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Monday, January 31, 2011

Baseball Coaching Digest - What Are the 3 R's of Baseball Success?


Baseball Coaching Digest - What Are the 3 R's of Baseball Success?
By Nick Dixon
There are three R's by which every baseball coach should be judged. The main three indicators of baseball success are RESULTS, REPUTATION and RESPECT. This article discusses each and how important each is.

The three R's by which every baseball coach should be judged are:

RESULTS - The number one criteria by which a coach's performance should be judged is results. Has the coach produced tangible results? Has the baseball team or program improved since the coach came on board? Positive results are an indication of a coach's effectiveness. Positive results includes increasing number of wins, winning at a level never before achieved, signs of improving player and team performance, and an overall increase in player and team pride.

Athletic directors and league officials look for coaches that they feel can take their baseball teams to a higher level of performance and competition. They want to see improvement. They want to see results.

REPUTATION - Every coach always earns a reputation. Reputation is one's overall personal and professional character and quality as judged by the people of the community. The only way to earn a good reputation is to work hard enough to earn it. The only way to maintain a good reputation is to continue working hard. A coach's behavior on and off the field plays a huge role in building a good reputation.

RESPECT - Respect is not given, it is earned. In coaching, you earn respect one day, one game, and one player at a time. To be successful in coaching, you must have respect. You must first earn the respect of your players. They must see you as a good leader and teacher with knowledge, drive, and skill. You must earn the respect of your parents. They must feel that you are qualified, dedicated and committed to your job. You must earn the respect of your administration. Your superiors must see enough positive results from your efforts to respect you as a coach and teacher. You must earn the respect of the community. Your fans will begin to respect you when they see a good product put on the field year after year. They want a team that will make them proud. They want a team that always competes. You must earn the respect of your peers. What other coaches think about you is a true indicator of what you have achieved and accomplished. There is no better measure of a coach's performance than having the total respect of opposing coaches.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and useful. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the Hurricane Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Baseball Exercises


Baseball Exercises
By Jim Bain

The thought of baseball exercises being important to young baseball players doesn't always get the proper amount of attention from coaches and parents that it should. It's somewhat understandable, as one equates youth with unlimited energy and abilities, but training should begin as early in a player's career as possible.

Ahhh, did you catch the word training instead of exercises? The difference in words, although they are interchangeable, shines a different light on the subject.

Players are never too young to begin a strengthening and conditioning program. In fact you are doing a disservice to the player waiting until he/she is 11 or 12 years old, because proper strength and muscle building requires time to develop and the longer you wait...the longer it takes for the player to catch up.

Let's look at some exercises through the terminology of training and Baseball specific.

Wind Sprints are a tried and true method of developing endurance as well as speed. Endurance is required to not only play 7 innings of baseball, but to be able to play 7 innings at peak performance level. Does an inside the park home run count for less in the 6th inning than the 1st? With a 0-0 score it is of equal importance, but if the level of performance has shriveled due to fatigue, the 6th inning run may not score.

Sprints in sets of 10, 30 to 40 yards in length will have the player(s) embarking on a quality endurance program. Having the players run the drills as a unit, such as pitchers together, catchers, infielders, etc. will also build a team unity which is invaluable during the course of a long season.

Squeezing racquetballs or tennis balls, is an excellent exercise for developing wrist, forearm and finger strength. The drill can be performed by the player anywhere at anytime without the need for a partner or any special weather conditions.

One may not realize, but strong fingers are a huge part of swinging a baseball bat. Think about it. You don't hold the bat in the palm of your hand, at least you better not, where there is no strength. You firmly clasp the bat in the fingers using the palms to merely keep the bat from falling out of your hand.

Strong wrist and forearms, which operate in conjunction with the hands, are the strength mechanisms which yield the snap and power of the wrist when swinging a bat or throwing a baseball.

These are but two exercises, or rather training exercises, which a young player needs to begin as soon as possible. Strength, endurance, team building and much more are accomplished through drills, exercises and training which is started young, with the intensity level increased as the player develops.

