Hitting 101 (1-on-1) for the average Dad

[Jim W.]

Like so many forum viewers, I'm a Dad looking for ways to help my son get to the next level (currently a HS varsity goal). I will admit that sometimes wading through the egos and heated discussions are painstaking but the substance and videos are outstanding. Thanks to all the contributors. You are very talented at teaching your ideas with video analysis.

When I first came here, I had seem my son really progress with Epsteins methods while he was age 12-14YO. It was not one-on-one instruction but me trying to oteach what I understood from his books,videos, and interactive CD. As he reached HS baseball, we realized there were either shortcomings in the way we understood what we learned or there were more ways to improve his hitting we were not exposed too.

We found outstanding information here that helped increase our understanding. I recall a youtube video a while back of Hiddengem telling his student to think of hitting the ball with his back shoulder. What a simple explaination that was so clear and understandable. That was not a quote but it made a lot of sense to my son and I seeked to learn more. It was clear that Hiddengem is quite an instructor and a student of the game.

We researched PRC and other information here. I did my homework before calling Steve Englishbey and arranged a meeting or two which has been outstanding. My son really feels comfortable with what he is learning and it seems to be working as well as clearly defining what he needs to work on. I purchased his videos and have spent a great deal of time viewing his clips on his site. Nothing has been as benefitial as our few meetings with Steve.

As others have discussed, hitting is an on going venture. Work is never done but good instruction is key. Regardless who you use, make sure it feels right and do your homework. Again, there are outstanding instructors here with a lot of information to share. Use the search tools and I think you will find a wealth of information subject to your own interpretation. If you are like me, there is no subsitute for a one-on-one instruction with someone that knows what to look for and how to teach hitting.

Best of luck in your search for the best teacher for your son. Thanks again Baseball-fever and Jake for allowing and moderating this forum. :bowdown:

[Jake Patterson]

Like so many forum viewers, I'm a Dad looking for ways to help my son get to the next level (currently a HS varsity goal). I will admit that sometimes wading through the egos and heated discussions are painstaking but the substance and videos are outstanding. Thanks to all the contributors. You are very talented at teaching your ideas with video analysis.

When I first came here, I had seem my son really progress with Epsteins methods while he was age 12-14YO. It was not one-on-one instruction but me trying to oteach what I understood from his books,videos, and interactive CD. As he reached HS baseball, we realized there were either shortcomings in the way we understood what we learned or there were more ways to improve his hitting we were not exposed too.

We found outstanding information here that helped increase our understanding. I recall a youtube video a while back of Hiddengem telling his student to think of hitting the ball with his back shoulder. What a simple explaination that was so clear and understandable. That was not a quote but it made a lot of sense to my son and I seeked to learn more. It was clear that Hiddengem is quite an instructor and a student of the game.

We researched PRC and other information here. I did my homework before calling Steve Englishbey and arranged a meeting or two which has been outstanding. My son really feels comfortable with what he is learning and it seems to be working as well as clearly defining what he needs to work on. I purchased his videos and have spent a great deal of time viewing his clips on his site. Nothing has been as benefitial as our few meetings with Steve.

As others have discussed, hitting is an on going venture. Work is never done but good instruction is key. Regardless who you use, make sure it feels right and do your homework. Again, there are outstanding instructors here with a lot of information to share. Use the search tools and I think you will find a wealth of information subject to your own interpretation. If you are like me, there is no subsitute for a one-on-one instruction with someone that knows what to look for and how to teach hitting.

Best of luck in your search for the best teacher for your son. Thanks again Baseball-fever and Jake for allowing and moderating this forum. :bowdown:

Thanks Jim.
Having been in the spot you now stand I can relate to both how frustrating and how rewarding it can be.

[mudvnine]

Thanks Jim.
Having been in the spot you now stand I can relate to both how frustrating and how rewarding it can be.

Yes, having "been there, done that", the only thing I really find frustrating is the "my guru is better then your guru" mentality that consistantly shows up in every friggin discussion on hitting here.

One guy even seems like a paid hack to get one instructors name on all of the hitting threads within the first 10 posts. :dismay:

And yes, to see your once young players excel to higher levels is about as rewarding as it can get, I hope all here are fortunate enough to feel the experience. :clapping

[new2thesport]

To help all the new dads who know nothing or very little in baseball(Like me), I would like to chime in on this as well.

Since joining( a few months ago), I have asked and received a wealth of information to start off with.

1. Check out Chris O'leary's site(he posts here) and it has very good slow motion baseball swings and it has very good detail in the descriptions to help you. (Well it did for me and thats is saying alot!)

2. There is also a site with pictures and descriptions of the baseball swing called Siggy's. ( I dont know if he/she posts here)

3. There is a member here that goes by Nater(something). I highly suggest you research him on google or something and read his articles. He deals in baseball stuff but I have applied his teachings to the game of golf and in a few weeks have dropped from the high 80's-low 90's to the high 70's-low 80's. I could have shot in the low 70's but my putting was bad! (Putting has nothing to do with what he taught). I guess what I am trying to say is that his techniques applied to other things too and not limited to the baseball swing.

4. Spend a few hours everyday and read in baseball fever past threads for information pertaining to your interests. You will definetly find different ways of looking at your interests, some good, some not so good.

