Softball or Ballet?

After hours of tee work, front toss, and batting practice, hitters are usually eager to face live pitching. My athletes prepare with intention—working on five core elements that create a powerful and consistent swing:

1. A solid, athletic stance
2. Hands extended back toward the catcher and quiet
3. A slow, powerful load (leg lift)
4. Full extension through the ball at impact
5. A high, unrestricted finish

When those pieces come together, the result is a swing that looks smooth and effortless. It’s balanced. It’s repeatable. It’s beautiful.

But here’s the truth: Beauty is not always better when it comes to being a successful hitter

A technically perfect swing that lacks aggression is like a ballet performance—graceful, but ineffective. That’s why I tell my hitters, “Hitting a softball should be a controlled act of violence.”

To help players understand this, I use a simple but effective exercise I call “Softball or Ballet?” It’s a teaching tool disguised as a game, and it quickly changes the way players think about their swing.

Here’s how it works:

In individual lessons, after a swing, I’ll casually ask the hitter:
“Was that softball… or ballet?”

The first time I ask, most players laugh. It’s an odd pairing—softball and ballet in the same sentence. But that’s the point. The contrast forces them to reflect. Almost every time, the first answer is “ballet.” They know it. They can feel it.

I don’t offer correction. I simply toss the next pitch.

And just like that, the wheels start turning. Hitters begin swinging with more intent and more force. Without a single mechanical cue from me, they quickly adjust. Soon, they’re following every contact with a confident “softball.”

In team settings, this exercise becomes even more impactful. After reviewing our five swing keys, I have players take turns hitting off a tee while their teammates vote—was that swing “softball” or “ballet”? Not only is it fun and engaging, but it also creates peer-to-peer feedback that reinforces the lesson in real time.

Why does it work?

Because the drill connects feel with outcome. Players realize they don’t have to sacrifice good mechanics to generate power. In fact, they can blend the two—a powerful swing that’s both efficient and explosive.

At a certain point, all great hitters learn to trust their mechanics. They stop thinking about their hands, their hips, their timing. They step into the batter’s box focused on one thing: being aggressive and confident.

And when they do, everything changes.

Hitters who attack with intent aren’t just more likely to hit the ball hard—they send a message. Pitchers recognize aggression. They see it in the way a hitter sets up in the box. They observe the violent swing. And when a pitcher senses that energy, the balance of power shifts. Now, it’s the hitter who’s in control.

So the next time you swing, ask yourself: Was that softball…or ballet?

Building on the foundation of my book Hitting With Torque: For Baseball and Softball Hitters, this post offers fresh insights based on my latest coaching experiences.