By Baseball Coaching Digest Guest Author: Bill Bathe
There are many drills used for baseball that will help you when you are trying to improve your offensive production. However, there is one drill that I particularly like and has the most overall effect on your swing. And that is the fence drill.
Here are 4 reasons why you should be utilizing the fence drill and why it is so important.
•Promotes balance. Probably the most important aspect in any sport is the proper utilization of your balance. Never is this more illustrated then when using the fence drill. If you are not doing well on your balance, you will not be able to perform this drill very well. You need to keep your balance and it all starts with the right setup and the right balance. Rule number one, get your balance.
•Promotes an inside out swing. What do we mean when we say inside out? It simply signifies a path that your hands take when attacking the ball. It is the same approach that you see in golf. If you think about it, the shortest path to the ball is a direct path that is obtained by the often used phrase "inside out swing". It isn't rocket science and it is used in all sports. If we look at the first two reasons, we start with balance and move on to the inside out swing.
•Teaches proper swing plane. Again, what do we mean by this? I am sure you have heard the term "swing plane" in golf. Well, it is the same thing in baseball. When you are utilizing proper balance and proper inside out approach, you are developing your correct swing plane. This is all fundamentals and it begins with the balance and progresses to eventually you developing your proper swing plane to the ball. This is the swing that you want to repeat and work on over and over again. Use video taping to review your swing and have your coach watch you as you perform the fence drill to make sure that you are executing it properly. Remember, you want to do it right. It is not important how many times you do it, but it is important that you are doing the drill correctly so you can build on your development.
•It builds confidence. I know what you are thinking and are wondering how a fence drill can build confidence. When you are doing your drills correctly you are going to see improvement in your swing. This translates into better performance on the field which translate into building confidence. It is definitely a confidence booster.
Baseball's fence drill appears to be a simple and unimportant drill when it comes to your swing. Don't be fooled, it is a powerful drill that will greatly improve your swing by allowing you to build the fundamentals of balance and an inside out swing path. This will lead to a better performance for you on the field.
Bill Bathe - former major league ballplayer who played for the Oakland A's and S.F. Giants and played in the 1989 world series. To learn more about the baseball fence drill, visit Baseball Fence Drill Also, to learn more about improving your swing using a fungo, visit Baseball Fungo Drill
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Bathe
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7215927
================================
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Showing posts with label baseball hitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball hitting. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Monday, November 21, 2011
Baseball Coaching Digest - Teach Batters to Use Their New Brain When Batting
Baseball Coaching Digest - Teach Batters to Use Their New Brain When Batting
By guest author: Nick Dixon
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.
Teaching young hitters to swing at what they see, not what they think they see or what they think that they are going to see is one of the most important coaching responsibilities as a youth coach. What I mean about this statement is that players have to step into the box realizing that they "never know" what the pitch will be. They should not guess pitches but rather learn to keep the hands back and see what the pitch is and then react.
Several coaching points come to mind when I discuss this process. Many of these are saying that you should teach or convey to your staff and players. Those points are:
1. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball on the outer 3rd of the plate, and adjust to hit the fastball in. Notice, I said "physically" set your stance at the plate. I did not say, "Convince yourself that the next pitch is going to be a "fastball away". The key is getting in a position to hit it and being able to reach. Batters should always be ready to hit the fastball away first and then adjust to the fastball in, curveball away, or pitch on the middle 3rd of the plate. The batter must let his "eyes control his hands". The decision to hit or swing comes from the eyes, not the brain. Therefore, the eyes are the hitter's brain.
2. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball and adjust to hit off speed pitches. The batter must be able to hit the soft stuff on the outer 3rd of the plate at all times. The batter should always be ready to hit the fastball, but should keep the hands back, and adjust to hit the off speed pitch. The key here is that to be a confident batter, a batter must have confidence in his "hand or bat speed". He must know and realize that if he keeps his hands back, he can still catch up with the fastball, but if he "leaks or cheats his hands forward", he will be incapable of hitting the away fastball and the way off speed pitch. He must learn to keep his hands back and allow his eyes to do his thinking. He must see a pitches location before he reacts. Assuming a position that allows you to see, react, and hit all pitch locations is the key to hitting success.
3. The hitter should never guess. Guess hitting makes a hitter an easy target that will fall victim to good pitches. Hitting is a process of see and reacting, not guessing and swinging. The hitter must see the pitch location before he swings, not guess a pitches location before he swings. The difference is that when you guess, you start too early. When you guess, you have a tendency to start the swing prematurely. The guess hitter may be able to get it right sometimes, and crush the fastball with power. But, more times than not, he will lunge, jump or get out to quick and strike out or pop the fly ball into the air.