Jim ( Coach ) Bain is a former Minor League Player and Coach of Youth Baseball for over a decade. He has drawn from fellow successful coaches' experiences and combined them with his own extensive experience to create a Baseball Teaching Website. The site is packed with 100s of tips, drills, history and instruction on how to play and coach the game of baseball.

http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

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Friday, January 28, 2011

Baseball Coaching Digest - Team Making Too Many Errors? Two Great Mid Season Team Defensive Drills

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Team Making Too Many Errors? Two Great Mid Season Team Defensive Drills
By Nick Dixon

Team defensive baseball drills should be a daily routine for your baseball team. Team defensive drills make your players execute and perform under pressure more than regular ground ball drills. These two team defensive baseball drills are excellent ways to build defensive skills, build confidence, and to improve mental concentration. The two drills are: 1) Infield Live Batting Drill 2) Live Game Action Drill.

If you incorporate these two drills into your baseball practice routine, I am confident that you will see an improvement in your team defensive play and a reduction in errors.

Infield Live Batting Drill - Your infield players will be in their regular positions and they will be making the plays. Your outfield will be the base runners. The coach hits the ball. When the coach hits the ball, the base runners will run to first. If the runner is safe, the runner is on first base. You will keep hitting balls until the infielder record three outs. The infielders must talk during this drill to make sure they know where the runners are, how many outs there are, and where the play should be made. For example, with bases loaded and two outs, the players will say "take it to the easiest base or that the play is at one".

This baseball drill has multiple purposes. The outfielders can improve their base running skills also. You will clear the bases after each three outs. The coach can also lay down bunts to check bunt coverage. Make sure to mark a starting spot for the base runners. Make sure that the runners wear helmets during this drill.

It is recommended that you perform this drill for 21 outs at least two days a week.

Live Game Action Drill - This drill is performed with all players at their defensive positions. You will have 5 or 6 players running the bases while your infielders make plays. The coach will hit the ball in this drill with the base runners going as far as the hit ball will allow them. The players must execute, communicate, and stay alert mentally during this drill. You will clear the baseball after each three outs. Normally you will require your team to do this drill for 21 outs two days a week. Make sure to mark a starting spot for the base runners. Make sure that the runners wear helmets during this drill.

I hope that these two drills prove to be useful in helping your team improve defensive play. Thanks for taking the time to read this article. For more articles like it, you can visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, and Little League Digest. Good Luck to You and Your Team. Have a great day, Nick

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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon


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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Monday, January 24, 2011

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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Advanced Baseball Coaching Techniques From the Baseball Coaching Digest


Baseball Coaching Digest: Teaching Baseball Pitchers the Correct and Proper Stride Leg Mechanics
One of the most common pitching flaws seen in baseball has to do with the motion and action of the pitcher's front leg or stride leg and foot. This article discusses three common baseball pitching flaws associated with the stride leg and foot. Stride leg movement and landing foot action is an extremely important part of proper pitching mechanics. Here are three common mistakes made by pitchers that can make them suffer the embarrassment of a poor performance on the mound.

Baseball Coaching Digest - The 5 Keys to Obtaining and Maintaining Power Pitcher Status
A "Power Pitcher" is a pitcher that dominates with an overpowering fastball. There are five conditions that I think add to the likelihood that a pitcher will be overpowering to the opposition. Those keys are above average arm and body strength, above average conditioning and flexibility, good and proper mechanics, an understanding of the importance of proper warm-up, and dedicated commitment to proper post-game arm care. This article gives insight in how important each of these keys are and how each can be improved.

Baseball Coaching Digest - Teach Batters to Use Their New Brain When Batting
To me the hitter's brain is his eyes. If you literally try to think yourself through every at-bat, you are in trouble in today's game. The hitter must let his eye's do his thinking at the plate. I consider the eyes a batter's new brain. They must learn to properly use it. This article discusses several coaching points, tips and details related to this approach to hitting.

Baseball Coaching Digest - Want to Be a Great Hitter? Learn to Be Patient
One of the worst hitting flaws in baseball is "lack of patience" at the plate. This article discusses importance of being a patience batter and the reasons being a patient hitter puts the odds in the hitters favor. It also discusses one common baseball practice procedure that causes batters to not be patience at the plate.

