Why Batting Practice Success Doesn’t Show Up on Game Day (And How to Fix It)

Why Batting Practice Success Doesn’t Show Up on Game Day (And How to Fix It)

Author: Joey Myers May 9, 2025 Duration: 9:43

Ever wonder why your child crushes BP but freezes during games?

You’re not alone—and in this powerful episode of the Swing Smarter Hitting Training Podcast, we tackle one of the biggest frustrations in youth baseball and softball today: the practice-to-game disconnect.

Host Joey Myers unpacks the neuroscience, training design flaws, and emotional triggers that sabotage performance under pressure. If your athlete looks like an All-Star in the cage but struggles when it counts, this episode is your game-day blueprint.

💥 Key Takeaways:

  • Why traditional batting practice creates false confidence.
    Controlled reps can’t prepare hitters for the unpredictability of live pitching.

  • How pressure hijacks your athlete’s mechanics.
    Neuroscience shows stress disrupts learned motor patterns—rigid swings, late reactions, frozen feet.

  • What top experts say about performance under pressure.
    Dr. Bhrett McCabe: “Stress reveals the truth, not skill.” Game success demands chaos-ready training.

  • The secret: Train the chaos.
    Simulate live-game pressure with variable pitch sequences, competitive scenarios, and meaningful consequences.

  • Power drill: “One-Two Count Battle.”
    Start hitters with a 1–2 count, mix speeds, allow foul-ball extensions, and reward contact. Add crowd noise or peer pressure for realism.

  • Real-world model: Freddie Freeman.
    His rhythmic, instinctive swing shows how fluidity—not rigid thinking—wins at the plate.

  • Bonus insight:
    Learn how the V-Flex Strike Detection System rewires pitch recognition, giving hitters an elite edge in game-time decision making.

🔗 Mentioned Resources:

If this episode hit home, don’t keep it to yourself.

➡️ Share it with a fellow sports parent or coach.
✅ Subscribe to the Swing Smarter Hitting Training Podcast for weekly science-backed hitting strategies.
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Because when your athlete trains the chaos—they win the clutch.


The Swing Smarter Hitting Training Podcast | ⭐Hitting Performance Lab⭐ is hosted by Joey Myers, an Amazon bestselling author and the founder of HittingPerformanceLab.com. This podcast serves as a deep resource for baseball and softball players, coaches, and dedicated parents who are looking to move beyond generic advice and find an edge. The focus is firmly on the science of the swing, translating complex biomechanics and performance research into clear, usable strategies. Listeners will hear detailed discussions with a range of experts, from former Major League players and seasoned hitting instructors to specialists in movement and the mental aspects of the game. Each episode is built to provide actionable takeaways-whether it's a drill to improve bat speed, a cue to correct a common flaw, or a mindset technique to handle pressure at the plate. The conversations in this podcast are driven by a demand for results, stripping away folklore and focusing on what truly works for developing a smarter, more powerful, and consistent hitter. It’s a direct line to the methods and insights that are shaping modern hitting instruction, all delivered through engaging, in-depth interviews that feel like a conversation with the sharpest minds in the game.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 81

Swing Smarter Hitting Training Podcast | ⭐Hitting Performance Lab⭐
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