4. The only thing a hitter should know is that you "never know" what the pitch is going to be. The key is to trust you eyes as your brain to allow you to be a "see" hitter and not a "guess" hitter. I know that count awareness can give you the edge as a hitter in many situations. If you are ahead, you are more than likely going to get a fastball. If the pitcher is ahead, you are more than like going to get his best out pitch, which may be a breaking ball. But, more and more in today's game, we are pitching batters backwards. So, the absolute best way to hit is to make batting a "seeing, identifying and reacting process" that allows the swing to be triggered, controlled and executed by the eyes.
I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. You can find more like it at Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. I thank you for taking the time to read this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. 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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---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
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---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
By guest author: Nick Dixon
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.
Teaching young hitters to swing at what they see, not what they think they see or what they think that they are going to see is one of the most important coaching responsibilities as a youth coach. What I mean about this statement is that players have to step into the box realizing that they "never know" what the pitch will be. They should not guess pitches but rather learn to keep the hands back and see what the pitch is and then react.
Several coaching points come to mind when I discuss this process. Many of these are saying that you should teach or convey to your staff and players. Those points are:
1. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball on the outer 3rd of the plate, and adjust to hit the fastball in. Notice, I said "physically" set your stance at the plate. I did not say, "Convince yourself that the next pitch is going to be a "fastball away". The key is getting in a position to hit it and being able to reach. Batters should always be ready to hit the fastball away first and then adjust to the fastball in, curveball away, or pitch on the middle 3rd of the plate. The batter must let his "eyes control his hands". The decision to hit or swing comes from the eyes, not the brain. Therefore, the eyes are the hitter's brain.
2. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball and adjust to hit off speed pitches. The batter must be able to hit the soft stuff on the outer 3rd of the plate at all times. The batter should always be ready to hit the fastball, but should keep the hands back, and adjust to hit the off speed pitch. The key here is that to be a confident batter, a batter must have confidence in his "hand or bat speed". He must know and realize that if he keeps his hands back, he can still catch up with the fastball, but if he "leaks or cheats his hands forward", he will be incapable of hitting the away fastball and the way off speed pitch. He must learn to keep his hands back and allow his eyes to do his thinking. He must see a pitches location before he reacts. Assuming a position that allows you to see, react, and hit all pitch locations is the key to hitting success.
3. The hitter should never guess. Guess hitting makes a hitter an easy target that will fall victim to good pitches. Hitting is a process of see and reacting, not guessing and swinging. The hitter must see the pitch location before he swings, not guess a pitches location before he swings. The difference is that when you guess, you start too early. When you guess, you have a tendency to start the swing prematurely. The guess hitter may be able to get it right sometimes, and crush the fastball with power. But, more times than not, he will lunge, jump or get out to quick and strike out or pop the fly ball into the air.
4. The only thing a hitter should know is that you "never know" what the pitch is going to be. The key is to trust you eyes as your brain to allow you to be a "see" hitter and not a "guess" hitter. I know that count awareness can give you the edge as a hitter in many situations. If you are ahead, you are more than likely going to get a fastball. If the pitcher is ahead, you are more than like going to get his best out pitch, which may be a breaking ball. But, more and more in today's game, we are pitching batters backwards. So, the absolute best way to hit is to make batting a "seeing, identifying and reacting process" that allows the swing to be triggered, controlled and executed by the eyes.
I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. You can find more like it at Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. I thank you for taking the time to read this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. 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
========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Baseball Hitting Tips - 100 Swings a Day
Baseball Hitting Tips - 100 Swings a Day
By guest author: Tom Read
An old baseball coach use to say after every practice, "go home and swing the bat 100 times each and every day. If you want to hit against the high level of competition we are going to be playing, swing that bat 100 times everyday". What he did not explain to the players was that doing something over and over makes it easier each time. It eventually becomes natural, second nature. So when that fastball comes flying in, and there is a half second to react, and you know where the swing needs to go, the muscle memory takes over and the swing comes naturally.
Hitting off the tee is a great baseball hitting drill. Take a 100 cuts a day off the tee and you will see your batting average start to climb. Another good baseball drill is soft toss. Here the tosser can change the location and the speed of the ball. Again, a 100 cuts a day of soft toss will bring improvement to your swing. The old coach used to tell the players that even if they did not have a tee to use, or no one was around to do soft toss with them, just go out in the yard and swing the bat thru the air. A 100 times a day. Doing this will get you comfortable with your swing. At game time, you want to be confident at the plate, and comfort brings confidence. You have swung that bat so many times, you know it is not going to let you down. You are concentrating on the pitch, not your swing. At just the right moment, you let loose with that same swing you have taken a 100 times a day.
The last thing I want to say is very important. You play like you practice. Before you start swinging a 100 time a day, you need to have found a good batting stance and good mechanics. It will not help you if each one of the 100 swings is different. Each swing needs to be identical. Find that perfect swing for you and practice it a 100 times a day.
Over the last twenty plus years, Tom Read has been a coach, parent, and a fan of organized baseball. He has shared this experience with his sons and many other players on his teams. Many have gone on to play at the college level.
