"I always preach to my hitters to work at being their own best hitting coach. In truth, they are the ones who will be there for every swing in their career. The Blast sensor gives them a tool in achieving some independence and accountability for the development in their swing. Combining that tool with a coach/instructor, who utilizes the data for proper instruction, could very well change the future of hitting in baseball and softball." JB Slimp
For me, there is no debate, all softball players, coaches, and parents should embrace technology for player development. Not only is it the direction our sport is moving, but it makes sense on many levels, giving us a look at mostly non-subjective data to evaluate and help athletes get better. I use Blast for this very reason in my hitting instruction.
I have been a big proponent of using video to teach for 15 years or so. Before mobile phone video became so capable, I used the RightView Pro system by Don Slaught beginning back in 2004. At that time, you had to use a particular camcorder to capture video that could then be analyzed next to pro models both in baseball MLB and pro fastpitch. It was and still is a fantastic system! Today, I still use video in every lesson, although now it is super convenient because of my iPhone and iPad Pro.
Also, I use Blast in all my lessons as well. Once you understand and create a philosophy on how you want to use it to help your hitters, it becomes a truly magical tool! Data, like video, has a way of helping hitters teach themselves; however, the focus is on feel instead of visual feedback. Attaching metrics to a feeling is an excellent way for hitters to learn patterns or perfect strong ones they already have. Today's blog is not a lesson on how to use Blast but rather just a testimonial as a hitting coach that this tool is powerful.
One thing I have seen in my students over the last few years of using Blast is their engagement level is higher than ever, their attention to detail and quest to feel their swing is becoming much easier for me to instill in them.
So yes, I am a big fan of Blast and technology in general. I am seeing first hand how it is helping my hitters become aware, focused, and more capable of creating elite swing patterns
in a shorter amount of time! And let's be honest, looking at that 3d model is just SUPER COOL!
Thx for listening,
JB SLIMP
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