How to Hit a Baseball Correctly

By Jeffery A Wise

When first learning the proper way to hit in baseball you want to educate yourself the best you can as to how to hit a baseball correctly. My dad played and coached baseball so I was blessed having someone fully knowledgeable to teach me. He taught me the most important hitting fundamentals first. Then, after I learned those, he taught me more.

The first item you need to consider is what type of baseball bat you're going to use when hitting. Don't select one too light or heavy. Select a bat somewhere in the middle. A bat that will let you swing your bat through the strike zone but still make solid contact all at the same time.

Stand shoulder width apart in the batters box with both feet pointed in the direction of home plate and the other side of the batters box. Hold the bat just below your chest, five to eight inches away from your body. If you are left-handed then your right hand should be holding the bat at or just above the knob on the bat handle with your left hand holding the bat just above your right hand. Right-handed hitters should do the opposite.

Once your feet are set, bend forward at the waist and bend your knees so that you are in a slight crouching position. Hold the bat in a vertical position and keep your front shoulder tucked and not open.

Always keep you head towards the pitcher and keep your eyes on the ball from the moment the pitcher releases the baseball to the time you swing and make contact. Your head should be turned and looking at the pitcher but your hips and shoulder should remain closed until it's time to swing.

As the ball is being pitched you should use a trigger to get your swing going. Some people slightly lift their front foot right before swinging and others use their hands. The purpose of a trigger is to start the transfer of your weight to the back leg in order to shift all your weight up front when you swing. This is what generates the power in your swing.

Try to have a consistent and smooth swing at the ball. You don't have to swing as hard as you can. Your whole point is to swing consistently at the ball and get solid contact. As you swing, your head should tilt down so you'll see the ball hit the bat. Don't jerk your head around. Your eyes see the ball and since you're already looking towards the pitcher you don't need to move your head anywhere else.

Those are some things for you to practice as you learn how to hit a baseball correctly. Practice swinging alone in the backyard, practice hitting off of a tee and have your father or coach pitch you some batting practice. You should come to feel comfortable in the batter's box as you practice as much as you can.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn more on how to hit a baseball correctly. Start learning today at http://www.baseballhittingtipsonline.com by reading our information and downloading our free report.

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Hitting Did You Knows

Hitting Did You Knows

By Todd Thomas

Did you know...

...a baseball and/or softball bat is one of the few retail products of significant value that comes with no directions on how to use it?

...hitting is at the very least 50% from the neck up and very few hitters are taught the mental side of the hitting equation?

...most hitters and coaches will say on average that a player's mental game of confidence, focus, and composure make up 80% of how they perform in game situations over and above their mechanics. Yet, those same people will readily admit that they spend 2% or less of their time practicing their mental game while practicing 98% on the other 20% of the game. Hmmm???

...there are only TWO hitting techniques? A hitter either comes forward or stays back. If he weight-shifts forward (continuously moves his vertical plane forward out over the top of the front foot)as he swings, the hitter is linear. Rotational hitters also weight-shift, but once they reach the balance point in their stride, they rotate around a stationary axis as they swing. Simply put, hitters that "stay back" are rotational. A hitter CANNOT stay back and be considered linear.

...good hitting mechanics incorporate BOTH linear and rotational movements? A "hybrid" swing is nothing new. Good swings have always been "hybrid".

...that despite all the talk of what "linear" hitting is and what linear hitting isn't, it barely resembles what it was 25 years ago?

...there is no such thing as the one "perfect swing?" The perfect swing is the adjustments a hitter makes to the pitch each different pitch they see. As a result, the "perfect swing" constantly changes!

...that parents and too often even coaches are confusing young hitters by telling them when they are in the batter's box to get their elbow up or down? Having the elbow "up" or "down" is a "style" issue--NOT a mechanics issue?

...the major league average bat speed is 78 mph?