Tom has recently joined with others to start a baseball website offering free baseball drills. To check out these great drills, and other great baseball information and stories, please visit Helpful Baseball Drills. It will be worth your time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Read
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Teaching Your Child to Hit
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Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball
By guest author: Tom Read
An old baseball coach use to say after every practice, "go home and swing the bat 100 times each and every day. If you want to hit against the high level of competition we are going to be playing, swing that bat 100 times everyday". What he did not explain to the players was that doing something over and over makes it easier each time. It eventually becomes natural, second nature. So when that fastball comes flying in, and there is a half second to react, and you know where the swing needs to go, the muscle memory takes over and the swing comes naturally.
Hitting off the tee is a great baseball hitting drill. Take a 100 cuts a day off the tee and you will see your batting average start to climb. Another good baseball drill is soft toss. Here the tosser can change the location and the speed of the ball. Again, a 100 cuts a day of soft toss will bring improvement to your swing. The old coach used to tell the players that even if they did not have a tee to use, or no one was around to do soft toss with them, just go out in the yard and swing the bat thru the air. A 100 times a day. Doing this will get you comfortable with your swing. At game time, you want to be confident at the plate, and comfort brings confidence. You have swung that bat so many times, you know it is not going to let you down. You are concentrating on the pitch, not your swing. At just the right moment, you let loose with that same swing you have taken a 100 times a day.
The last thing I want to say is very important. You play like you practice. Before you start swinging a 100 time a day, you need to have found a good batting stance and good mechanics. It will not help you if each one of the 100 swings is different. Each swing needs to be identical. Find that perfect swing for you and practice it a 100 times a day.
Over the last twenty plus years, Tom Read has been a coach, parent, and a fan of organized baseball. He has shared this experience with his sons and many other players on his teams. Many have gone on to play at the college level.
Tom has recently joined with others to start a baseball website offering free baseball drills. To check out these great drills, and other great baseball information and stories, please visit Helpful Baseball Drills. It will be worth your time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Read
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Homepage
Baseball Parent Guide: Today's Post
Baseball Articles for Coaches
Baseball Blogs
Teaching Your Child to Hit
Throwing and Pitching Fundamentals
Buying Guide For Baseball Parents
Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Little League Baseball Practice Drills - Hitting Practice
Little League Baseball Practice Drills - Hitting Practice
By guest author: Chris Campbell
If you want to get good at anything, it's usually just a question of time. A little persistence, blood, sweat, and tears may help as well. There are a number of motivational quotes I could throw at your here, but let me just use a couple. First quote: "Persistence is omnipotent". Second quote: "Success is a result of one percent inspiration, and 99 percent inspiration". I know I'm paraphrasing somewhat, and I'm not sure exactly who the original author is for those. But, I think Emerson is responsible for the first. Either way, they both apply to many sporting endeavors, and baseball is no exception.
If you or your favorite little league baseball player has the desire, and is willing to put in the time, there no reason for them or you not to become a great baseball player. Of all the roles a player undertakes in the sport of baseball, the most fun packed one has to be hitting. It requires the most focus, concentrating, nerve, timing and skill. It's much more engaging than shagging fly balls, or base running.
It's a good thing, that hitting is so much fun, since that makes hitting practice even more fun, as you get to do it for even longer. With that in mind though, there are good ways to practice, and bad ways to practice. No sense in ingraining bad habits, when a few simple points to keep in mind will make you a big league hitter in no time.
Keep Your Eyes On The Ball
The number one thing to remember in batting practice, is to keep your eye on the ball. And even before the ball is thrown, keep your eyes on the pitcher. Studying the pitcher can reveal clues as to what pitch he'll be throwing next. Knowing you've got a curve ball or change-up, or fast ball, will affect the timing and speed of your swing.
Be A Smart Batter
Know what the count is, and where the other runners on your team are. Know how many are out, and know who's coming up to bat next. It's not just the coaches job to keep track of all these things. A strategic batter is a better batter.
Get A Good Grip On The Bat
The grip on your bat is were your swing starts. Don't tense up too much my holding on too tightly. You need to start of semi-relaxed, and then "load" and tighten up as you swing through the ball. Hand placement is important, and try to line up your middle knuckles from both your right and left hand.
Little League Baseball Drills is a great resource for helping your little leaguer get the most out of his or hers favorite pastime. With a little good training, amateur or even professional ball players will see a dramatic improvement in the way they play.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
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Today's Youth Baseball Coaching Feature Article
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By guest author: Chris Campbell
If you want to get good at anything, it's usually just a question of time. A little persistence, blood, sweat, and tears may help as well. There are a number of motivational quotes I could throw at your here, but let me just use a couple. First quote: "Persistence is omnipotent". Second quote: "Success is a result of one percent inspiration, and 99 percent inspiration". I know I'm paraphrasing somewhat, and I'm not sure exactly who the original author is for those. But, I think Emerson is responsible for the first. Either way, they both apply to many sporting endeavors, and baseball is no exception.
