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I have been looking on the internet for instructional dvds the past few weeks. I came across this website and I have read alot of posts and it really seems that many of you posess incredible knowledge of the game. I want to help teach my son who will be 9 soon.
He has belonged to Little League for the past 4 years and has played T-ball for 2 years and Coach Pitch for 2 years. He really enjoys baseball. As a father, I have watched his practices and his games. I assist him by just re-telling what the coach instructs him to do. The season has ended and he still wants to practice baseball. We practice almost daily after school and on the weekend. But all I can do is re-tell and I cannot give him more advice.
One of the disadvantages for my son is that other fathers seem to know the game, while I have never played the game. They offer advice to their children and even the coaches child does things that are different than what my son is being taught in practice. (One time, the ball was hit foul in a game and I threw it back to the coach and he told me that I better learn how to throw. I just laughed because he is right!) I spent my childhood days learning martial arts and after 30+years, am well versed in many different arts.
My son's interest is in baseball and I would like to further his knowledge as best I can.
I have watched clips on youtube, I have bought a book(Don Mattingly) and I have purchased a dvd (Ripken Way defense)
The youtube clips were helpful but didnt go to in depth. The book was good for my knowledge but I had questions that couldnt be answered and I couldnt pass on the knowledge to my son. Ripken was great for a double play(which doesnt happen in his games) and we learned how to step and catch on second base. But nothing notable for the other positions.
I came across a "rotational hitting 101" from Chris Oleary and that was very interesting. We could scroll on a picture of Albert Pujols and actually see a baseball swing in detail. He even provided commentary. If you use the scroll mouse, the swing is in slow motion. We emulated the "rotational swing" and not extending the arms and my son has been hitting with alot more power. During his season, he always hits line drives and the majority wouldnt go past the bases. In the air, it would drop before second base.(this was one month ago). After we viewed "rotational hitting 101", his line drives rocket past the bases with authority and in the air, deep in the outfield. The bases are 60 feet and we measured his hits in outfield at 130 feet, where it landed. Thats a 100+percent increase from what he was doing when he played! He was hitting just as far as or even farther than the "big" hitters on the team and that includes the coach's son.
In a few days, he improved dramatically, just from "emulating" a rotational swing. I dont even know if we were doing it right, we just tried to emulate. It would be nice to know how to do it correctly so he can build on a solid foundation that would carry him to the next level, if he chooses to continue.
I think he is ready for more than, "bat to the ball, swing hard, keep your eyes on the ball" instructions that he was given. I am not blaming the coach at all! He gives those instructions to all the children except his son. I figured that his son was more advanced so he needed more detail.
Even his throwing technique is different. He was taught, point at your target with your glove hand, ball above your head and throw and follow through. On the internet, I saw demonstrations that the glove hand is bent like an L, shoulder and elbow pointing at your target. We emulated this technique and he is throwing faster, farther and more accurate than ever. He doesnt look as if he straining. He looks more effortless? I am trying to think of the word but cannot come up with it.
I dont think the techniques that he has learned all these years are wrong. Maybe outdated? The coach is a nice guy and has played baseball when he was young. He plays Mountain ball or slow pitch now for recreation.
I am looking for instructional dvds where my son and I can watch together and learn together and hopefully not outdated type. There are no clinics or places where we can get personal instruction. So it is me and my son. I am looking for dvds where they teach the fundamentals on rotational hitting and how we can get better with drills and such. Outfield and infield, how to play each position and what each position is responsible for. Fielding and Catching, how to drills and such. Base Running, how to drills and such.
I came across:
Elite Baseball Instruction -John Savage head coach UCLA
Skills and Drills- Dr. Bragg Stockton
59 minute baseball practice- Marty Schupak
CoachesChoice-Tony Dello and numeruous others.
Are these good instructional dvds that will help my son advance his skill level in hitting and throwing as well as all positions?
Any other recommendations?
I did a search on instructional videos here but alot were from a few years ago. I did look at Steve Englishbey's site but am uncertain if it is geared for children learning. The sites I posted above excluding Coacheschoice seem to be geared for children. (Easy to understand)
Sorry this is so long, but I figured I lay it all out on the table about my situation. Thank you!