...that bat "speed" and bat "quickness are two distinctly different things?" Bat speed measures bat velocity or the actual speed of the bat; bat quickness measures the time lapse from launch-to-contact. If a hitter has good bat quickness (major league average is .16 seconds), they will have high bat velocity. However, a hitter can have high bat velocity and NOT have good bat quickness. Good bat quickness is a product of good torque in the swing.

...to get the "same" performance/production from a wood bat that hitters get from aluminum, the wood bat should be two inches longer and two ounces heavier?

...there is no "proper" batting stance? It's different for each hitter and is a product of the hitter's "style"--not his technique.

..."no stride" hitting can make it easier for a hitter to focus on the pitch better because of less body/head movement?

...that Rogers Hornsby when asked what he did during the winter when there wasn't baseball said..."I stare out the window and wait for spring." Don't we all!

Now you know...if you didn't already.

Todd Thomas is a Baseball Coach and Professional Hitting Instructor for Mike Epstein Hitting. Coach Todd's personal hitting website is http://www.HitItHere.net . Coach Todd also enthusiastically endorses http://PlayMyBestBaseball.com as a place where baseball and softball hitters can master the Confidence, Composure, Focus and Consistency of their game so they can reach their full potential.

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

The 4 Things That Make a Great Hitter

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The 4 Things That Make a Great Hitter
By Todd Thomas

There are 4 things that make a can make a GREAT baseball or softball hitter. FOUR CRITICAL THINGS. Leave just one thing out and you can forget about greatness. Be absent of two or three or all four and your going from Good, to Average, to Poor, to finding another easier athletic endeavor.

These 4 things are...Potential, Technique, Work Ethic, and Mental Approach. Let's discuss each and their importance in being a great hitter.

1. Potential: This one a coach has no real control over. If a hitter does not have the potential to hit like Alex Rodriguez, then I dont' care who their instructor is they cannot make him/her hit like Alex no matter what they are taught nor no matter how bad they or their parents want that. No more than Hank Haney (Tiger Woods swing coach) can teach any given golfer the same stuff he teaches Tiger and turn that golfer into Tiger Woods. It can't be done. The only real control an Instructor has is to help a hitter to hit to their own potential whatever that is. It may be an outstanding Rec player. Maybe that's your potential. OR Maybe a really good select player or a top high school player, a top College prospect, or maybe a pro prospect. Potential does come in varying degrees that is for sure. Some may even seem to have the ability to stretch their potential, but I would submit to you that the potential they reach was always within their own God given potential. Part of a player's natural ability to fulfill their own potential shows in their ability or lack thereof to "take it between the lines". Some players are great batting practice hitters but when they step into the batters box, they just can't seem to hit(consistently or at all) like they do in the cage or at practice. It's a frustrating and perplexing phenomenon, but it's real. The bottom line fact, and it's hard for most if not all players and their parents to accept this, is that some players just don't have it "built in" to their natural ablility/potential to perform between the lines to a high level or to the level they expect they should. Some players have the desire to be great and I'll talk more about desire later in this article. However, if the potential is not there then I'm sorry neither will be greatness.

2. Technique: When good technique is put together with good potential, good things definitely will happen for a hitter. Some players with tremendous potential and natural ability can have horrible technique and still do very well. However, in my opinion, even though they may be good they are NOT reaching their true potential without good technique. Players with average to below average potential with bad technique certainly shouldn't expect much. Conversely, players with average to below average potential can expect to be much better and have the ability to make great strides toward their own personal potential with good technique. So what technique can help hitters reach their personal potential? It is the technique used by the best Major League and Collegiate hitters. What technique is that? That depends of what you call it. Mike Epstein calls it Rotational Hitting. Some people have a problem with that term for whatever reason. Mostly because they haven't a clue of what it really means or what we specifically teach from the beginning of the swing to the end. But they "assume" and are wrong. Okay, so call the technique what you want if it makes you or someone else feel better. Call it The Big League Swing. Call it a Hybrid Swing. Call it whatever you want, but it simply is the technique of the best Big Leaguers and Collegiate players. It should be noted that some current and former players from these categories have no clue what their true technique is/was and have no clue how to actually teach it either. For you or any hitter to reach their potential, a hitter must have good technique/mechanics.

