Hitting Drill: Hips Fire First Tee Drill (Softball)
Hip-separation hitting drill that teaches athletes to fire the hips before the hands while a coach provides light hand resistance.
How to Run This Drill
- 1. Walk the athlete through the stride-and-stop move: have them stride out, pause before their hands move, and feel you lightly hold the bat in place while their hips start the swing.
- 2. Demonstrate the correct hip rotation yourself, pointing your belt buckle toward the pitcher or second base while keeping the hands back, then let the athlete repeat the move.
- 3. Cue the athlete to keep the nose over the front foot line, feel the stretch through the torso, and fire the hips forward while the hands stay loaded.
- 4. Transition into the "Big Papi" position: start with the chest facing the pitcher, belt toward the catcher, and require the athlete to pull the hands back as the hips fire forward into contact.
- 5. Add the bat sensor and have the athlete record 8-10 swings, aiming to reach 8+ G of hip acceleration while logging best scores in a training notebook.
Coaching Points
- Hips lead the move—hands stay back until the belt turns.
- Keep the nose above the front foot to maintain balance.
- Coach provides gentle resistance so the athlete feels the stretch.
- Track hip speed and celebrate new bests to build intent.
At a Glance
- bat
- tee
Quick Actions
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