You ever watch another kid on your team absolutely crush one to the fence and your gut reaction isn't just nice hit but also dang are we falling behind? Hey it's Joey Myers here founder of hittingperformancelab.com and today's episode is going to hit home for a lot of baseball and softball parents because if you've ever caught yourself comparing your kid's power to someone else's especially during those travel ball highlight reel moments you are not alone. In this bulletin style deep dive I'm pulling back the curtain on what actually drives power hitting and spoiler it's not just size bat speed or some magical swing cue that everyone on TikTok seems to know but you don't. We're going to break down why power isn't a pass, botch, or fail test, what the three real pillars of sustainable hitting power are, and how to reframe this whole bomb envy thing. So you stop feeling behind and start building your kid's foundation the right way whether you're a coach, a parent, or both. This is the real talk most people aren't having about youth power development. So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's shift the mindset and the mechanics. Baseball power hitting development is a journey that often creates anxiety for parents watching their children progress at different rates. It's natural to feel concerned when you see other kids hitting with impressive power while your child seems to be developing. More gradually that moment of watching another player's powerful hit while glancing nervously at your own child is a common experience among baseball parents. Despite investing in lessons, equipment, and dedicating countless weekends to practice, seeing the disparity in power hitting can trigger worries about falling behind. Power hitting isn't a simple pass fail metric. It's a complex process that develops over time. Social media has created what some call bat speed envy where parents see videos of young players posting extraordinary exit velocity numbers and launch angles. These viral clips can create unrealistic expectations and unnecessary pressure as they often don't show the complete picture of athletic development. Parents watching 10-year-olds with minor league level statistics might feel increasing anxiety about their own child's development especially if their young player is still mastering basic hitting mechanics. What these highlight reels typically don't reveal are the trade-offs or limitations these young power hitters might have. Some players struggle with basic fielding, others might be early developers who peak too soon, and many might be one-dimensional hitters who can't handle quality pitching. True, sustainable power hitting requires a more comprehensive foundation that develops naturally over time rather than being forced or rushed. The development of lasting power hitting ability rests on three fundamental pillars, biomechanics, physical maturity, and intentional training. Each component plays a crucial role in developing a player who can consistently generate power at the plate while maintaining overall baseball skills. Biomechanics is perhaps the most crucial element. Research at HittingPerformanceLab.com has consistently shown that effective power hitting isn't about raw strength, it's about movement efficiency. Consider legendary hitters like Barry Bonds and Mike Trout. Their power comes not just from muscle but from superior mechanical efficiency. They utilize ground force, torso rotation, scouting, and a lot more. They're also known for their power hitting ability. They're able to hit badly or have a hard time. Estimating the force is key and career 걸로, often also addressed at HittingPerformanceLab.com and we're proud to provide a backup guide DieCastY podcast takes aar Aren't former World Champion Bill sneaky hawk Steffield, who's reliable in both mayoral and state sports, let's hp, the National Sports Network at Aiston so you can learn more about him. output without this connection players may find themselves swinging hard but inefficiently with disconnected movements leading to power leakage through head movement early hip rotation or dragging barrel physical maturity plays a significant role in power development though it's often misunderstood early physical developers naturally hit with more power sooner but this temporary advantage doesn't necessarily trend now if what we just covered in today's episode hit home if you're nodding your head thinking yeah I've definitely felt that pressure watching my kid fall behind in the power department then I want to invite you to check out something we built specifically for parents like you it's called swing shift our daily bite-sized video series designed to simplify hitting development for busy sports parents inside I walk you through the exact drills cues and strategies we talked about today from mechanical efficiency and torque connection to top hand pressure and building explosive power without wrecking confidence no fluff no overcoaching just five-minute daily wins to help your hitter improve timing power and consistency without the burnout whether your kid is 7 or 17 swing shift gives you the tools to support their growth the right way on their timeline with zero comparison traps so if you're ready to turn anxiety into action head to hitting performance lab comm forward slash swing shift and jump start your hitters development today late to long-term success a 4 feet 9 inches 70 pound player simply can't be expected to match the power output of a 5 feet 6 inches 130 pound teammate and that's perfectly normal the key is developing proper mechanics and maintaining quality practice while natural growth occurs this patience allows smaller players to build a solid foundation that will serve them well when their physical development catches up dr. Carol Dweck's research and development is key to improving your hitter's development. on mindset becomes particularly relevant here as she notes the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life players and parents who tie their value to current power output often develop counterproductive anxiety instead viewing power development as a gradual building process leads to more resilient confident and consistent players who can maintain their performance under pressure intentional training completes the foundation for power development many young players accumulate hundreds of practice swings without proper purpose or feedback taking 200 swings a week without understanding low to launch timing or power source awareness can actually reinforce poor habits that break down under game pressure the focus should be on quality repetitions with specific intent emphasizing both quality and frequency in training sessions success stories from working with dozens of hitters show that significant improvements in exit velocity three to five mile per hour gains can be achieved within six to eight weeks by focusing on movement efficiency incorporating under load training and developing strong top hand connection these improvements come not from increased strength but from better movement patterns and mechanical efficiency for practical application the heavy bat bounce drill offers an excellent training tool this drill uses a heavier bat or wood bat and focuses on proper mechanical sequencing set up with a belt high middle away ball on a tee execute a slow-motion load focusing on down-and-in front shoulder movement maintain a firm top hand grip while keeping the bottom hand relaxed top hand death grip bottom hand butterfly focus on bouncing the bat off the ball rather than chopping down or swinging up practice both slow motion five reps and full intent repetitions three reps listen for proper contact sound and feel the bat recoil focus on ground-up explosiveness rather than upper body force this drill should be performed three to four times a day weekly for about five minutes per session emphasizing neural pattern development over volume the goal is to rewire how the body stores and releases energy building both precision and power through consistent focus practice as Seneca wisely noted we suffer more often in imagination than in reality parents often create unnecessary anxiety about their child's development timeline instead of comparing your child's progress to others or trying to match social media highlights focus on building a sustainable foundation that will serve them well throughout their baseball career the goal isn't just to develop power hitting ability it's to nurture a lasting love for the game when another player hits an impressive shot celebrate their success while maintaining confidence in your child's development process remember that today's power numbers matter far less than maintaining enthusiasm and proper development for the long-term it's not about how far they hit today but about fostering a lasting passion for baseball that will carry them through their athletic journey hey real quick if you've been nodding along during this episode wondering how to finally take control of your hitters development without burning out or wasting time on guesswork I've got something for you it's my AI for youth athlete parents and team coaches a basic course and it's built for busy families who want better results without more overwhelm inside I show you step by step how to use cutting-edge AI tools to improve your performance and improve your performance. tools to customize practice plans track real progress communicate better with your team or hitter and cut through the noise of bad advice online it's the same framework I use with my own hitters and whether they're seven or 17 and it pairs perfectly with what we talked about today building smart efficient hitters through mechanics mindset and consistency not hyper pressure and just for podcast listeners you can get $20 off the course right now at hitting performance lab.com forward slash AI course. just use the code AI course podcast at checkout if you're serious about helping your athlete grow this is the shortcut you've been waiting for thanks for tuning in to the swing smarter hitting training podcast if this episode gave you some peace of mind or a fresh idea to help your hitter grow do me a favor subscribe leave a quick review and share it with another parent or coach who needs to hear this and if you're ready for deeper tools videos and step-by-step hitting help head over to hitting performance lab.com whether you're coaching a team or just guiding your own athlete we've got resources designed to make this journey simpler smarter and a whole lot more fun until next time keep showing up keep learning and keep swinging smarter