5. There are many great posters here at baseball fever, some will help you privately and point you in the direction that you seek.

6. Of all the pointers and info that I have gotten privately, no one bad mouths ANY baseball instructor. The one instructor who was recommended the most was Dr. Chris Yeager followed by Steve Englishbey.

All of advice and recommendations were for my 9 year old son, your son/daughter would probably have a different type of advice, so dont be afraid and ask in a thread. Many will answer you in a private message.

[callyjr]

Like so many forum viewers, I'm a Dad looking for ways to help my son get to the next level (currently a HS varsity goal). I will admit that sometimes wading through the egos and heated discussions are painstaking but the substance and videos are outstanding. Thanks to all the contributors. You are very talented at teaching your ideas with video analysis.

When I first came here, I had seem my son really progress with Epsteins methods while he was age 12-14YO. It was not one-on-one instruction but me trying to oteach what I understood from his books,videos, and interactive CD. As he reached HS baseball, we realized there were either shortcomings in the way we understood what we learned or there were more ways to improve his hitting we were not exposed too.

We found outstanding information here that helped increase our understanding. I recall a youtube video a while back of Hiddengem telling his student to think of hitting the ball with his back shoulder. What a simple explaination that was so clear and understandable. That was not a quote but it made a lot of sense to my son and I seeked to learn more. It was clear that Hiddengem is quite an instructor and a student of the game.

We researched PRC and other information here. I did my homework before calling Steve Englishbey and arranged a meeting or two which has been outstanding. My son really feels comfortable with what he is learning and it seems to be working as well as clearly defining what he needs to work on. I purchased his videos and have spent a great deal of time viewing his clips on his site. Nothing has been as benefitial as our few meetings with Steve.

As others have discussed, hitting is an on going venture. Work is never done but good instruction is key. Regardless who you use, make sure it feels right and do your homework. Again, there are outstanding instructors here with a lot of information to share. Use the search tools and I think you will find a wealth of information subject to your own interpretation. If you are like me, there is no subsitute for a one-on-one instruction with someone that knows what to look for and how to teach hitting.

Best of luck in your search for the best teacher for your son. Thanks again Baseball-fever and Jake for allowing and moderating this forum. :bowdown:

That is a very nice thing to say for the new dads, I do wonder if you had got in touch with one of the Epstein instructors (since you understood Epstein already) for some one on one that you may have gotten that same direction that Steve has been able to offer you. Just a weird thought I guess. I am sure you would be able to say all those wonderful things about the instructor and still be on a path of a MLB swing.

good luck to you and your boys journey.

[Jim W.]

That is a very nice thing to say for the new dads, I do wonder if you had got in touch with one of the Epstein instructors (since you understood Epstein already) for some one on one that you may have gotten that same direction that Steve has been able to offer you. Just a weird thought I guess. I am sure you would be able to say all those wonderful things about the instructor and still be on a path of a MLB swing.

good luck to you and your boys journey.

callyjr,

You make a good point. As a matter of fact, I did go to the Epstein website and make an appointment with the "certified instructor". I drove 120 miles roundtrip to meet with him and have a 1 on 1 with him. Good guy and he verified what we were doing was accurate. He felt my son was doing things correctly but made some recommendations of reinforcement drills to work on which was what we were already working on. He even followed up with emails with dialog. No complaints about his intent or passion. I have no problems with the instructor or Epstein. I think with the additional knowledge of what I have learned here and with additional instruction of a different nature we are MORE on a path of a MLB swing. My son and I often review videos together and we feel we are on a good path, not just from what we learn from Steve but the reinforcement I see on many clips by others on this website.

My son is not one to wade through this internet stuff but he is the one that indicated he is more comfortable with what he is working on and it has a natural feeling. Mental confidence is certainly a big part of hitting as well.

Thanks for the kind words. If you have questions about who I used (locally)or why I shifted, feel free to PM me.

[Ursa Major]

Jim, thanks for the feedback. I think it helps in going through all the threads to bear in mind that nothing you teach your child is permanent -- you can always back away from a thread or cue if it's not helpful. Still, you need to develop a pretty good filtering system to determine those posters whose skill level and philosophy is consistently helpful to you, and pay more attention to what they say. Some will just be flat out unhelpful, whether they're wrong, or inarticulate, or dealing with a different philosophy, or who just talk over your head.

And always keep an open mind; what doesn't make sense now may do so later. I've actually saved many PM's I've received from people and found myself sifting through them and found myself re-reading a PM I received from the late Swingbuster in 2006. In it, he made a statement that, at the time, I thought was jibberish and certainly unhelpful for my then-11-year-old son:

"I feel in my swing, the bottom hand cocking underneath the top facilitating the turning back of my shoulders and the bat barrel going out of plane slightly over my helmet. It is a mechanism to get the shoulders back and lock them back on the way to foot plant. As Dr Yeager says...it gets the hands behind the whole mechanism and sets up for a segmented " whip" swing. This is the swing that allows secondary adjustment which is what half of LL really is about."

But, now, the advice has more resonance because it does address some flaws that we're having trouble consistently eradicating in the now-13-year-old Ursa Minor.

Glad that Steve's advice is working out for you. It's a tough call to mix hitting videos and online advice and live instruction, and it sounds like you've made the right moves.