The Glove/Hat Drill

Location: Spearwood, Western Australia; Australia.

Coach: Clinton Balgera, inventor of our Exoprecise hitting trainers, and creator of the Multi-Swing Method.

Summary: Video Transcript

The Glove Hat drill coaches to fix the number one hitting mistake, pulling out with the head and front shoulder. The primary cause? Conscious thoughts, “pulling” and “home run,”  over-swinging, pulling off the ball. Second, lacking the confidence to hit an inside pitch, causing you to rush, dive, and pull out of the swing too early.

1. Take your glove; I’m using a first baseman glove; you can use any type. Open the glove and place it on the top of your head.
2. If you swing and keep your head still, the glove will stay on the hat.
3. Pulling your head off the ball, the glove falls off, providing feedback to players, coaches, and parents.
4. If the player is pulling off the ball, ensure the back foot rotates, heal-up, on the toes, using the core muscles to turn. If the foot is stuck, failing to turn triggers, pulling out of the swing.
5. Now to demonstrate, what happens when a player pulls their head off the ball.
6. You can see when I dip my shoulders, my head tilts, and the glove falls off, indicating movement of the head.
7. Minimize the movement, keeping your eyes on the ball at contact, and head down on the finish.
8. Develop your hitting approach, aiming to hit the ball up the middle. Head still, line drive up the middle. The glove stays on my head.
9. You can hit for power when minimizing movement. Focus on the hips, “stay in your legs” and whip your hands to the ball.
10. Summary: 1) Relax.  2) See, track, read, and react. 3) Minimize the movement of your head on the follow through. 4) Focus on hitting the ball up the middle or opposite field alley, coaching to track the ball longer; to prevent flying open.