Hitting instruction DVD's, which to buy?

[PCC]

I already own:

Hitting for Excellence Disk 1, Vol. 1-3 (Dave Hudgens)
Baseball Skills & Drills Hitting (Dr. Bragg Stockton)

I'm not real impressed with either of them. Hudgens teaches you to swing down on the ball...no thanks. Dr. Stockton seems to teach mostly linear hitting...throwing your hands at the ball and such.


I have researched a lot of the other options out there but I'm not sure what direction to go. My 12 year old is currently taking private instruction but I want another source for him to learn from.

I've also looked at:

Englishbey Hitting
Load to Explode (Mike Ryan)
Hitting Mechanics/Drills/Common Mistakes (Nate Barnett from "The Pitching Academy")
Super 8 Hitting System (Joe Brockhoff)
Rotational Hitting 101 (Chris O'Leary)

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times but does anyone have any suggestions on which one to go with? Maybe a list of what you do or don't like about each one?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[pstein]

I disagree with all your potential choices. Rather, I suggest the following: Buy Ted Williams' The Science of Hitting book and DVD from Rare Sports Films. Alternatively, you could buy Mike Epstein's DVD. John Mallee is a good choice as well.

I've seen some of Brockhoff's stuff, and some of it is OK, but some of it is mediocre at best.

[dominik]

epstein and yeager are also well regarded.

Are there any knew hitting gurus? the guys like epstein, englishbey, yeager seem to be around forever.

[giantheart]

Englishbey, Yaeger, and Epstein are mentioned the most on this board...

I really like Epstein's material.... It's easy to understand and simple to apply

[bryan2137]

I have the Epstein and Englishbey stuff and like them both. The englishbey web stuff is fantastic, but the DVDs are practically unwatchable because of the audio. There is this wind that's constant throughout and the idea of sitting through it again makes me cringe. However you gotta get the DVDs to get the web access which I found so much great information on. Epstein is the exact opposite. DVDs are easy to watch, good information but no web forums to follow up on questions you might have. I'm getting O'Learys stuff next both hitting and pitching. Glad you brought it up I forgot about intending to purchase it

[mudvnine]

My 12 year old is currently taking private instruction but I want another source for him to learn from.

Well then ask his instructor....worse thing you could do is potentially expose him to conflicting/confusing information.

If his instructor says "A", yet the video says that "A's not good, and you should do "B"".....who do you instruct him to listen to and why?

There's also a thing called "analysis paralysis".....where, if a little is good, more, is not always better.

Best of luck,
mud -

PS. I would get John Mallee's stuff if you still want to "double up".

[Cannonball]

Mud, once upon a time, a thoughtful post such as the one you made would not have happened. THANK YOU!

[pstein]

I really like Epstein's material.... It's easy to understand and simple to apply

And that's why it's so good. Unlike others (Nyman comes readily to mind), Epstein explains things in a clear, logical manner. His advice to "sit" on the rear leg isn't bad, IF you interpret it correctly.

[giantheart]

I have the Epstein and Englishbey stuff and like them both. The englishbey web stuff is fantastic, but the DVDs are practically unwatchable because of the audio. There is this wind that's constant throughout and the idea of sitting through it again makes me cringe. However you gotta get the DVDs to get the web access which I found so much great information on. Epstein is the exact opposite. DVDs are easy to watch, good information but no web forums to follow up on questions you might have. I'm getting O'Learys stuff next both hitting and pitching. Glad you brought it up I forgot about intending to purchase it

I have emailed Epstein with questions..jake responds pretty quickly.. They do have a website but no forum...

[bryan2137]

I have emailed Epstein with questions..jake responds pretty quickly.. They do have a website but no forum...

Yeah the website is nice and the monthly videos are good. I'd just like a forum like englishbey has. I love reading this site but it's nice to go to a place where there isn't arguments in every thread about every tiny piece of verbiage and instruction.

[pstein]

Yeah the website is nice and the monthly videos are good. I'd just like a forum like englishbey has. I love reading this site but it's nice to go to a place where there isn't arguments in every thread about every tiny piece of verbiage and instruction.

There used to be a forum. I'll PM you with a link to a portion of it.

[azmatsfan]

I have the Epstein and Englishbey stuff and like them both. The englishbey web stuff is fantastic, but the DVDs are practically unwatchable because of the audio. There is this wind that's constant throughout and the idea of sitting through it again makes me cringe. However you gotta get the DVDs to get the web access which I found so much great information on. Epstein is the exact opposite. DVDs are easy to watch, good information but no web forums to follow up on questions you might have. I'm getting O'Learys stuff next both hitting and pitching. Glad you brought it up I forgot about intending to purchase it

And you may get a phone call or two from Steve Englishbey. I learned more from a phone conversation with SE than I have from watching any DVD.

[azmatsfan]

Look at Chris Yeager's website (http://www.isobaseball.com/shop/cart.php) and youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/DrYeager...?feature=watch). IMO he does the best job of explaining how the body creates bat speed and why the elite hitters swing the way they do. I think that's vital when evaluating any hitting instruction. I too like Eptein, Englishbey, and Mallee.

[tradosaurus]

I disagree with all your potential choices. Rather, I suggest the following: Buy Ted Williams' The Science of Hitting book and DVD from Rare Sports Films. Alternatively, you could buy Mike Epstein's DVD. John Mallee is a good choice as well.

I've seen some of Brockhoff's stuff, and some of it is OK, but some of it is mediocre at best.

Hard to go wrong with one of the best hitters ever. Just don't emulate his personal life.

[dominik]

Hard to go wrong with one of the best hitters ever. Just don't emulate his personal life.

what's wrong with williams personal life? He maybe was not the most fun guy to be around (kinda no ******** type of guy) but I think he never had a big scandal in his life (I'm no expert though but I never heard such stories about him).