HITS (High Impact Testing and Training System) is the culmination of many years of research and field testing of players of all levels. The testing first led to the teaching of Effective Velocity for pitchers. And now Time Training for hitters is the latest benefit of this game-changing research. Program developer Perry Husband now explains yet another byproduct - individualized training that is about far more than physical mechanics. If you're interested in the techniques and tools mentioned hear, please contact WebBall and we'll help connect you with the source.

by Perry Husband, Effective Velocity

Testing reveals many things about a hitter... bat speed, ball exit speed, swing efficiency, power and many other aspects of performance.  After testing, many players may realize their swing isn't maxed out in one or more categories, then what?  Sure, there are those top players that are firing on all cylinders and getting calls from their dream schools and having dinners with scouts from every MLB club. The burning question is what about the player that does not test out well, perhaps an inefficient swing, lack of explosiveness and power, inconsistent or any number of things that could be causing low testing numbers.


The HITS System is designed to test player's hitting specific skills, assess them and then design a workout around the individual player's specific needs. No two players are exactly alike and so no one training method will work for all players. There are some common functional skill drills that all players can use to help the same issues as well as some different issues, meaning one player will receive one aspect of the drill while another will receive a different but equally as important aspect.

This program is unique because it allows students to identify core problems and then work on those things specifically. The stations are designed very specifically to cover individualized drills for specific movement problems in the swing. When used in tandem, the testing and the training are complimentary. The testing reveals efficient and inefficient movements in the swing and the training stations allow you to perform the drills that will help remedy them, addressing the in-efficiencies without changing the parts of the swing that are efficient.       

HITS consists of 7 stations that all of the exercises and or drills can be performed within.  These are training areas that can be easily converted from the typical baseball stations found at most hitting facilities. Each of the HITS station has a form of feedback for players to see if they are achieving daily goals. These stations also have a specific purpose and a list of drills for that space. Each station is designed around things that will help players feel the functional skill that the player needs to work on...

Station 1 Explosiveness Training
The creation of elastic energy is at the core of the first station and we will be introducing a brand new product line that has produced great success in the tennis and golf worlds and has already shown tremendous promise to do the same with hitting. The SpeedChain product line that allows players to train at game speeds is at the core of our explosiveness training program. This is an exciting new concept of training hitters that focuses around the use of chains as resistance. The chains are designed to give resistance during the motion at the right time and for the right duration using the same movement specific muscle group that is used in swinging a bat. Of course you can use any number of other methods for building explosiveness into the swing at your own version of this station as well.

Station 2 Sensory Awareness - Small Ball Station
Timing devices and visual training aids are used in this space to help hitters develop all senses that are used in this advanced method of Time Training.  Special golf ball sized foam balls (XLR8 Timing Balls) are used to help hitters get a better sense of contact.  To further help hitters develop these senses, various types of bats and small diameter devices are used to enhance the body movements needed to add speed.  The NOS Timing Trainer is a fantastic new way to enhance the sense of timing as well as the sense of sweet spot awareness.  Bat lag or the ability to hold the angle of the bat and lead arm is greatly enhanced with this product also.   The station has smaller golf netting or windscreen tarps to hold in the smaller balls and objects used in this area.   
    
Station 3 Tee Testing Station
Video taping goes on in this station with Line Drive Consistency and Swing Efficiency as the primary focus.  Any skill that can be filmed off the tee would be filmed here using semi-permanent camera mounts to be able to keep the vantage point of the camera the same for comparisons of swings throughout the training and testing program.

Station 4 Heavy Ball Station
This station has a beefed up heavy duty backdrop for hitting heavy baseballs and basketballs of various sizes for working on energy absorption issues.

Station 5 Stability Station
Keeping the body in control during explosive movements is a difficult task.  This station is designed to make it even tougher.

Station 6 Live Short Toss Cage
With 20-30 feet of flight, you can simulate most any pitch's reaction time as well as the flight pattern to a certain degree and pinpoint locations much easier with a live arm BP.

Station 7 Full Cage
Game speeds can be performed at game distances which is  an important part of the program.  Simulated at bats and many other game-like drills and training games can be performed.



"Self leveling" is a term used with water. Its nature is to find its own way of least resistance. We have tried to emulate this idea into the design of our drills wherever possible. Coaches don't have time to be super hands on with each player and they all have their own individual needs, so this "hands off" teaching approach is very appealing. Drills are designed so that a coach or a video can describe the exercise and the player can execute it.  If the player can execute the drill, the functional skill is worked on automatically.  The drill helps the player feel the movement and the skill is developed whether the player is aware or not.  


Through years of testing, there are 7 functional skills that we have been able to identify as the most important factors in generating power. Power is a very general term that can mean many different things, but we will define it as something measurable, exit speed off a bat. To hit a ball 466 feet, the player has to generate 111 MPH of exit velocity and that is something tangible that we can measure. Many factors contribute to exit velocity and the scientists would have you believe that the most critical of these factors is bat speed alone, but I would argue that the equation puts speed and mass as equal partners. 

There are actually many more factors and the stations are designed around drills that have this basic idea at the core. Drills that teach a functional skill allow students to naturally adapt their strengths and weaknesses and transition into their own unique swing movement pattern.   

Statistics are the measurements that help us track progress. If that statistic goes up, then the drill is doing what it is designed to do. Bat Speed, Ball Exit Speed, Live Pitch Exit Speed, Reactionary Quickness, Line Drive Consistency (Tee LDC), Live Pitch LDC and Swing Efficiency are all objective measurements that can help us tell whether the training is working or not.

Perry Husband's program is developing what it calls a World-Wide Leader Board. This will be the landing place of the top scores in these categories. Beginning in September 1008, each of his firm's certified academies began official testing of players to see how their skills measure op. Each competing academy will also have their own Leader Board to track their own students' progress. For more information, we will be happy to put you in touch with Perry.