Name: Playbook - Jordan Verdon - Don’t squish the bug
Uploaded: 2024-01-09T21:15:23.316Z
Duration: 60 min
Description: Don’t squish the bug

This workout is for hitters who spin their back foot and “squish the bug”. We need to eliminate that move ASAP!!!

Keeping the feet anchored and eliminating your ability to rotate early is the focus.

- Only difference between this drill and full swings with bat between the feet is you’re either doing the half swing drill (stop at contact) or the 3/4 swing where you stop at extension
- Another version of feet anchored 
- This drill is for players who land with their front foot pointed at the pitcher and get their stability from their knee joint rather than the hip joint
- Start by keeping pressure on both sides of the bat with your feet
- When you swing, don’t let your feet lose contact with the bat 
- Works in stability, anchoring of feet, and posture over the plate because I’m taking the rotational aspect of your swing away

Bat Between Legs (1/2 or 3/4 swing)

- Another version of feet anchored 
- This drill is for players who land with their front foot pointed at the pitcher and get their stability from their knee joint rather than the hip joint
- Start by keeping pressure on both sides of the bat with your feet
- When you swing, don’t let your feet lose contact with the bat 
- Works in stability, anchoring of feet, and posture over the plate because I’m taking the rotational aspect of your swing away

Bat Between Legs (Full Swing)

- Keeping the feet glued to the ground work on finding where true center is in the swing 
- Helps hitters swing from their middle (core/pelvis) rather than arms/hands pushing bc the anchoring of the feet takes the over rotational aspect of the swing out of the picture 
- Also great for working on a hitters launch position 
- Feel the swing firing from back hip/core rather than hands/shoulders trying to deliver the barrel

Feet Anchored (on ground)

- This is a posture focused, swing phased, front foot anchored drill. (Serves lots of purposes)
- Start by drastically crossing your stance off/being closed 
- In order to hit the ball up the middle, fire the swing behind the front leg (keeping it anchored into the ground) 
- Emphasizes swinging with your body (core/back hip) rather than pushing your hands/arms at the ball  
- Palm up to the pitcher after the swing 
- Feel stability coming from your hip, rather than your knee (foot pointed at opposite batters box rather than at the pitcher) 
- So this drill from tee and flips

Anti rotation (closed swings)

- Start with hips pointed 45 degrees at the tee 
- Step with back foot first towards the tee
- Pick up front foot allowing body to load/coil into back hip 
- Keep chest over the plate with a balanced swing

Walk Throughs

This drill is designed for guys who squish the bug. 
Drive the knee down, so that the back leg becomes unweighted when we swing. 
Squishing the bug is a power and posture killer!!!!

Don’t squish the bug

- Enough messing around. 
- Blend the feels and drills you’ve been working on and backspin line drives up the middle and in the air. 
- When loading don’t stare at the tee. Envision the pitcher throwing you the ball and look up at where he’d be standing and slowly move your eyes to the ball on the tee as you load, then swing! Helps keep your posture set up the middle rather than turned towards the tee.

Game like Swings

- Controlled underhand flips are a great tool to add movement to the pitch in a controlled environment while working on new swing changes and feels. 
- At this point of the workout, I want you to try a couple (or all if you’re feeling up for it) of the tee drills you were working on on the first few round or two of flips. 
- After the feels and mechanics round, go to closer to your game swing and set up/load while keeping in mind the feels you just created in previous drills. 
- REMEMBER- the goal is to get better at game like swings. Don’t get too caught up on the drills and try and use them to blend into your game swing! 💪🏼

Underhand Flips

- Time to compete!! 
- Game like mentality
- Game like loading and approach
- GOAL- Hit doubles and low line drives while blending in the new swing mechanics or feels you’re working on.

Don’t squish the bug

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