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Friday, January 21, 2011

Five Anarchic Baseball Batting Drills Revealed

Five Anarchic Baseball Batting Drills Revealed
By Robert Wicks


As I sit back and think about my playing days, I can't help but think I didn't question enough people about their methods of training. I took for granted that my high school coach, or the local hitting instructor had a legitimate theory on how to develop me as a hitter. Now as coach, I look back on the hundreds of camps and the dozens of instructors I had and can't help but think that I wasted a good majority of my time. Unfortunately, baseball has become oversaturated with "new" drills. If you are not careful, you will train your players in circles instead of helping them make any real progress. This is precisely why I have put together the top 5 baseball batting drills that your players can start using today, and begin to see some real results.


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First off, let me explain why these drills are head and heels above all the other ones that are on the market. Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with the drills themselves. Players are naturally "stubborn" when it comes to making changes to their swing. Often times you will hear, "It feels uncomfortable" or "This throws me off" for which my response is "Good!" People are a afraid of change because it means a different result that they have never experienced before. With that mind, if a player has never felt uncomfortable in his batting training, all he has bee doing is excising by swinging a bat.

As a result, we must strip out result oriented drills and add step specific drills that break them out of their comfort zone. For me, I do that by "overtraining" or "over-exaggerating" their swing path. I design, or use drills that forces players to make adjustments naturally. I have seen countless coaches over the years try to convince players that feeling uncomfortable means making adjustments. Although they are correct, that is a loosing battle on the coaching front and leads to more conflict than resolution. So I work for the opposite direction and challenge my players with hard to do drills that force them to manipulate their swing and help them figure out how hit the baseball better. From the outside in these drills may look unorthodox, but once you add them to your batting training, you question why you have ever trained any other way.

Top 5 Baseball Batting Drill Number One: The Samurai Drill. When I first got back into coaching, I began noticing a trend in most young players. They are what I characterize as "weight loaders". "Weight loaders" are typically stiff by nature and carry a lot of tension in their body that results in difficulty separating the hands and front leg during the load portion of the swing. As a result, I designed this drill to break that tension barrier. Have you player place his feet all the way together, and his have hands extended out straight towards the pitcher. Yes, it should be on the other side of his body. This is our starting position. From there we break the swing down into load and swing. On the load, the player draws his hands across his body to comfortable hitting position, and extends his front leg out towards the pitcher. For this drill only, I want the player to keep 90% of his weight on the backside of his body. This is done to over train the disconnect of his hands and feet. From there, the player takes his swing freely. Goal: Become comfortable with our hands and front leg loading away from our body.

Unorthodox baseball batting drill number 2, the Oar Drill. Nothing says baseball like an oar to paddle a boat right? In this drill you take the bat out your players hands and replace it with an oar. Then, have your player place the oar behind his back leaving the open face of the oar extended as the hitting surface. As you soft toss tennis balls to your player, he naturally has to rotate his back leg to hit the ball. This is a great drill to help players understand how to use their backside more appropriately and efficiently to give them more power.

Unorthodox baseball batting drill number 3, the Top Hand Drill. The first time any player does this drill he will give you an awkward look. This will soon be followed by, "This is impossible" or "How am I suppose to get any power?" I love this reaction! Have you player grip the bat. Then, tell him to open is top hand so just his palm is touching the handle of the bat. Then have him put hand on the other side of the handle, and flip it over so his palm is on the bat ready to "push" the bat through the zone. The key is not to grip the bat with the top hand. After you player finishes his swing his top hand should be extended towards the pitcher. This drill does wonders helping young kids how to use their hands to hit the inside part of the baseball and not extend to far to soon. My players can generate enough power during this drill to hit balls that one and two hop the wall.

Top 5 Baseball Batting Drill Number Four: The Carrier Drill. I named this drill after an aircraft carrier. They are long and flat much like how our swing path wants to be through the hitting zone. Staying through the zone for a long period of time helps players make up for timing mistakes and end up with more hits. This batting drill involves two batting tees set-up in a line one to two feet apart depending on skill level. The tees should be the same height and baseball should be placed on each tee. The objective is to hit both baseballs with one swing. It is a lot like landing plane or having a plane take off from an aircraft carrier. Goal: Understand how it feels to gain extension through the zone.