If you or your favorite little league baseball player has the desire, and is willing to put in the time, there no reason for them or you not to become a great baseball player. Of all the roles a player undertakes in the sport of baseball, the most fun packed one has to be hitting. It requires the most focus, concentrating, nerve, timing and skill. It's much more engaging than shagging fly balls, or base running.
It's a good thing, that hitting is so much fun, since that makes hitting practice even more fun, as you get to do it for even longer. With that in mind though, there are good ways to practice, and bad ways to practice. No sense in ingraining bad habits, when a few simple points to keep in mind will make you a big league hitter in no time.
Keep Your Eyes On The Ball
The number one thing to remember in batting practice, is to keep your eye on the ball. And even before the ball is thrown, keep your eyes on the pitcher. Studying the pitcher can reveal clues as to what pitch he'll be throwing next. Knowing you've got a curve ball or change-up, or fast ball, will affect the timing and speed of your swing.
Be A Smart Batter
Know what the count is, and where the other runners on your team are. Know how many are out, and know who's coming up to bat next. It's not just the coaches job to keep track of all these things. A strategic batter is a better batter.
Get A Good Grip On The Bat
The grip on your bat is were your swing starts. Don't tense up too much my holding on too tightly. You need to start of semi-relaxed, and then "load" and tighten up as you swing through the ball. Hand placement is important, and try to line up your middle knuckles from both your right and left hand.
Little League Baseball Drills is a great resource for helping your little leaguer get the most out of his or hers favorite pastime. With a little good training, amateur or even professional ball players will see a dramatic improvement in the way they play.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
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Today's Youth Baseball Coaching Feature Article
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Thursday, September 15, 2011
How to Avoid Bat Drag - How The Best Hitters in Baseball Use Their Hands
How to Avoid Bat Drag - How The Best Hitters in Baseball Use Their Hands
In order to swing the bat effectively and produce bat speed you need to learn to torque the handle of the bat. This video explains the hand mechanics which 95% of the best hitters in MLB use.
Thanks to Our Sponsor – Baseball2u.com
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BatAction 360
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Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech
SKLZ 5 Position Batting Tee
ZipnHit Pro Baseball Swing Trainer
Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine
In order to swing the bat effectively and produce bat speed you need to learn to torque the handle of the bat. This video explains the hand mechanics which 95% of the best hitters in MLB use.
Thanks to Our Sponsor – Baseball2u.com
BatAction Youth Hitting Machine
BatAction 360
SKLZ Lightning Bolt Pitching Machine
SKLZ Light Bolt PRO Pitching Machine
Joe Mauer PX4 QuickSwing Baseball Trainer
Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech
SKLZ 5 Position Batting Tee
ZipnHit Pro Baseball Swing Trainer
Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine
Monday, September 12, 2011
Baseball Coaching Digest - The Magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill
Baseball Coaching Digest - The Magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill
By guest author: Nick Dixon
One of the main reasons some kids refuse to play baseball is that baseball practice is too boring. One thing that makes it so boring is that many coaches run certain drills too long and do not break their practices into short times periods.
This article discusses the "magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill" and why many coaches use short time periods and drill variety to minimize boredom during baseball practice.
Why the 10 Minute Baseball Drill is Needed?
Baseball coaches and players are notorious for having short attention spans.
I have learned that I must keep our baseball drills short for two reasons. The first reason is that some of my players have short attention spans and after 10 or 15 minutes they lose interest and become bored. The second reason is that I have a short attention span and I too get bored with a drill that runs on and on without a break or change in activity.
What makes a 10 Minute Drill in Baseball a perfect drill?
I feel that three things make the 10 Minutes the perfect amount of time for a baseball drill:
1. The drill can be performed with total concentration. The kids have no trouble staying on task or focused for 10 minutes. The retention of mental skills also increases when the drill is interesting and action driven.
2. The short drill emphasizes quality not quantity. Our kids know and value the worth of a rep well done. They know when a drill has run too long. They know when a drill's value begins to diminish. They know that I would rather that they practice a skill for 10 minutes with a high level of performance quality and a true sense of urgency for rep success.
3. Total focus - Kids are more motivated to hustle, concentrate and perform a task when they know that the task will be limited to 10 minutes if the effort is adequate and the performance level is acceptable.
4. High Level of Excitement - Players of all ages can get excited about any drill or task if it is presented correctly. Coaches should show a high level of interest and excitement. A strong emphasis on why a drill is done will add to players understanding and raise their interest level.
The 4 Keys to running an effective 10 Minute Baseball drill:
1. Organization is vital to the success of the drill. It is a must to have a written practice schedule with time slots designated and allocated for each drill to be done that day. Each coach on the staff should have a copy of that schedule.
2. Player instruction in the details of the drill is important. The first time that you do it, you may have to spend a considerable amount of time explaining, demonstrating, and setting the drill up. After the first time, the players should get more and more efficient and comfortable with the drill and be able to get a lot of reps in the allotted 10 minutes.