He has belonged to Little League for the past 4 years and has played T-ball for 2 years and Coach Pitch for 2 years. He really enjoys baseball. As a father, I have watched his practices and his games. I assist him by just re-telling what the coach instructs him to do. The season has ended and he still wants to practice baseball. We practice almost daily after school and on the weekend. But all I can do is re-tell and I cannot give him more advice.
One of the disadvantages for my son is that other fathers seem to know the game, while I have never played the game. They offer advice to their children and even the coaches child does things that are different than what my son is being taught in practice. (One time, the ball was hit foul in a game and I threw it back to the coach and he told me that I better learn how to throw. I just laughed because he is right!) I spent my childhood days learning martial arts and after 30+years, am well versed in many different arts.
My son's interest is in baseball and I would like to further his knowledge as best I can.
I have watched clips on youtube, I have bought a book(Don Mattingly) and I have purchased a dvd (Ripken Way defense)
The youtube clips were helpful but didnt go to in depth. The book was good for my knowledge but I had questions that couldnt be answered and I couldnt pass on the knowledge to my son. Ripken was great for a double play(which doesnt happen in his games) and we learned how to step and catch on second base. But nothing notable for the other positions.
I came across a "rotational hitting 101" from Chris Oleary and that was very interesting. We could scroll on a picture of Albert Pujols and actually see a baseball swing in detail. He even provided commentary. If you use the scroll mouse, the swing is in slow motion. We emulated the "rotational swing" and not extending the arms and my son has been hitting with alot more power. During his season, he always hits line drives and the majority wouldnt go past the bases. In the air, it would drop before second base.(this was one month ago). After we viewed "rotational hitting 101", his line drives rocket past the bases with authority and in the air, deep in the outfield. The bases are 60 feet and we measured his hits in outfield at 130 feet, where it landed. Thats a 100+percent increase from what he was doing when he played! He was hitting just as far as or even farther than the "big" hitters on the team and that includes the coach's son.
In a few days, he improved dramatically, just from "emulating" a rotational swing. I dont even know if we were doing it right, we just tried to emulate. It would be nice to know how to do it correctly so he can build on a solid foundation that would carry him to the next level, if he chooses to continue.
I think he is ready for more than, "bat to the ball, swing hard, keep your eyes on the ball" instructions that he was given. I am not blaming the coach at all! He gives those instructions to all the children except his son. I figured that his son was more advanced so he needed more detail.
Even his throwing technique is different. He was taught, point at your target with your glove hand, ball above your head and throw and follow through. On the internet, I saw demonstrations that the glove hand is bent like an L, shoulder and elbow pointing at your target. We emulated this technique and he is throwing faster, farther and more accurate than ever. He doesnt look as if he straining. He looks more effortless? I am trying to think of the word but cannot come up with it.
I dont think the techniques that he has learned all these years are wrong. Maybe outdated? The coach is a nice guy and has played baseball when he was young. He plays Mountain ball or slow pitch now for recreation.
I am looking for instructional dvds where my son and I can watch together and learn together and hopefully not outdated type. There are no clinics or places where we can get personal instruction. So it is me and my son. I am looking for dvds where they teach the fundamentals on rotational hitting and how we can get better with drills and such. Outfield and infield, how to play each position and what each position is responsible for. Fielding and Catching, how to drills and such. Base Running, how to drills and such.
I came across:
Elite Baseball Instruction -John Savage head coach UCLA
Skills and Drills- Dr. Bragg Stockton
59 minute baseball practice- Marty Schupak
CoachesChoice-Tony Dello and numeruous others.
Are these good instructional dvds that will help my son advance his skill level in hitting and throwing as well as all positions?
Any other recommendations?
I did a search on instructional videos here but alot were from a few years ago. I did look at Steve Englishbey's site but am uncertain if it is geared for children learning. The sites I posted above excluding Coacheschoice seem to be geared for children. (Easy to understand)
Sorry this is so long, but I figured I lay it all out on the table about my situation. Thank you!
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