Top 5 Baseball Batting Drill Number 5: The Reverse Bucket Drill. You are sure to get an awkward look from your player the first time he works out using this drill. Saying that, at the end of the drill he will come away with better balance, and a better finish. Have your player take his batting stance. Then, place a bucket under his back leg for him to step on. This elevates the back foot dramatically and removes stability from his stance. Then have him load and swing. Note: Players back leg lightly rotates or rolls onto the topside of their foot as they swing. If the player over rotates the bucket will fall over. The key to this drill is staying balanced through contact and finishing through the baseball instead of around his body. Goal: Understand how over-rotating can affect you power through contact.

As you can see, these batting drills are a bit unorthodox and may seem a bit far-fetched, but they accomplish one thing, adjustments. It is virtually impossible for any player to go through these drills and not come out with a more efficient, powerful swing. When you break the comfort barrier, you make adjustments. Try these drills out during your next batting training session and you will be amazed at how well your players will respond!

Get more effective batting lessons from our blog! When you want to improve your baseball batting skills, you can get the complete information you need today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Wicks








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Monday, January 17, 2011

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Sunday, January 16, 2011

The 3 Most Common Injuries in Baseball and How to Prevent Them

The 3 Most Common Injuries in Baseball and How to Prevent Them
By Jim Bain

Baseball injuries are unfortunately an unpleasant fact of life which can't be totally avoided. If there were such a miracle I'm sure Major League Baseball teams paying players millions of dollars to sit on the bench injured would have found it.
However, there are three common injuries in Little League baseball we can look at preventing or at least minimizing the degree of the injury.

Blisters are the number one injury in Little League and are created by the irritation of equipment rubbing against the skin, which causes the first layer of skin to separate from the second layer. The body then creates fluid to fill the gap between the two skin layers in order to protect the injury from further damage.

Proper fitting equipment, the use of powders and anti irritation gels will help prevent the blister, but once the blister has occurred the first issue is to prevent further injury.

If you can't stop the activity your involved in which is creating the blister, place a piece of tape or a band aid over the wound to protect it from further damage. A piece of duct tape works as well or better than a band aid as it seems to stick to the skin better and for longer periods of time.

Depending on the degree of the blister it may heal on its own if left alone. However, if there's oozing pus, extreme pain or signs of infection the wound should be drained with a sterile needle, antibacterial ointment applied and bandaged.

Little league elbow is a soreness of the elbow usually experienced by pitchers who have not yet reached puberty. The growth plates attached to the elbow will be pulled loose creating pain when throwing.

This injury is caused by either throwing too many pitches in a particular span of time or by throwing breaking balls at too young of an age.

Should your player incur this injury, stop all throwing and have him rest the arm. Applying ice 20 minutes an hour for 4 or 5 hours the first day will reduce any swelling.

To treat or prevent this injury, be sure to monitor the amount of pitches a player throws. They should be limited to no more than 100 pitches a week and absolutely no breaking balls are to be attempted.

Sprains and strains round out the top three injuries in little league baseball. Teaching proper fielding and running mechanics is the best method to try and prevent these types of injuries.

If playing on an unfamiliar field, walk the outfield to look for any holes or unleveled ground which could cause a trip or twisting of an ankle.

The degree of the sprain dictates the treatment of the injury. A mild sprain may be treated with a treatment of ice packs rotated in 20 minute intervals for 8 hours. The injured limb should be rested above the waist or heart level in order to reduce swelling as well as wrapping with an elastic ace bandage.

As with all injuries of kids, if in doubt or at the first sign of infection, seek immediate professional medical care.

About the Author
Let Coach Bain teach you more about how to prevent and treat injured players. His site offers coaching tips on pitching, fielding, catching and more at Learn Youth Baseball Coaching. http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

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Thursday, January 13, 2011

The Importance of Weight Lifting For Baseball

By Jim Bain


Traditionally, for the most part baseball players are not as ripped or bulked muscle definition wise as football players. The vision of rippling muscles flexing under the tremendous strains of lifting weights does not seem to compute for a MLB player in the gym as it does for a football player in the weight room. Although it's true football players normally require additional and different muscle bulk for the tasks they must perform vs. the baseball player, that doesn't mean a baseball player isn't suppose to be muscular or work out with weights. Alas, just the opposite is true.