3. Equipment must be ready to go. There can be no time used to set-up equipment or move machines, nets, and such. It is recommended that all needed equipment be prepared and arranged before practice or by other staff while the previous drill is being done elsewhere.
4. Get in a Routine - It is a good thing to establish a regular practice routine that you follow each day. You should always start with s stretch and warm-up period that is routine. Then everyday you should follow the same basic scrip as to the subject and direction of your practice. For example, you may wish to start with 2 offensive drills, and then do 2 defensive drills and alternate then until you have covered everything you have in the practice plan for that day.
At our daily practice, after warm-ups and stretches, the first thing that is done is a catchers/infielders drill that allows catchers to throw to the bases and infielders to practice catching and tags. Then we normally go into PFPs or Practice Fielding Practice. My point here is that we follow a routine that the kids know. They start each drill on their own and flow from drill to drill without wasting time.
We normally end our practice every day with one of about 4 bunting drills we use. That drill is intense and it is 10 minutes like all of our other drills.
In closing, let me make one point absolutely clear. I will deviate from the 10 minute drill schedule if the drill is sloppy or poorly done. If I have to, I will restart the clock, and make the team start the drill over. If I have to run a drill twice to get the level of performance that I expect, I will. The number focus in every drill is quality. That quality includes performing every rep at an acceptable level or standard. My kids know that I do and will start a drill, or even a practice over, if things are done poorly, sloppy, and without the right focus or energy level.
I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. You may find many other articles like it at Baseball Coaching Digest and the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Thanks for reading my articles. Have a great day, Nick.
The Baseball2u.com 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
=======================
Thanks to our sponsor:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
By guest author: Nick Dixon
One of the main reasons some kids refuse to play baseball is that baseball practice is too boring. One thing that makes it so boring is that many coaches run certain drills too long and do not break their practices into short times periods.
This article discusses the "magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill" and why many coaches use short time periods and drill variety to minimize boredom during baseball practice.
Why the 10 Minute Baseball Drill is Needed?
Baseball coaches and players are notorious for having short attention spans.
I have learned that I must keep our baseball drills short for two reasons. The first reason is that some of my players have short attention spans and after 10 or 15 minutes they lose interest and become bored. The second reason is that I have a short attention span and I too get bored with a drill that runs on and on without a break or change in activity.
What makes a 10 Minute Drill in Baseball a perfect drill?
I feel that three things make the 10 Minutes the perfect amount of time for a baseball drill:
1. The drill can be performed with total concentration. The kids have no trouble staying on task or focused for 10 minutes. The retention of mental skills also increases when the drill is interesting and action driven.
2. The short drill emphasizes quality not quantity. Our kids know and value the worth of a rep well done. They know when a drill has run too long. They know when a drill's value begins to diminish. They know that I would rather that they practice a skill for 10 minutes with a high level of performance quality and a true sense of urgency for rep success.
3. Total focus - Kids are more motivated to hustle, concentrate and perform a task when they know that the task will be limited to 10 minutes if the effort is adequate and the performance level is acceptable.
4. High Level of Excitement - Players of all ages can get excited about any drill or task if it is presented correctly. Coaches should show a high level of interest and excitement. A strong emphasis on why a drill is done will add to players understanding and raise their interest level.
The 4 Keys to running an effective 10 Minute Baseball drill:
1. Organization is vital to the success of the drill. It is a must to have a written practice schedule with time slots designated and allocated for each drill to be done that day. Each coach on the staff should have a copy of that schedule.
2. Player instruction in the details of the drill is important. The first time that you do it, you may have to spend a considerable amount of time explaining, demonstrating, and setting the drill up. After the first time, the players should get more and more efficient and comfortable with the drill and be able to get a lot of reps in the allotted 10 minutes.
3. Equipment must be ready to go. There can be no time used to set-up equipment or move machines, nets, and such. It is recommended that all needed equipment be prepared and arranged before practice or by other staff while the previous drill is being done elsewhere.
4. Get in a Routine - It is a good thing to establish a regular practice routine that you follow each day. You should always start with s stretch and warm-up period that is routine. Then everyday you should follow the same basic scrip as to the subject and direction of your practice. For example, you may wish to start with 2 offensive drills, and then do 2 defensive drills and alternate then until you have covered everything you have in the practice plan for that day.
At our daily practice, after warm-ups and stretches, the first thing that is done is a catchers/infielders drill that allows catchers to throw to the bases and infielders to practice catching and tags. Then we normally go into PFPs or Practice Fielding Practice. My point here is that we follow a routine that the kids know. They start each drill on their own and flow from drill to drill without wasting time.
We normally end our practice every day with one of about 4 bunting drills we use. That drill is intense and it is 10 minutes like all of our other drills.
