In this video, we delve into where vision fits into hitting successfully. Most people will agree that if you can’t see, you’re not going to be able to hit. But it in actuality it goes much deeper than.
In my opinion, there are 3 major components to be a successful hitter. I call these 3 components, the triangle of hitting, because, like a triangle, all 3 components must be strong or the triangle collapses. I believe the 3 components are the following:
- Mechanical
This is the mechanics of the swing and it is the most obvious component. For example; getting your foot down in time, having your hands in position, swing plane, etc. I know quite a bit about mechanics but, at this point, I will admit there are many people with a deeper pedigree then me on the mechanics of hitting so I’ll leave the details to them.
- Mental
This is an aspect that is starting to gain traction. This is how the hitter mentally prepares before an at bat, the positive (or negative) thought process during an at bat and what he or she learns after an at bat. Lets face it, statistically speaking, a hitter will be unsuccessful 60% – 70% of the time and will still be considered “successful”. This mental component is how a hitter deals with not only the “successful” at bats but, more importantly, the unsuccessful at bats. I’m sure there are many books and videos on this subject but I particularly enjoyed The Mental Game of Baseball: A Guide to Peak Performance (by H.A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl). It discusses among many other things setting realistic goals, positive language and developing mental skills. I highly recommend this book for any baseball or softball player.
- Vision
Vision is exactly what it is….and more. Vision is more than just “seeing”. Vision is being able to see the details of the pitch AND being able to process that information quickly. For example, what is the benefit of being able to recognize that the pitch is a curveball, if you don’t have enough time to react to it (we’ll get to that in a later video).
So now that we have defined and labeled the 3 major components, let’s look at the cause and effect if one of these components is weak:
- If the mechanics are bad, the hitter will struggle with consistency at the plate and invariably will lead to a negative mental approach. Result: triangle collapses
- If the mental approach is weak, the hitter will constantly adjust their mechanics. Again, there will be a struggle for consistency but this time it’s mechanically. Result: triangle collapses
- If the vision is weak, there will be not consistency either mentally or mechanically. The hitter will both constantly adjust their mechanics AND their mental approach will be at the whim of that days results. Result: triangle collapses
As you I explained in the examples above, weak mechanics and/or a weak mental approach only affect the other component. Whereas, poor or weak vision affects both the hitters mechanics and their mental outlook. And that is point I’m trying to make and why I put vision on the bottom: vision is the base and affects every aspect of hitting and that it why I believe proper vision and vision training are crucial to the success of hitters.