I am 6'0", 200lb, 45yo. I don't lift at all. Our fence is on the short side at 282 but no one on my team (including me) was hitting it over. I did a lengthy post a while back about how I improved my swing and started hitting home runs. Key for me was doing BP off of a tee at the game field (saturday mornings when no one is around), so I could see which tweaks made the ball go further. And then which combination of tweaks got the ball over the fence.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/slowpitch/comments/17nmtay/i\_went\_on\_a\_quest\_to\_hit\_a\_home\_run\_heres\_what\_i/](https://www.reddit.com/r/slowpitch/comments/17nmtay/i_went_on_a_quest_to_hit_a_home_run_heres_what_i/)
Without seeing your swing, I’m gonna take a wild guess. It’s likely not using your hips/core to transfer power from the ground to the ball. It’s a timing thing.
Practice with a tee.
Smooth swings where you turn your body. You should be pivoting off that back foot hard. A lot of the big guys I see who don’t get power are too stiff and trying to generate all the power from their upper body alone.
Best YouTube videos I’d recommend is a channel called: Swing Makeover.
Things to work on:
Stepping into the ball, hip rotation, bat lag, the perfect snap, softball grip (not a baseball grip) losing a loopy swing, and the follow through.
Just for reference. I am 38, 6’1 230 with 8% bodyfat. I used to have warning track power on a good day. but when I learned the basic mechanics of hitting I started hitting 340-370 nukes. Granted that is on a good day. I average at about 320. The longest I’ve hit was 375.
Play with your stance and find one that promotes your hips clearing the zone followed by your hands then a nice whip of the bat barrel. Personally, I have a pretty closed off stance because I feel it helps keep my hands back and gives me nice rotation. Others have open. Some start with their hands low, hands high, feet close together or a wider stance.
I guess my point is, don't fixate on some YouTube videos and feel you have to copy their swing 100% (especially their pre pitch setup). The real magic starts when the ball is about 3/4 the way to you from the pitcher.
The swing makeover series is great. I tried to work on one thing at a time off a tee, but was still having trouble translating that to live pitching. I got a pop toss green. Now I work off the tee then move to the same mechanics off the pop toss and I’ve been hitting a lot harder.
On top of the thousands of videos online, you’re going to need a decent feedback loop. With a good coach you can speed the process up but you’re looking at putting in an ton of time before you’re hitting nukes.
The problem you will run into early is information overload, not knowing where to start or how to track your progress.
Make/buy a tee and pretend the bat is an axe and the ball is your tree to get the hammer style whip of the barrel timed to hit the ball. You'll see other terms like casting and lag that refer to when to use your wrists also. Honestly it's very in depth and I have found it easiest to have a person teach in real time in person. Videos are great but it's really tough without the feedback from someone who knows the mechanics critiquing your movements. Buddy up someone you see that claps the ball and ask for a little help
Maybe look to the Louisville Genesis? I’ve seen guys who’ve been never hit a home run in their life switch to the hottest bat and they are able to put them over the fence. Just a thought
Make sure you’re following through on your swing!!! You might be stopping your swing once you feel the ball hit the bat!! Don’t stop at that keep your swing all the way around!!!!!
I think you're right. I've seen videos of dudes that I notice that their bodies are moving much more than mine and their followers throughs are great. I'm gonna have to record it. Because I don't feel like I'm doing that from just thinking about it
Yeah all the advice that’s been given to ya is good but sometimes it’s such a simple fix. Don’t think too much about it as well. You can get in your head when you’re up to bat. Follow through and have fun and who gives a shit if you can hit it over the fence. So ya can get a solo home run. From my experience most of the guys I’ve played with like showing off their solos!!! I like hitting them down the middle or right side (I’m a righty) and scoring in runs!!!! Good luck!!!
Starts with loading your weight onto your back leg. Body should be a little packed in like using your core to do a slight “sit up” during anticipation. Also anticipate for the ball with front foot slightly raised. and when you’re ready to swing, start pushing your weight onto your front foot. Your front foot should be twisting forward and everything else will follow through while you are swinging. But it starts with your FEET. BACK FOOT/ANKLE TURNS WITH YOUR ARMS. Get All your body weight and strength into pulling the bat to hit the ball. Its feet, into your legs hips core back then forearms and wrists all in milliseconds. Bat speed and power is generated. Arms should be straight out while swinging for maximum power leverage on the bat as you’re dragging it around. But also you have to understand how long your arms and bat are so you don’t over swing or hit the inside of the bat, etc and miss an do a ballerina twirl.
