The 7 Checkpoints To Look For at Contact When Hitting A Baseball
I recently posted a YouTube Shorts Video that explained the 7 checkpoints you should look for at contact when hitting a baseball. What I failed to mention in that video (embedded below) is that this should only be used when analyzing a video of your player hitting. These are not hitting mechanics your player should be thinking about during their swing. Instead, look for these checkpoints on a still image, pulled from a live swing video, that is paused at contact.
With that being clarified, here are the 7 checkpoints we’re looking for at contact when hitting a baseball.
1) The Power L
2) Forearm in line with bat
3) Head on the ball
4) Straight line from front foot through head
5) Head over back knee
6) Back foot vertical
7) Hands above the barrel
In summary, be sure to get your players on video when hitting a baseball. Pause that video when they get to contact and take a screen shot. Go through and make sure they are doing all 7 of the things mentioned above. If they are not, then you will know that something is happening earlier in the swing that is throwing them off. It’s your job as a hitting coach to now figure that out and help them with it. If you’d like me to make a longer in depth video about this and talk about some of the common issues that cause some of these checkpoints to disappear, let me know by commenting on YouTube and I’d be happy to make that video.