do their thing.

Correct. I was by no means implying FSU uses this system. Just simply noting that I have seen some aspects of the Super 8 System in several FSU hitters. Namely the lead-off man Holt.

Just using them as a reference to look at if someone wanted to kind of see an example of the Super 8 System at work.

[Hattrick]

I'm quite sure that you can find "some aspects" of Coach Brockhoff's hitting system in all competent hitters' swings at about any level. As a caveat, however, before you buy or buy into his system you might want to click onto the "How to Hit a Ball from a Tee" sidebar on his site. The video might date from the '90's, but it sure looks like at least some of his drills date from the '70's, and have pretty much been discredited since then.

[BallCoach06]

I'm quite sure that you can find "some aspects" of Coach Brockhoff's hitting system in all competent hitters' swings at about any level. As a caveat, however, before you buy or buy into his system you might want to click onto the "How to Hit a Ball from a Tee" sidebar on his site. The video might date from the '90's, but it sure looks like at least some of his drills date from the '70's, and have pretty much been discredited since then.

I really don't buy into any one system, I go with what works for me, my players, and our team. I will probably skip the Tee sidebar however, as we have already put together our drills/philosophies for tee work from other sources.