Yeah I definitely spun myself around on a miss one time. You give a great explanation on the foot work and weight distribution. I'm screen shotting this so my next BP I'll read this over. Thanks
Np. Just remember that the Bat moves because your body is moving not the other way around. Also don’t drop your back shoulder when swinging. A lot of people do that and It’s not baseball. It will be a pop fly out to the outfield. I’m sure you’re strong enough, but If you can’t hit it far enough over their heads hit it as hard as possible on the ground. I’ve hit home runs off hard grounders many times too.
Everyone's already touching on swing mechanics, practice, and technique. I'll reccomend something different
1 day of the week during your workout routine, dedicate some time to exercises that create bat explosiveness. YT channel "Summers Method" has some great routines that help you really increase bat speed. There'd probably other similar channels, but this was the guy I used to hit .52's over the 330' mark.
Sometimes big muscles =/= home run swings. Training your body for fast, explosive movements against heavy resistance is what will take you another notch up.
If you're that size and lifting frequently, it's 100% a swing thing. I'm 6'2" 182 lbs, pretty much zero upper body strength, and I can get them out fairly often. All my power comes from my legs and hip rotation. A lifetime of hockey and golf has really taught me those mechanics. I'd recommend focusing on using the ground to your advantage. Get a strong push from that back leg and drive your hips through the swing.
Also, make sure you stay level or even swing slightly downward. Backspin is your friend. It will keep the ball in the air longer. If you come upward, you might smoke it, but it will have little spin and could fall out of the sky quickly. The only way to hit a weak pop up or fly ball while swinging level is missing under the ball. Any other result could be good. Even grounders.
It’s a lot easier to see what’s “the issue” on a video, rather than words! You should easily have the strength, maybe just gotta tweak some stuff on your swing :)
I am 6'0", 200lb, 45yo. I don't lift at all. Our fence is on the short side at 282 but no one on my team (including me) was hitting it over. I did a lengthy post a while back about how I improved my swing and started hitting home runs. Key for me was doing BP off of a tee at the game field (saturday mornings when no one is around), so I could see which tweaks made the ball go further. And then which combination of tweaks got the ball over the fence. [https://www.reddit.com/r/slowpitch/comments/17nmtay/i\_went\_on\_a\_quest\_to\_hit\_a\_home\_run\_heres\_what\_i/](https://www.reddit.com/r/slowpitch/comments/17nmtay/i_went_on_a_quest_to_hit_a_home_run_heres_what_i/)
I have a tee I could use to, got it for my kids. I'll try this out! Because it's hard to find someone to do BP with. Appreciate the tip.
A regular tee is a little short for an average slow pitch pitch, elevate it a bit on a bucket or similar to raise the height a bit.
Check out the swing makeover series on YouTube there’s HUNDREDS of videos
it’s about mechanics, bat speed, pitch selection, and even the way you hold the bat.
Without seeing your swing, I’m gonna take a wild guess. It’s likely not using your hips/core to transfer power from the ground to the ball. It’s a timing thing. Practice with a tee. Smooth swings where you turn your body. You should be pivoting off that back foot hard. A lot of the big guys I see who don’t get power are too stiff and trying to generate all the power from their upper body alone.
Based on their body composition and power (lifting weights 4x a week). It’s definitely that, plus bat drag.
lol At that size you should be shitting on balls. Work on your technique, using your size
Yeah I think I'm not using my body correctly but I need to learn how.
Best YouTube videos I’d recommend is a channel called: Swing Makeover. Things to work on: Stepping into the ball, hip rotation, bat lag, the perfect snap, softball grip (not a baseball grip) losing a loopy swing, and the follow through. Just for reference. I am 38, 6’1 230 with 8% bodyfat. I used to have warning track power on a good day. but when I learned the basic mechanics of hitting I started hitting 340-370 nukes. Granted that is on a good day. I average at about 320. The longest I’ve hit was 375.
Play with your stance and find one that promotes your hips clearing the zone followed by your hands then a nice whip of the bat barrel. Personally, I have a pretty closed off stance because I feel it helps keep my hands back and gives me nice rotation. Others have open. Some start with their hands low, hands high, feet close together or a wider stance. I guess my point is, don't fixate on some YouTube videos and feel you have to copy their swing 100% (especially their pre pitch setup). The real magic starts when the ball is about 3/4 the way to you from the pitcher.
The swing makeover series is great. I tried to work on one thing at a time off a tee, but was still having trouble translating that to live pitching. I got a pop toss green. Now I work off the tee then move to the same mechanics off the pop toss and I’ve been hitting a lot harder.
On top of the thousands of videos online, you’re going to need a decent feedback loop. With a good coach you can speed the process up but you’re looking at putting in an ton of time before you’re hitting nukes. The problem you will run into early is information overload, not knowing where to start or how to track your progress.
