Walk-up Tee Drill

[Twitch5]

In a recent thread about my son's swing, a few people suggested the walk-up tee drill to help the body learn the proper lower body movements during a swing. I think I understand the basic principles behind the drill, but I was hoping for some hints/advice from those with more experience.

How do other people use this drill? What are the basic steps of the drill?

How many walk-up steps? What to look for? Any potential pitfalls or bad habits to watch out for?

I looked for additional information on the web and this forum, but didn't have much luck.


Twitch5

[Deemax]

Ask beemax.

He teaches it and does it well.

I know there are a few different versions of this drill.

[beemax]

Twitch,

The Walk-up tee drill was taught to me be Tony Tarasco, my hitting coach my first year in pro ball. It helps a hitter get a feel of loading on their backside and transferring that load into the ball.

Here's how to do it:

First off, this drill is best when done with a fungo bat. Depending on the size and age of your son a fungo isn't necessary, but it works best.

Set your son up to hit a ball up the middle on the tee. Have him set up in his normal stance, then have him step back (towards the catcher) by replacing his back foot with his front foot. After that, have him take another half a step back. Once he does that have him put his feet together and turn at a 45 degree angle towards the tee, backing away at that 45 degree angle just a little bit. Hopefully you follow all of this.

Once he is set there, have him put his feet together and rest the bat on his back shoulder, arms and hands very loose.

Then have him step with his back foot, trying to replace where it was in the beginning. He probably won't get there, which is fine. Make sure that he steps strong and loaded on that back leg and have him ride it as he strides with his front foot after.

Once the front foot gets down simply let it rip while staying loose. Your goal should be to hit a hard line drive off the back of the cage, assuming that's where you are hitting.

If he has trouble reaching the tee with a normal bat, simply shorten up his steps back.

If anything here doesn't make sense please let me know, as it is obviously easier to teach in person.

[jbooth]

Twitch,

The Walk-up tee drill was taught to me be Tony Tarasco, my hitting coach my first year in pro ball. It helps a hitter get a feel of loading on their backside and transferring that load into the ball.

Here's how to do it:

First off, this drill is best when done with a fungo bat. Depending on the size and age of your son a fungo isn't necessary, but it works best.

Set your son up to hit a ball up the middle on the tee. Have him set up in his normal stance, then have him step back (towards the catcher) by replacing his back foot with his front foot. After that, have him take another half a step back. Once he does that have him put his feet together and turn at a 45 degree angle towards the tee, backing away at that 45 degree angle just a little bit. Hopefully you follow all of this.

Once he is set there, have him put his feet together and rest the bat on his back shoulder, arms and hands very loose.

Then have him step with his back foot, trying to replace where it was in the beginning. He probably won't get there, which is fine. Make sure that he steps strong and loaded on that back leg and have him ride it as he strides with his front foot after.

Once the front foot gets down simply let it rip while staying loose. Your goal should be to hit a hard line drive off the back of the cage, assuming that's where you are hitting.

If he has trouble reaching the tee with a normal bat, simply shorten up his steps back.

If anything here doesn't make sense please let me know, as it is obviously easier to teach in person.

That's good for the weight shift, but how do you ensure that he rotates the hips ahead of the hands?

[beemax]

That's good for the weight shift, but how do you ensure that he rotates the hips ahead of the hands?

For me, being loose with the upper body and letting it follow what the lower body starts in this drill lets all of that happen fairly naturally. I know for me it came pretty natural when setting my bat on my shoulder and basically walking away from my hands.

I'm the pro player at the moment and you're the pro instructor, so do you have any experience with this drill and how to teach it correctly?

[jbooth]

For me, being loose with the upper body and letting it follow what the lower body starts in this drill lets all of that happen fairly naturally. I know for me it came pretty natural when setting my bat on my shoulder and basically walking away from my hands.

I'm the pro player at the moment and you're the pro instructor, so do you have any experience with this drill and how to teach it correctly?

I haven't used the drill you described. That doesn't mean I don't think it is useful, I just haven't used it. That's why I asked the followup question.