3. Work Ethic: Along side work ethic is something I mentioned earlier and that is desire. Without desire, there is no sustainable work ethic within a player. A hitter MUST have the desire to be great and because of that they MUST work hard at reaching their potential. I have seen many players with loads of potential. They have learned the best technique and yet they don't work at it. They wonder what's wrong with them, or the technique, or maybe even with their teacher. I say this to every hitter... There is no SHORTCUT to being good(and certainly not great). It takes work and it takes it for an extended period of time. In fact, it takes work until the day they stop playing the game. The best hitters in the world are Major League ball players and the top college softball players. My question to you is... How often do they take batting practice? If you answered "Every Day", you are pretty much right on. Is there a day off here and there? Sure. But for all intents and purposes, they take BP EVERY DAY! Why do they do this? They are already great. What do they need to work on it for? I'll tell you. Because hitting is a lifelong pursuit. One never has "it" figured out permanently. If the best players practice every day, then why do some hitters want to take a "lesson" and then just show up for games and expect to be good?!? It's inexplicable. Yet I see it all the time. I believe that the One Who Works The Hardest, HITS The Hardest! Work, work, work. Take a break and then work some more. Only then should a hitter expect to be their best.

4. Mental Approach: Without a solid mental approach going to and at the plate, a player can only ever expect to be good, but not great. How a player thinks in the batter's box and prior to getting there is what can make a good hitter a great hitter. There are several schools of thought on this. I say subscribe to one and APPLY IT! One side of the mental game is confidence and focus. The other side of the mental game is being prepared and thinking along with the pitcher. Mike Epstein believes the best mental approach lies in anticipating pitches. Having a plan, using acquired information (either from observation or from teammates), and anticipating pitches. Now I am not going to get into the specifics here on this. There is much more to it and to cover than I want to go into here. Mike Epstein's book "The Mental Side Of Hitting" is a good resource. I know one young hitter who has read this book SIX times and guess what, IT SHOWS! There are others resources out there on having a quality at-bat or being a thinking hitter. There really is some good information on this and those hitters that want to reach their potential are the ones who will seek it out, dive into it, and apply it. Many hitters short change themselves by selling short how important it is to have a solid mental approach at the plate. They hear it and it goes in one ear and out the other. Meanwhile, they want their instructor to just help them to perfect their technique to make them better and to reach their potential. They won't and their coach can't if their technique is already solid. Get into the mental side of hitting if you DESIRE to be GREAT.

In closing... As the title to this article would indicate, in order to be a great hitter and/or to reach YOUR maximum potential, you must have all 4 of these things. Think about it. What good is any one of these things without AT LEAST one other element? Without one, you can only expect to be good. Absent of two, a hitter will be average AT BEST. With only one element, it's all but hopeless. Do we even need to consider none? Not really. The good news is that 3 of the 4 are simply a decision. All any player has to do is to decide to have good technique, a good work ethic, and a good mental approach. Only potential/natural ability is out of your control. If God has blessed you with natural ability, then fulfill you're potential by deciding to apply yourself in the other areas. Finally... if you DECIDE to leave out one of the 3 areas that are under your control, now you'll understand the results you'll get.

Todd Thomas is a Baseball Coach and Professional Hitting Instructor for Mike Epstein Hitting. Coach Todd's personal hitting website is http://www.HitItHere.net. Coach Todd also enthusiastically endorses http://PlayMyBestBaseball.com as a place where baseball and softball hitters can master the Confidence, Composure, Focus and Consistency of their game so they can reach their full potential.

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

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Baseball Coaching Drills - Overcoming a Fear of the Baseball

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By Larry Cicchiello

First of all, please realize that if you have a fear of the baseball, you are not alone. Just the opposite is true. In fact, almost all baseball hitters at every level have a fear of the baseball to one extent or the other. True, the amount of fear does vary significantly.

