CBA PRACTICE – Week #1
JANUARY 5-11, 2015
Practice Plan & Drills
PLAYER’S NAME: ______
DATE(S) & TIME: ______
AT CBA: ______
______
STEP 1:
Complete the drills as outlines below
STEP 2:
Use the note section to write about what you struggled with, or what worked well, how you did, a question that you want to ask the coach about a mechanic etc…
BATTING FOCUS –
REVIEW OF UPPER/LOWER BODY MUSCLE MEMORY
I know this will seem boring, you HAVE to push through these review drills to get the muscle memory down, in order to move on to the more difficult techniques….
BATTING DRILLS:
Drill #1: MIRROR – no ball
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Facing the mirror – as if the mirror was the pitcher – go through your lower body portion of your swing only – you need to create the muscle memory for the lower body that will set the tone for the rest of your batting work out. (You can do this at home as well)
Drill #2 : NO BALL – Against a wall
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Work on keeping the front foot closed during the stride
Stand perpendicular to a wall. Stride against the wall keeping the foot closed, and bring the bat slowly forward to the contact point. (The bat is parallel to the wall.) GO SLOW MOTION and double check your lower body is in proper position…
Adjustment: If your back knee does not stay inside your foot.. prop up your back foot to help get the feeling if it staying in…
Drill #3: Tee Work - NO STRIDE
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Purpose: To isolate and work on your hip rotation
Step to the spot where the front foot would be after the stride and start in that position. Swing and concentrate on the pivot, hip rotation. The goal is to hit a hard line drive off the tee – THE STRENGTH SHOULDN’T COME FROM YOUR ARMS – IT SHOULD COME FROM YOUR CORE AND THE ROTATION!
Drill # 4: Tee Work – Step Back Drill
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Start with your feet shoulder width apart, instead of stepping forward, you are going to step back with your back foot as you load…. This will emphasize your load in your swing and having your balance on both feet, not all on the front, not all on the back…. Once you have stepped back, continue your swing ensuring your back foot properly turns and hips come though the ball…..
Drill #5: MIRROR – no ball
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Facing the mirror – as if the mirror was the pitcher – go through your upper body portion of your swing only – you need to create the muscle memory for the upper body that will set the tone for the rest of your batting work out. (You can do this at home)
Drill #6: TEE WORK – ONE HANDED BAT
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Purpose: Work on finishing high with your back hand
Execution: With a low tee, go down on your back knee, with your front leg out, and with the small one handed bat, focus on your back hand and finishing high with your swing.
Drill #7: TEE WORK - INVERTED TOP HAND
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Purpose: To allow players to really push through the ball
Execution: Get into your regular batting stance… with your top hand on your bat open it up so that your palm is open and facing the bat handle and behind you…. as you swing this top hand will be able to push through the bat and ball…
Drill #8: TEE WORK - PUSH BACK LEG THROUGH THE BALL
Swings: 50 SWINGS
Purpose: To work on timing, and using your arms, hips and legs together
Execution: Set up at a tee, in a hitters stance, take your swing, and push your back leg through the ball…
Drill #9: TEE WORK – PUSH/POINT
Swings: 75 SWINGS
Set up in your regular batting stance…
25 swings, where you stop your bat at contact with the ball
25 swings, where you stop your bat at full extension after hitting the ball
25 full swings, putting it all together
These can be done 25,25,25 or rotate 1,1,1 where you do a swing at contact, swing at point, full swing… etc
AGILITY/STRENGTH TRAINING WORKOUT:
Drill #1: Batting Strength Series (This can be done at home)
Purpose: To increase strength in the wrists and hands
Procedure: Using the heavy wooden team bat at CBA perform the following:
1. Zone hitting – In the proper stance, pivots and swings the bat in the strike zone. Swing through each of the nine contact locations- high pitches (inside, down the middle, and outside), waist-high pitches in the three locations, and then low pitches in the three locations, 10 times each for a total of 90 swings! THIS IS ALSO PART OF MUSLCE MEMORY… DO NOT HALF BUM THESE SWINGS JUST TO GET THEM DONE!
2. Windshield wiper – With the arms extended in front of the chest, the hitter holds the bat head up. Rotate your wrists and bat back and forth like a windshield wiper. Keep the hands at shoulder level. 3 reps of 10
3. Bat raises – Hold the bat at your side with the barrel pointed down. Keeping the arm at your side, raise the bat head using only the wrist. 3 reps of 5 with EACH arm
SIGNATURES:
DATE #1:______
TIME (Start & Finish): ______
PLAYER SIGNATURE: ______
CBA STAFF SIGNATURE: ______