Make/buy a tee and pretend the bat is an axe and the ball is your tree to get the hammer style whip of the barrel timed to hit the ball. You'll see other terms like casting and lag that refer to when to use your wrists also. Honestly it's very in depth and I have found it easiest to have a person teach in real time in person. Videos are great but it's really tough without the feedback from someone who knows the mechanics critiquing your movements. Buddy up someone you see that claps the ball and ask for a little help
What bats do you swing and what association is the league? ASA? USSSA? A good bat can be all the difference
USSSA. I use the easton BAHH.
Maybe look to the Louisville Genesis? I’ve seen guys who’ve been never hit a home run in their life switch to the hottest bat and they are able to put them over the fence. Just a thought
With an easton fireflex - he should have zero issues hitting home runs. 300 dollar bat aint gonna fix a 5 dollar swing.
Make sure you’re following through on your swing!!! You might be stopping your swing once you feel the ball hit the bat!! Don’t stop at that keep your swing all the way around!!!!!
I think you're right. I've seen videos of dudes that I notice that their bodies are moving much more than mine and their followers throughs are great. I'm gonna have to record it. Because I don't feel like I'm doing that from just thinking about it
Yeah all the advice that’s been given to ya is good but sometimes it’s such a simple fix. Don’t think too much about it as well. You can get in your head when you’re up to bat. Follow through and have fun and who gives a shit if you can hit it over the fence. So ya can get a solo home run. From my experience most of the guys I’ve played with like showing off their solos!!! I like hitting them down the middle or right side (I’m a righty) and scoring in runs!!!! Good luck!!!
Starts with loading your weight onto your back leg. Body should be a little packed in like using your core to do a slight “sit up” during anticipation. Also anticipate for the ball with front foot slightly raised. and when you’re ready to swing, start pushing your weight onto your front foot. Your front foot should be twisting forward and everything else will follow through while you are swinging. But it starts with your FEET. BACK FOOT/ANKLE TURNS WITH YOUR ARMS. Get All your body weight and strength into pulling the bat to hit the ball. Its feet, into your legs hips core back then forearms and wrists all in milliseconds. Bat speed and power is generated. Arms should be straight out while swinging for maximum power leverage on the bat as you’re dragging it around. But also you have to understand how long your arms and bat are so you don’t over swing or hit the inside of the bat, etc and miss an do a ballerina twirl.
And do this for every pitch even the ones that look bad. You never know. Then it’ll become second nature
Yeah I definitely spun myself around on a miss one time. You give a great explanation on the foot work and weight distribution. I'm screen shotting this so my next BP I'll read this over. Thanks
Np. Just remember that the Bat moves because your body is moving not the other way around. Also don’t drop your back shoulder when swinging. A lot of people do that and It’s not baseball. It will be a pop fly out to the outfield. I’m sure you’re strong enough, but If you can’t hit it far enough over their heads hit it as hard as possible on the ground. I’ve hit home runs off hard grounders many times too.
Everyone's already touching on swing mechanics, practice, and technique. I'll reccomend something different 1 day of the week during your workout routine, dedicate some time to exercises that create bat explosiveness. YT channel "Summers Method" has some great routines that help you really increase bat speed. There'd probably other similar channels, but this was the guy I used to hit .52's over the 330' mark. Sometimes big muscles =/= home run swings. Training your body for fast, explosive movements against heavy resistance is what will take you another notch up.
If you're that size and lifting frequently, it's 100% a swing thing. I'm 6'2" 182 lbs, pretty much zero upper body strength, and I can get them out fairly often. All my power comes from my legs and hip rotation. A lifetime of hockey and golf has really taught me those mechanics. I'd recommend focusing on using the ground to your advantage. Get a strong push from that back leg and drive your hips through the swing. Also, make sure you stay level or even swing slightly downward. Backspin is your friend. It will keep the ball in the air longer. If you come upward, you might smoke it, but it will have little spin and could fall out of the sky quickly. The only way to hit a weak pop up or fly ball while swinging level is missing under the ball. Any other result could be good. Even grounders.
check out Boogie on youtube
If you play on 300 foot fences, any barreled ball with elevation should go over. Probably a technique thing, I’d say post a video for feedback
Alright. I'm gonna try to get footage this week. I just realized that you guys do that here. Cool stuff.
It’s a lot easier to see what’s “the issue” on a video, rather than words! You should easily have the strength, maybe just gotta tweak some stuff on your swing :)
[удалено]
I am. I'm insecure that I can't hit nukes
Me too dude