Most of my students are 13 and under, and many of them are, too be blunt, not very athletic. Nothing comes as you stated "naturally" to them. I can picture one of them doing your drill and simply stepping sideways and swinging. They will get great shift, but MAYBE not good rotation. Of course, it would be my job to make sure they rotate, but I prefer a drill that will get both done more easily. My hip isolation drill is hard to execute without both shifting and rotating. If you just shift, you won't hit the ball off the tee, and if you just rotate, it won't go very far. They learn by simply trying to hit it harder, to shift and rotate, and do it with correct leg action.

[BallCoach06]

I haven't used the drill you described. That doesn't mean I don't think it is useful, I just haven't used it. That's why I asked the followup question.

Most of my students are 13 and under, and many of them are, too be blunt, not very athletic. Nothing comes as you stated "naturally" to them. I can picture one of them doing your drill and simply stepping sideways and swinging. They will get great shift, but MAYBE not good rotation. Of course, it would be my job to make sure they rotate, but I prefer a drill that will get both done more easily. My hip isolation drill is hard to execute without both shifting and rotating. If you just shift, you won't hit the ball off the tee, and if you just rotate, it won't go very far. They learn by simply trying to hit it harder, to shift and rotate, and do it with correct leg action.

Can you explain the hip isolation drill in more detail?

[CoachHenry]

Twitch,

The Walk-up tee drill was taught to me be Tony Tarasco, my hitting coach my first year in pro ball. It helps a hitter get a feel of loading on their backside and transferring that load into the ball.

Here's how to do it:

First off, this drill is best when done with a fungo bat. Depending on the size and age of your son a fungo isn't necessary, but it works best.

Set your son up to hit a ball up the middle on the tee. Have him set up in his normal stance, then have him step back (towards the catcher) by replacing his back foot with his front foot. After that, have him take another half a step back. Once he does that have him put his feet together and turn at a 45 degree angle towards the tee, backing away at that 45 degree angle just a little bit. Hopefully you follow all of this.

Once he is set there, have him put his feet together and rest the bat on his back shoulder, arms and hands very loose.

Then have him step with his back foot, trying to replace where it was in the beginning. He probably won't get there, which is fine. Make sure that he steps strong and loaded on that back leg and have him ride it as he strides with his front foot after.

Once the front foot gets down simply let it rip while staying loose. Your goal should be to hit a hard line drive off the back of the cage, assuming that's where you are hitting.

If he has trouble reaching the tee with a normal bat, simply shorten up his steps back.

If anything here doesn't make sense please let me know, as it is obviously easier to teach in person.

Not to make light of it but is along the Happy Gilmore type theory?

[beemax]

Not to make light of it but is along the Happy Gilmore type theory?

No, not really. I wasn't aware that there was a "theory" behind Happy's swing

[beemax]

I haven't used the drill you described. That doesn't mean I don't think it is useful, I just haven't used it. That's why I asked the followup question.

It is really tough to get into more detail on here. It would be a lot better if we could go over it in person. That being the case, this drill is not for everyone. Some may benefit from it, some may not, as it goes with many drills.

[BallCoach06]

The walk up drill is a good drill. I have seen it used on a few videos that I have. I also use a little variation of it that I saw the Brewers hitting coach use.

[CoachHenry]

No, not really. I wasn't aware that there was a "theory" behind Happy's swing

HA! You are correct, no theory on it except for massive amounts of momentum brought to a single point of contact. I was more asking if the approach he uses is "similar" in how he stands back and approaches the ball, not necessarily the on the edge mechanics.

[CoachHenry]

Is this it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTvON...eature=related

[CoachHenry]

A few pictures of what I found: http://books.google.com/books?id=zYl...w-GkGGfI&hl=en

[Jake Patterson]

It is really tough to get into more detail on here. It would be a lot better if we could go over it in person. That being the case, this drill is not for everyone. Some may benefit from it, some may not, as it goes with many drills.

Can you post a clip of you doing the drill? That may help.