with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions
Coaches are always in need of solid, unbiased reference material for training their athletes in the bio-mechanical skills unique to hitting. In this video, Duke's Josh Bloomer takes you through a complete series of drills that will aid any hitter in learning to use their body more effectively. Biomechanics and optimizing the ability of an athlete to move their bodies in an efficient manner to generate maximum power is a complex matter that requires full mastery of the specialized skills of physical therapy and strength &conditioning.
Movement Drills
Coach Bloomer provides drills that focus on essential elements of swing development:
- Development of proper body position in the hitting stance
- Decoupling and mastering independent rotational movement of the torso and lower half
- Activation of the key power source in the glutes
- Removal of slack from the hand path
- Integrating movements and sequencing to master the "coil-based" kinetic chain
Throughout the video, the player demonstrators showcase proper mechanics and also illustrate common flaws and how they manifest in executing the drills.
Drill Adaptability
The drill sequences shown by Bloomer can be executed with minimal specialized equipment, and any that is required is simple, inexpensive, and DIY-able for the average coach. The body movement drills presented are not hitting drills, but instead focus on the underlying movements that allow successful execution of hitting drills.
Of particular interest and unique are the Scap Load, U-turn, and Med Ball Load and Throw drills. These three drills represent key check points of a High Level Pattern body movement - taking slack out of the upper body motion, activation of the swing from the pelvis/femur, and capturing the early load and carrying it through to toe touch before release. These drills will help players learn the "tensing the rubber band" body motion that HLP hitting is built around and tie together parts of other drills.
The training in this video is highly technical and may be a challenge for coaches who are not versed in biomechanical style training regimens. Because of this, it is generally geared towards higher level and older athletes. However, with simplification and a focus on a limited set of some of the less physically demanding movements, young players (and novice coaches) can find some benefit too!
64 minutes. 2021.