You may have possibly gotten hit by a pitch and it may have been very painful experience and given you a very unpleasant lasting memory. Getting hit by a pitched ball can be outright disheartening and scary and you have every right in the world to be fearful.

If this is the case, it will take some time for you to have most of that fear fade away. The best cure in the world is many, many at bats. The more at bats you have without going through this painful experience again is the best cure and you should be able to get your fear under much better control.

Don't ever be embarrassed about having a fear of the baseball. Many hitters have a fear of the baseball and the amount of fear they have will vary. Many will not admit they have a fear. So if you have a fear of the ball, trust me, you are not alone by any means.

Baseball Coaching Tips That Should Help:


Open up your stance and turn your head more toward the pitcher. It seems a little ironic to recommend turning more toward the pitcher if you already have a fear of the ball. But what happens is that you will see the ball much better. And just seeing the ball better will give you much more confidence that you can get out of the way of the pitch if you have to.
Make sure that your front shoulder is not too high. Make sure it is low enough so it is not even coming close to obstructing any of your view of the ball.
With younger players especially, pitch to them with a tennis or plastic ball and occasionally throw the ball right at them. Watch and enjoy as their confidence grows when they come to realize they CAN safely get out of the way of the ball. This is one of the best baseball coaching drills that can be used to help a player, especially a younger one.
And remember the safest way to get out of the way from an inside pitch. Tuck your chin in against your chest, bend at the waist and make a quarter turn toward the catcher. Think of it as if you are going to have a nose to nose argument with the catcher. This will protect your head and face, chest, stomach and groin area. You are much better off getting hit in the upper, middle or lower part of the back or the rear end than getting hit in the front of your body.

Larry Cicchiello is the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." His very user friendly eBooks cover 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY players, coaches or parents who want to help their child improve will be fully equipped! Some FREE tips are available at http://www.LarryBaseball.com/product/all

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Baseball Youth Digest - Bunting Made Simple - Teaching Bunting Skills to Beginners

By Nick Dixon


Bunting is a skill that must be taught and practiced just like throwing, hitting, and fielding. It is wise for t-ball or Little League coaches of coach pitch teams to introduce every young player to the basics of bunting. This article outlines 10 recommended coaching points for teaching and introducing bunting to beginners.

Here are 10 recommended coaching points for teaching bunting to t ball players and baseball beginners.

1. The bunter must move into the front of the batter's box. Moving to the front of the batter's box gives the batter more fair territory into which to bunt the baseball.
2. The bunter will square the feet around to get into the proper body position for bunting the baseball. The foot work should be a step and a step. The batter should not jump or hop into the bunting position. There are other techniques used to bunt should as the pivot or drag bunt. Those techniques are more advanced and complicated to teach. They should be introduced after the batter has mastered the square-around bunt.
3. The bat should be gripped with the top hand pinching the barrel. The fingers should not wrap around the barrel. Exposing the fingers to ball contact can cause injury to the fingers or hand.
4. The bat barrel should be kept level or at a position with the barrel slightly higher that the grip. The baseball will be contacted with the bottom of the barrel. Bunting the ball with the top of the barrel will pop the ball into the air, the worst thing that can happen in a bunting situation.
5. Bunting is not swinging or hitting the baseball. When hitting, a batter takes the bat barrel to the ball. In bunting the bunter places the bat into the path of the approaching ball and allows the ball to hit the bat.
6. The batter should set up close enough to the plate, that the bat covers the entire plate when extended.
7. The arms should be slightly bent. The bat is allowed to give a little when the ball contacts the barrel.
8. The bunter should bunt a strike only in a sacrifice bunting situation. The bat is extended in anticipation of a strike. However, if the baseball is not a strike, the batter will pull the bat back and take the pitch.
9. The baseball should be bunting in as safe zone toward first base or third base. An effort should be made to keep the ball in fair territory. But, the baseball should never be bunted directly to the pitcher in a sacrifice bunting situation.
10. The batter should not exit the batter's box or begin running to first base until the ball is down and on the ground.

