We’re excited to welcome renowned hitting instructor Doug Latta to this week's podcast for an awesome discussion on hitting set-up, mechanics, and approach. Doug's one of the best in the business and he shared some tremendous insights in this discussion.

In lieu of a sponsor for this episode, we've got an exciting announcement. With this being our 50th episode, we're running a $50 off sale on my popular resource, Sturdy Shoulder Solutions. You can get the discount through this Sunday at midnight by heading to www.SturdyShoulders.com and entering the coupon code podcast50.

Show Outline

• Why Doug was one of the pioneers for hitting the ball in the air and what resistance he faced as he advocated for this approach
• What the misconceptions are about hitting the ball in the air in the hitting community
• How coaches should reevaluate their methodologies and practices to ensure athletes are practicing swings that “play” in game scenarios
• How the use of data in hitting instruction has brought a more outcome focused training approach
• What hitters can do to stay on top of the revolutionary work in pitch design
• Where the world of hitting is headed and where the industry is falling short for hitters
• How Doug defines the concepts of getting to 50/50 and having balance in a swing, and why these concepts are so important
• Why telling hitters to stay back is terrible advice and how players can create a backside-driven swing without compromising their balance
• What coaching cues and interventions Doug utilizes to change old habits that are hindering a hitter’s ability to swing the stick
• What key characteristics are non-negotiable for having an elite swing
• Why the solution for movement patterns is often in the set-up, and how this principle relates to creating dominant hitters
• What are some of the physical roadblocks Doug encounters in players’ movement profiles that limit their ability to get into the proper positions in the batter’s box
• How a good swing looks consistent from younger levels all the way up to the big leagues
• Why age 13-14 is a critical time to receive good coaching
• Why young hitters should spend less time buying tokens and practicing their swing in a cage and more time mastering their set-up and move into their swing
• What parents of young hitters can do to put their kids in the best position to be successful as a hitter
• How 90% of what you do to become a good hitter doesn’t involve swinging a bat
• What resources and professionals Doug recommends checking out for those interested in taking their knowledge of hitting to the next level

You can follow Doug on Twitter at @LattaDoug and learn more about him at www.BallYard.net.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

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We're excited to welcome St. Louis Cardinals Major League Hitting Coach Jeff Albert to this week's podcast.  Jeff's one of the most innovative coaches in the game, and this interview features lessons for players, coaches, and parents alike. I should note that we had some audio difficulties on this call, but did our best to clean it up so that the great information wasn't wasted. Thanks for your patience and understanding in advance on that front!

A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

Show Outline

• How Jeff’s motivation to be the best player he could be and determination to answer the question "why" propelled him into a career of coaching
• How Jeff’s graduate research put his foot in the door in professional baseball despite minimal professional playing experience
• Where young coaches are falling short on making the most of their early coaching career and what these individuals should be doing to be able to capitalize on opportunities in pro sports
• Where Jeff recommends young coaches look for more information on quality movement
• What industries outside of baseball have been most influential on Jeff’s coaching career
• What professionals outside of the world of professional baseball don't understand about the changing environment of the industry
• What traits Jeff looks for when hiring new coaches
• How Jeff approaches development in the hitting lifespan of a ball player
• What the biggest limitations Jeff sees in youth and high school hitters are
• How learning to optimize a hitter’s movement with as few words as possible has revolutionized the way Jeff coaches hitting
• How establishing solid positions and learning to have a good swing path lay the foundation for future swings in young hitters
• How the fundamentals of a swing do not change as a hitter matures, but clarifying a hitter’s approach, transforming one of their weaknesses, or building around one of their strength aids in taking them to the next level
• Why being exposed to failure is important for developing great baseball players
• Where Jeff sees baseball trending in the coming years and how hitters will be combating the transformations in the world of pitching

You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @JeffMAlbert and on Instagram at @JeffAlbert28. And, you can learn more about this November's SlugFest clinic at which we'll both be speaking at www.SlugFestConference.com.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!