In closing, let me make one point absolutely clear. I will deviate from the 10 minute drill schedule if the drill is sloppy or poorly done. If I have to, I will restart the clock, and make the team start the drill over. If I have to run a drill twice to get the level of performance that I expect, I will. The number focus in every drill is quality. That quality includes performing every rep at an acceptable level or standard. My kids know that I do and will start a drill, or even a practice over, if things are done poorly, sloppy, and without the right focus or energy level.
I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. You may find many other articles like it at Baseball Coaching Digest and the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Thanks for reading my articles. Have a great day, Nick.
The Baseball2u.com 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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Thursday, September 8, 2011
Baseball Coaching Digest - Why Baseball Players Are the Most Accountable Athletes in Sports
Baseball Coaching Digest - Why Baseball Players Are the Most Accountable Athletes in Sports
By guest author: Nick Dixon
Baseball players are held to a higher level of accountability than any other athletes in the world. If you compare baseball, football and basketball to see which sport holds the player athlete more responsible for mistakes and errors, you will find that baseball holds players to a higher level of accountability. This article explains my perspective on why baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.
I am absolutely sure that baseball players are held at a higher level of accountability than other sports athletes. Why do I feel this way? Have you ever been to a football game and seen a player miss a tackle or block that cost his team dearly? Did the official score "flash" error on the football scoreboard? The answer is no. Have you ever watched a basketball player miss a wild open layup that hurt his team? Did the score keeper or score operator flash "error" on the scoreboard? The answer is no.
On the other hand, as baseball player can bobble a hard hit ground ball and the whole world will soon be notified and an official documentation of the mistake will be made in the scorebook. The scorekeeper will write a big "E" in the scorebook that makes the error officially known. Then the scoreboard operator will also turn on the "error" light on the scoreboard to let every player and spectator in the park know that an error was made.
That is the reason I feel that baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.
Maybe other sports consider adding an "Error" light on their scoreboard or writing a big "E" in their scorebook when a player makes a mistake. Then maybe the next time a player fails to execute on a football field or basketball court, they will know what it's like to be held publicly accountable and responsible like a baseball player.
I hope that you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Visit the Baseball coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest and Baseball Parent Guide for more baseball articles. Good luck to you and your team, 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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www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
By guest author: Nick Dixon
Baseball players are held to a higher level of accountability than any other athletes in the world. If you compare baseball, football and basketball to see which sport holds the player athlete more responsible for mistakes and errors, you will find that baseball holds players to a higher level of accountability. This article explains my perspective on why baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.
I am absolutely sure that baseball players are held at a higher level of accountability than other sports athletes. Why do I feel this way? Have you ever been to a football game and seen a player miss a tackle or block that cost his team dearly? Did the official score "flash" error on the football scoreboard? The answer is no. Have you ever watched a basketball player miss a wild open layup that hurt his team? Did the score keeper or score operator flash "error" on the scoreboard? The answer is no.
On the other hand, as baseball player can bobble a hard hit ground ball and the whole world will soon be notified and an official documentation of the mistake will be made in the scorebook. The scorekeeper will write a big "E" in the scorebook that makes the error officially known. Then the scoreboard operator will also turn on the "error" light on the scoreboard to let every player and spectator in the park know that an error was made.
That is the reason I feel that baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.
Maybe other sports consider adding an "Error" light on their scoreboard or writing a big "E" in their scorebook when a player makes a mistake. Then maybe the next time a player fails to execute on a football field or basketball court, they will know what it's like to be held publicly accountable and responsible like a baseball player.
I hope that you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Visit the Baseball coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest and Baseball Parent Guide for more baseball articles. Good luck to you and your team, 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
=====================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Baseball Tips on Hitting - How to Overcome Two Very Common Baseball Hitting Problems!
Baseball Hitting Machine Parts
Baseball Tips on Hitting - How to Overcome Two Very Common Baseball Hitting Problems!
By Guest Author Larry Cicchiello
Tension Is A Hitter's Worst Enemy!
I've heard this expression dozens of times and could not agree more. No, let's make that hundreds of times. If you have tension in your swing, it is next to impossible to hit the ball effectively. On the other hand, relaxing is a great asset to have.
An outstanding baseball coach I know has his hitters take a deep breath before every pitch and go into relax mode. Please note that I said outstanding coach and not good or very good. It is often referred to as "the calm before the storm." Hitting a baseball well on a consistent basis is NOT an easy chore. If you have tension before and during the swing, it makes it an almost impossible chore. A smooth and gracious swing is what you want to strive for and tension will make it very difficult.
Like I've mentioned before, sometimes a slight waggle at the plate will help you to relax. Or you can wiggle your fingers on the bat while waiting for the pitch. It's very difficult to have your body tense up if your body is moving. Learning how to relax at the plate should be very helpful to you!
You Must Be Short To The Ball!