I know these points are extremely simple and elementary. But, keeping the concepts simple and the instruction easy to understand makes it easy for beginners to learn. The use of bunting games and competitions is a good way to generate an interest in bunting and to have kids practice in a fun atmosphere. Bunting practice can be boring if the drills are not made competitive or fun.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and useful. I would like to personally thank you for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck in the coming season. 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. 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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3 Things Every Tee Ball Baseball Batter Must Be Taught When First Learning to Hit

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By Nick Dixon

It is important that very young baseball players receive proper instruction in baseball hitting mechanics. Young baseball players benefit greatly from top quality instruction and teaching that is easy to understand, simple to execute, and consistent from one lesson to another. Young baseball players experience a higher level of success, satisfaction, and enjoyment when they are taught to "do things right".

Here are 3 things that every Tee Ball player must be taught when first learning to hit.

1. Keep your eyes on the ball. The batter must learn to keep their eyes on the ball from the time the ball leaves the pitchers hand until the ball leaves the bat after contact. If the batter keeps the eyes on the ball, the possibility of the batter having one common flaw, the "pulling of the head", will be eliminated.
2. Have a proper grip. The proper grip is a grip with the "knocking knuckles" on both hands aligned with each other. This puts the grip of the bat in the fingers and out of the palm. This grip allows for smoothly and quicker hand which will improve bat speed.
3. Take a short step toward the ball. When kids are very young they need to learn to shift their weight. They are need to learn to take a shirt stride. Having them take a short step toward the pitch or pitcher is the best way to teach this early.
4. Hit the ball hard. Young batters should learn to swing level and "kill the ball". The harder you hit the ball, the more successful a batter will be. "Soft" contact leads to outs. The emphasis should be for the batter to make good solid contact by driving the bat barrel through the baseball.
5. Keep the head still during the swing. The lower body strides. The upper body will rotate. But the head should remain still, chin down, and with the eyes on the ball as mentioned in #1. The batter begins with his chin on his front shoulder and ends the swing with his chin on his back shoulder. Is you hear someone say go "Ike to Mike", that is what many coaches use to describe this movement of the shoulders.

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Batting Flaw - Young Batter Has Started Popping Up Every Time He Bats

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By Nick Dixon

It can be very frustrating to have a talented young batter go into a mid season slump. This is going to happen to at least one or two players on every youth baseball team in America this summer. The players had been ripping the cover off the ball, and all of a sudden, he goes into a drastic slump. The batter is popping up every time he makes contact with the ball.

The other times he swings the bat, he completely misses the baseball.
How do you handle this situation? What are the first things that a coach should check? What are the most common causes of this "sudden slump"? I am going to explain to you what I would do. I am going to outline the main three flaws that I look for to detect which is causing the problem.

The three flaws I would check for first are:

1. Drastic dropping of the hands. The must keep his hands above the ball. If he is dropping the hands, he is dropping the bat. Often times this may cause an upper cut swing. Caution the batter to make sure that he keeps the hands high and above the ball.

2. Backside or back leg collapse - This is caused by the batter bending the knee thus collapsing the back side. The batter should be cautioned to stay tall on the back side. There should never be a drastic elevation change from the start of the swing to the finish. Back leg bend or collapse caused the back shoulder to drop, thus causing an unacceptable upper-cut swing.

3. Batter is striding to long - A long stride is a recipe for all kinds of problems. The farther the front foot strides out toward the pitcher, the more there will be an elevation drop of the head, eyes, shoulders, hands, and bat. The drop in head elevation could be as much as several inches if the stride to long. This drop of several inches takes the batter from the top of the batter that he thought he was hitting to the very bottom edge of the ball. Hitting the very bottom edge of the ball most often result in the hitting of a pop up. It is recommended that batters set their feet shoulder width apart and simply shift the weight or slightly pick the foot up and place it back down where it was. This prevents the dropping action from happening. If the batter must stride, the stride should be restricted to no more than two to three inches.

