“Watch the great hitters…They will tell you everything you need to know.” — Ted Williams, MLB Hall of Fame player
WHAT COMMON FLAWS HOLD BACK MANY YOUTH HITTERS?
Welcome to Improve Your Hitting! Please take a few minutes to browse this website. I am an Epstein Certified Hitting Instructor. Let me know if you have any questions! You can contact me at improveyourhitting@gmail.com.
HITTING
I teach players to swing a bat like the best MLB hitters. My teaching method is based on the teaching system created by Mike Epstein and his son Jake. It has been used to help thousands of players improve their hitting from rec-leagues to the MLB.
I am proud to offer this method as an Epstein Certified Hitting Instructor in conjunction with the Bat Cave on the east side of Indianapolis. I have the tools, training, and library of drills to develop a personal training plan to meet each player’s particular needs.
YOU WILL LEARN TO HIT LIKE AN MLB PLAYER
Here is my four-step method to help baseball and softball players improve their swings: (1) Record the player’s swing on high-speed video. (2) Analyze his or her swing in slow-motion and compare it to slow-motion videos of the best MLB batters. (3) Identify any mechanical flaws. (4) Correct these flaws by teaching the player drills designed to target specific problems and develop proper mechanics.
The player will leave the lesson with a plan for improvement. He or she will have a “homework” assignment of specific drills to practice until the next lesson. All homework can be done at home with a tee and whiffle ball. It will require no more than ten to fifteen minutes a day. You can find more information about hitting lessons here.
BAD HITTING CUES THAT COACHES STILL USE
The use of slow-motion video is essential to my teaching method. It allows me to see flaws in the swing that are impossible to see with the unaided eye. It also allows my students to see exactly what they are doing wrong compared to the best MLB batters. If instructors are not using slow-motion video, then they will be limited in their ability to diagnose problems and explain proper mechanics.
PITCHING
Besides hitting, I am also available for beginner and intermediate baseball pitching lessons. I teach a combination of the pitching systems used by two of the best-known pitching coaches in the profession, Tom House (National Pitching Association) and Ron Wolforth (Texas Baseball Ranch). I have spent time with both coaches face-to-face, attended their camps, and observed them working with youth pitchers. I have also studied their supporting materials to supplement what I learned.
My pitching lessons focus on basic mechanics. My goals are to prevent throwing pain, increase velocity, and develop command. Players are evaluated using slow-motion video to identify any inefficiencies and disconnections in their pitching motion. Drills are recommended to correct these problems. You can find more information about pitching lessons here.
WHAT I DO NOT TEACH
I do not teach or ask players to do anything related to strength training such as weight lifting, plyometrics, weighted balls, resistance bands, etc. Strength training is necessary to increase power and velocity once mechanical problems are corrected and the body is swinging the bat or throwing the ball with maximum efficiency. However, strength training is beyond my level of expertise and should be supervised by someone with the proper credentials, education, and experience to avoid injury.