1. You must go from point "A" where you are loaded up, to point "B" where you are making contact, in a straight line. The very beginning of the swing is NOT level at all. It is a DOWNWARD movement when going from A to B and NOT a horizontal movement. Way too many players level out their swing at the start. The reason it is such a common problem is because they have heard the words "level swing" hollered out to them since they were eight years old. I wish I had a dime for every time I've heard a coach, parent or teammate holler those two words out. Only at the point of contact should the swing level out and NOT before that. You can not lose a valuable fraction of a second if it takes a fast ball a fraction of a second to get to the catcher's mitt. Look at it as simple math.
2. Another possibility for your swing to be "long and looping" may be that you are dropping your hands at the beginning of the swing. This can cause you to be "long" to the ball and cause your bat to have a slight drag.
3. You may be pushing your hands out too far away from your body and that will create a longer swing. Remember the expression, "hands back and bat forward."
4. You must keep your front shoulder closed. If you open the front shoulder too early, it will cause your bat to drag through the hitting zone. This is often referred to as "casting" the bat and not swinging the bat. "Casting" is what you do when you go fishing and not when you swing at a baseball.
Let's face it. There are hundreds of baseball tips on hitting. Having a tension free swing, being "short to the ball" and keeping the front shoulder closed should be right near the top of your list! They are three things that are absolutely critical for successful baseball hitting.
Larry is the successful author of several very user friendly eBooks and CD's covering 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY player, coach or parent who wants to help their child will be fully equipped! Check out some FREE baseball tips on hitting and FREE baseball pitching tips at LarryBaseball.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4449889
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Monday, May 23, 2011
Baseball Coaching Digest - Teach Batters to Use Their New Brain When Batting
Baseball Coaching Digest - Teach Batters to Use Their New Brain When Batting
By guest author: Nick Dixon
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.
Teaching young hitters to swing at what they see, not what they think they see or what they think that they are going to see is one of the most important coaching responsibilities as a youth coach. What I mean about this statement is that players have to step into the box realizing that they "never know" what the pitch will be. They should not guess pitches but rather learn to keep the hands back and see what the pitch is and then react.
Several coaching points come to mind when I discuss this process. Many of these are saying that you should teach or convey to your staff and players. Those points are:
1. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball on the outer 3rd of the plate, and adjust to hit the fastball in. Notice, I said "physically" set your stance at the plate. I did not say, "Convince yourself that the next pitch is going to be a "fastball away". The key is getting in a position to hit it and being able to reach. Batters should always be ready to hit the fastball away first and then adjust to the fastball in, curveball away, or pitch on the middle 3rd of the plate. The batter must let his "eyes control his hands". The decision to hit or swing comes from the eyes, not the brain. Therefore, the eyes are the hitter's brain.
2. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball and adjust to hit off speed pitches. The batter must be able to hit the soft stuff on the outer 3rd of the plate at all times. The batter should always be ready to hit the fastball, but should keep the hands back, and adjust to hit the off speed pitch. The key here is that to be a confident batter, a batter must have confidence in his "hand or bat speed". He must know and realize that if he keeps his hands back, he can still catch up with the fastball, but if he "leaks or cheats his hands forward", he will be incapable of hitting the away fastball and the way off speed pitch. He must learn to keep his hands back and allow his eyes to do his thinking. He must see a pitches location before he reacts. Assuming a position that allows you to see, react, and hit all pitch locations is the key to hitting success.
3. The hitter should never guess. Guess hitting makes a hitter an easy target that will fall victim to good pitches. Hitting is a process of see and reacting, not guessing and swinging. The hitter must see the pitch location before he swings, not guess a pitches location before he swings. The difference is that when you guess, you start too early. When you guess, you have a tendency to start the swing prematurely. The guess hitter may be able to get it right sometimes, and crush the fastball with power. But, more times than not, he will lunge, jump or get out to quick and strike out or pop the fly ball into the air.
4. The only thing a hitter should know is that you "never know" what the pitch is going to be. The key is to trust you eyes as your brain to allow you to be a "see" hitter and not a "guess" hitter. I know that count awareness can give you the edge as a hitter in many situations. If you are ahead, you are more than likely going to get a fastball. If the pitcher is ahead, you are more than like going to get his best out pitch, which may be a breaking ball. But, more and more in today's game, we are pitching batters backwards. So, the absolute best way to hit is to make batting a "seeing, identifying and reacting process" that allows the swing to be triggered, controlled and executed by the eyes.
I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. You can find more like it at Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. I thank you for taking the time to read this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. 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
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5076400
================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.
The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
By guest author: Nick Dixon
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.
Teaching young hitters to swing at what they see, not what they think they see or what they think that they are going to see is one of the most important coaching responsibilities as a youth coach. What I mean about this statement is that players have to step into the box realizing that they "never know" what the pitch will be. They should not guess pitches but rather learn to keep the hands back and see what the pitch is and then react.