Coaching Point: It is recommended that coaches constantly tell young hitters to see and hit the top half of the baseball. If they visually concentrate on the top third of the ball, and they were to drop slightly in the stride, then their swing should put them in the middle of the baseball. Concentrating on the top half allows them to hit more line drives and ground balls. You want your hitters to develop the line drive swing and a line drive mentality. After all, we all know that line drives make the world go round.

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

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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How to Hit a Baseball

By Chris Moheno

There is a science to the sport of baseball, especially in the batters box. It really is more than just standing up there and hoping to hit the ball. A player can either research baseball hitting information on their own or seek out professional baseball training. Either way, learning is the companion of success.

There are several principles involved with hitting a baseball successfully and consistently. Once these principles are learned and memorized, practice is the key. Ever wonder how the MLB players hit a 98 mph fastball? Lots and lots of baseball batting training.

So take these basics and practice them until they become second nature. Everything should feel natural and comfortable. Now let's take a look at the elements of baseball hitting.

1. Select the proper bat. Bats come in different lengths and weights. Then there is what is called "bat drop". This is the difference between the length and the weight. For instance, a bat that is 29" long and weighs 18 ounces has a drop of -11. This means that it feels lighter and is easier to swing. The higher the drop number, the better (and more expensive) the bat. Selection is made based on the batters height and weight.

2. Develop a hitting approach. This is also known as plate discipline and is extremely important as the player gets older. The batter needs to be able to distinguish what is a "hittable" pitch and what is not. Simply going to the plate and swinging away works for very young players as it helps allay the fear of being hit, but older players need discipline. A good start is to watch the ball from the pitcher's hand all the way to the plate, or preferably, to your bat. Adjust your strike zone as the strike count develops. A smaller zone for 0 strikes, a bit larger for 1 strike and larger still for 2 strikes.

3. Develop a good bat grip. Not tense yet firm. Not loose yet relaxed. When you grab the bat, it is important to stay relaxed in your whole body, starting with the hands on the bat. The hands should be positioned so that the top knuckles of the lower hand line up somewhere between the middle and top knuckles of the upper hand. Anywhere in that area that is comfortable is workable. The idea is to keep the bat out of the palm and closer to the fingers for more control. This also helps keep the grip relaxed, helps avoid "bat drag" resulting from tension and increases bat speed/reaction time.

4. Take note of how you stand in the batters box. Always remember the three B's: Be comfortable, be confident and be balanced. All three are necessary for hitting success. Make sure you can cover the plate and your strike zone(s) completely. Find the right depth in the box, too. You will want to be able to get on top of a fastball as well as time the breaking pitches. Most important of all is to be perfectly balanced with the hands at the top of the strike zone.

5. Learn to "pick up the ball" as it is released by the pitcher. Watch his arm until the ball is released, then pick up the ball as it travels towards you. After a little practice, you will learn to distinguish the type of pitch that is coming and that goes a long way towards hitting the baseball. Baseball training focuses on this aspect of hitting mechanics.

6. Take your stride before you swing the bat. As the ball travels towards you, take your step (stride) and keep the weight on the back leg. As you begin to take the swing, bring the weight forward and use the momentum for power.

7. As the swing starts and your weight comes forward, pivot the back foot and keep the front as planted as you can. The hips will begin to open up and work with the legs to add the power to the swing. Arms and hands should be brought through close to the body. This helps with bat speed and accuracy. The head should be picking up the ball the entire time it is in flight.

If you practice these basics of baseball hitting, you will see a difference at the cages as well as on the field. Your batting average will soar and you will hit the ball consistently. Baseball training is the way to go for baseball hitting success!

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically. His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game. Discover more about baseball training on baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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