The core strength of a baseball player, shoulders, hips and legs must be very strong in order to produce the explosive energy which propels baseballs 410' or throws a 100 mph fastball.
Core strength is produced by muscle bulk and muscles are built by lifting weights of varying sets, reps and amounts. The heavier the weight, the bigger the muscle mass which is created, while the more sets and reps performed, the more toned and lean the muscle.

Let's exam just one aspect of building muscles through lifting weights which increase core strength and how it enhances our baseball abilities. The legs are the foundation of the core, giving the body balance and an ability to coil and explode much as a snake when striking.

The legs must be strong enough to carry and balance the entire weight of the body as it prepares to begin the starting mechanism of the swing, or being able to hold the hands back as the body begins its motion forward.

Most non-baseball people mistakenly believe the power for hitting originates in the shoulders and chest area, which is not correct, not totally that is. The explosion of power originates from the turning of the hips, which when turned with speed and power, leads the rest of the body into a powerful pin wheel reaction increasing the velocity and speed of the baseball bat as it travels through the hitting zone.

This speed of the bat, as we know, is what actually transfers the body's strength and power into the baseball as contact is made. Simply defined, slow bat speed equates into weak hitting, while quick bat speed equates into powerful hitting and the sum of it all...weak core strength equals slow bat speed. Increasing core strength through exercising with weights is the best method to achieve results in the shortest period of time.

That's not to say other forms of training, cardio, stretching, pilates or yoga are not essential for perfecting our body strength, flexibility and limberness in order to prevent injury, but for pure muscle building.. Lifting weights in the proper manner is the Best method to build strength through muscle bulk.

Jim ( Coach ) Bain is a former Minor League Player and Coach of Youth Baseball for over 10 years. He has drawn from fellow successful coaches' experiences and combined them with his own extensive experience to create a Baseball Teaching Website. The site is packed with 100s of tips, drills, history and instruction on how to play and coach the game of baseball. http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Baseball Coaching Digest: Teaching Baseball Pitchers the Correct and Proper Stride Leg Mechanics

Baseball Coaching Digest: Teaching Baseball Pitchers the Correct and Proper Stride Leg Mechanics
By Nick Dixon

One of the most common pitching flaws seen in baseball has to do with the motion and action of the pitcher's front leg or stride leg and foot. This article discusses three common baseball pitching flaws associated with the stride leg and foot.

Stride leg movement and landing foot action is an extremely important part of proper pitching mechanics. Here are three common mistakes made by pitchers that can make them suffer the embarrassment of a poor performance on the mound.

"Improper Leg Action from Balance Point to Stride"

The proper, correct and desired motion of the stride leg depends on the game situation and the presence and location of base runners. If there is no one on base the pitcher should go to the balance position, then separate, and then take the leg and foot downward in a "down and Out" or "Landing Plane Motion". This path allows the hands to separate and the throwing arm to get to the desire point with the front foot don and planted before the throwing RM COMES FORWARD.

If there is a runner or multiple runners on base, the pitcher should throw from the stretch and use the glide step to deliver the ball to the plate quicker to deter base runners from stealing.

"Improper Front Foot Landing"

The simplest way to describe a bad front landing is to say that the pitcher is landing the front foot on his heel. The front foot should land flat or on the ball of the foot. Landing on the heel makes the pitcher's delivery inconsistent and his control will suffer.

"Improper Front Leg Mechanics"

A young pitcher should be taught to stride toward home plate. The pitcher's front foot should land with the toes pointed in the vicinity of the plate. When striding toward home plate the pitcher should not land on a stiff rigid leg with their knee locked. This can cause a "pole vaulting" action and a whip like action that is a dangerous pitching flaw that can injure a player's arm over time. Pitchers have to learn to land with their front knee slightly bent, but to firm the bent leg up during the pitching motion. When the stride foot lands the knee should be bent. The lead leg must stiffen up as the pitcher's weight comes forward. This stiffening action gives the pitcher leverage or resistance to work against in creating arm whip and velocity.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and useful. Please visit the Youth Baseball Digest Blog, Baseball Coaching Digest Blog, and the Baseball Coaching Digest for more free baseball articles, baseball tips, and free baseball drills. Good luck to you and your team. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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