Several coaching points come to mind when I discuss this process. Many of these are saying that you should teach or convey to your staff and players. Those points are:
1. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball on the outer 3rd of the plate, and adjust to hit the fastball in. Notice, I said "physically" set your stance at the plate. I did not say, "Convince yourself that the next pitch is going to be a "fastball away". The key is getting in a position to hit it and being able to reach. Batters should always be ready to hit the fastball away first and then adjust to the fastball in, curveball away, or pitch on the middle 3rd of the plate. The batter must let his "eyes control his hands". The decision to hit or swing comes from the eyes, not the brain. Therefore, the eyes are the hitter's brain.
2. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball and adjust to hit off speed pitches. The batter must be able to hit the soft stuff on the outer 3rd of the plate at all times. The batter should always be ready to hit the fastball, but should keep the hands back, and adjust to hit the off speed pitch. The key here is that to be a confident batter, a batter must have confidence in his "hand or bat speed". He must know and realize that if he keeps his hands back, he can still catch up with the fastball, but if he "leaks or cheats his hands forward", he will be incapable of hitting the away fastball and the way off speed pitch. He must learn to keep his hands back and allow his eyes to do his thinking. He must see a pitches location before he reacts. Assuming a position that allows you to see, react, and hit all pitch locations is the key to hitting success.
3. The hitter should never guess. Guess hitting makes a hitter an easy target that will fall victim to good pitches. Hitting is a process of see and reacting, not guessing and swinging. The hitter must see the pitch location before he swings, not guess a pitches location before he swings. The difference is that when you guess, you start too early. When you guess, you have a tendency to start the swing prematurely. The guess hitter may be able to get it right sometimes, and crush the fastball with power. But, more times than not, he will lunge, jump or get out to quick and strike out or pop the fly ball into the air.
4. The only thing a hitter should know is that you "never know" what the pitch is going to be. The key is to trust you eyes as your brain to allow you to be a "see" hitter and not a "guess" hitter. I know that count awareness can give you the edge as a hitter in many situations. If you are ahead, you are more than likely going to get a fastball. If the pitcher is ahead, you are more than like going to get his best out pitch, which may be a breaking ball. But, more and more in today's game, we are pitching batters backwards. So, the absolute best way to hit is to make batting a "seeing, identifying and reacting process" that allows the swing to be triggered, controlled and executed by the eyes.
I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. You can find more like it at Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. I thank you for taking the time to read this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. 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
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5076400
================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.
The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Baseball Hitting - Getting the Hands to the Launch Position
Baseball Hitting - Getting the Hands to the Launch Position
"Baseball Hitting - Getting the Hands to the Launch Position"Hitting a baseball is a skill that can be learned and improved with proper coaching and instruction.It may be a difficult task, but with the correct fundamentals and techniques hitting can be one of the most rewarding activities in all of sports. There is nothing that is more satisfing and rewarding than hitting a line-drive in the left-center gap to help your team score the go-ahead run.
Many kids often experience cush a great sense of accomplishment while others suffer the embarrasment, disappointment, and despair of with striking out time after time. They feel that they let their team down and they often feel that they embarrass their coach and parents. The quickest way to achieving hitting success is to identify bad mechanics and correct them as soon as possible.I will now give a brief overview of 3 aspects of a solid batting stance, swing and finish.
1. The GRIP - knocking knuckles, (not fighting knuckles) should be aligned. This positions the bat's handle in the fingers and out of the palm. This allows maximum wrist quickness and hand speed.Coaching Tip: Have kids check their grip by raising and pointing their index fingers. If they point in the same direction, they are aligned, if the point across each other, the grip is incorrect.
2. The BAT ANGLE at the start position. Keep in mind that the hands will move slightly back and away from the pitcher when the batter loads to the launch position. The bat's angle will not change during the loading process. The bat should be at a 45 degree angle over the shoulder. The bat should not be wrapped or tucked behind the head, this slows bat speed. The bat schoul be no more that 2 to 3 inches off the top of the shoulder.
3. The LOADING PROCESS is a simple and slight movement of the hands away from the pitcher. This is a movement that is so slight that many people do not notice it. The hands are the only things that move. If the batter is noticably shifting weight, moving feet, and moving other body parts, too much movement is occurring. Most times this movement is no move than 2 to 4 inches. It may be more for larger players.
LOADING is getting the hands to the launch position from which the forward swing motion starts. Different players use different loading actions. Some batters simply move the hands straight back and batters move the hands back and up at the same time. The loading process adds power, developes important timing and rhythmn, and allows the batter's body to achieve a comfortable ready position from which to launch swing.
COACHING POINT: Make sure that players do not line their knuckles up when you are looking and then move their hands to an "ax grip" when you walk away. One way to teach the benefits of the "finger grip position" is to have the two batters take several swing from shoulder-to-shoulder very quickly using the two grips. Take two batter's of similiar ability levels and with similiar hand speed and do this demonstration. Have one player use the "correct grip" and one use the "ax or incorrect grip".
Have the batters take 10 shoulder-to-shoulder swings. See which batter completes the 10 swings first. This shows the kids how much faster the hands move when the correct grip is used. Note: Make sure to move the batters at a safe distance from each other and from other players when performing this illustration.
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