The new year of baseball development for my clients starts in August and ends in July, so it makes sense to start a new development season this fall based on three things:
- Try new things
- Determine what doesn’t work
- Determine what does work
No. 1 – Trying new things
Trying new things in the fall is good, so that you can become a better hitter than you were last year. If you were a great hitter last year and you don’t see the need to get better this year, trying new things confirms what you have been doing works.
Thank God that Steve Jobs was creative enough to imagine that a single device like the iPhone could operate as a phone, camera and listening device for your favorite music. This fall(August-October), all of my hitters will try five different loads to determine what works and what doesn’t. They will receive over 3,000 reps for all five of these exercises:
- Toe Tap
- Open Stance
- Hand Drop
- High Leg
- Your Way
No. 2 – Determine what doesn’t work
I’m able to determine what doesn’t work with my clients swing by having them hit targets from 50 feet away. Using a tee, they take 100 swings. During the exercise, they are expected to hit it 20-30 times, depending on their age. If you try one of the above loads, including Your Way, and you can’t hit the target from 50 feet away at least 20 times, your swing doesn’t work.
Check how Mercedes-Benz is helping C.J. and Kelli Stewart lead in Atlanta with baseball as the vehicle. Watch the inspirational video here
No. 3 – Determine what works
If you can hit the target from 50 feet away at least 20 times, your swing works. The winter phase of development for my hitters is building habits. So we’ll get 3,000 reps per part of the swing in the winter, based on what works. Remember – there are seven parts of the swing, which means that success in the spring won’t be an accident:
- Stance/Load
- Timing
- Tempo
- Tracking
- Approach
- Contact
- Extension/Finish
Remember: Intelligence tops being smart.
For more information, visit www.diamonddirectors.com today. Also, check out our Digital Magazine.
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C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an area scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, CJ has more than 12 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and track record of success that can work for you.
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