Outfield Drill: No False Steps Drill (Baseball & Softball)
Outfield first-step drill run over a bat laid on the ground, so any stutter step or step in the wrong direction is immediately visible. Trains the hips to open and cover ground on the first move.
How to Run This Drill
- Lay a bat on the ground and have the outfielder set up about a foot behind it
- Take a pre-step as the pitch is delivered, landing in ready position with the feet roughly parallel to the bat
- A partner points right, left or straight back to simulate where the ball is hit, then calls go
- On go, open the hips and take one big step in that direction with no stutter step first
- Run two or three steps and the partner throws a ball over the lead shoulder for the catch
- If the throw is short, work back behind it and come through the catch the way you would in a game
- Check the bat after every rep: if it moved, the first step went the wrong way
- Mix in angled balls both ways, straight back, and misdirection reps where the player has to flip the hips and re-route
Coaching Points
- A false step is any step that does not cover ground, and the little stutter step is the most common one
- Opening the hips and taking one big step back covers the most ground in the least time
- The bat is the feedback, kick it and the first move was wrong
Quick Actions
At a Glance
Equipment Needed
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