PRESSURE OR OPPORTUNITY?
How many of you have been in a position to win the game in your final at- bat? You know, 2 outs… bases loaded… your team losing by one run in the last inning. The other team changes pitchers as you step up to the plate. The “Big Kid” moves from first base, saunters up to the pitcher’s mound and starts throwing fastballs that look like BB’s streaking to the plate. How would you handle this situation?
Most kids will look at this situation with “Fear”: Fear of failure, fear of striking out, fear of being hit by the pitch, fear of letting his teammates, coach and parents down. There is nothing to fear. The game has not changed, it is still “see the ball, hit the ball”. The fear is created in the mind, it is a choice the player makes. He can choose to fear the situation or relish in the opportunity to win the game for his team. A conscious choice is made based on what he perceives the situation to be.
The poor player will look at this situation as a “no win” position; “That pitcher is a horse, look how fast he is throwing that ball. There is no way I can hit that. Man, this stinks… why did they have to put him in when I was coming up to bat?” All of that negative self talk does nothing more than perpetuate the likeliness of failure for the player. He is preparing himself to fail and justifying that failure in his mind. This is the wrong mental approach to hitting in any situation, let alone one like this.
So, what is the right mental approach? Positive self-talk is one of the most important ingredients to success in any sport, or life itself for that matter. If you believe… you can achieve! Don’t just say; “I can do this.” Believe you can! Take a moment to stand in the on-deck circle and study the pitcher, visualize hitting sharp line drives to the outfield every time he throws a warm-up pitch. Say things like: “Cool, I’m going to win this game!” See your teammates jumping up and down with joy. Joyful anticipation is the proper mental approach in these situations. You “get” to go up to bat and win the game. That is cool. Winners want to be in this position. Winners don’t fear failure… they anticipate success!
Armed with the proper mental approach, what about physical symptoms that can impair your performance? In the above situation the poor player with the improper mental approach actually initiates physical responses in his body that virtually put him against greater odds to succeed. His fearful and negative thoughts can create slower reaction of his muscles. He has created a tension level so high that his movements and reactions are stiff. This is the “choking” referred to by sports announcers on many occasions. The pressure felt by the poor player results in indecisiveness, impaired eyesight, jumbled thoughts (mostly negative), hyper breathing. None of these symptoms is helpful to the player.
By contrast, the good player looks at this situation in a totally different light. He is excited about the challenge to win the game. He anticipates success and practices the proper thought process to guarantee him the best opportunity to succeed. He creates an inner environment that puts him at ease. Everyone has the choice to do the same, they can choose to fear the situation or accept it as a challenge. The winning player has that inner control of his thoughts and emotions.
The winning player may step up to the plate in the above situation and immediately fall behind in the count, 0-2. By stepping out of the box and gathering himself mentally, he still believes he can succeed. A deep breath, positive thought and self statement; “focus on the ball, hit it hard somewhere”, can go a long way toward success.
A good practice to get into for a hitter is to find a “safe zone” to focus on, when the challenge gets greater. This “safe zone” should be something that will always be there, your bat for instance. Nomar Garciaparra uses his batting gloves. He loosens and tightens them repeatedly as he gathers himself mentally. Most hitters step out of the box, take a deep breath and focus on the barrel of the bat as they regroup their positive thoughts. Whatever the action, the purpose is the same; to reinforce the belief that they will be successful.
In conclusion, remember that you create your own tension by choosing to place pressure on yourself. Fear of failure is the number one reason for this pressure. You make the choice to “fear”. You can just as easily choose to enjoy the challenge of the same situation. Practice the proper breathing and positive self-talk, develop a “safe zone” to focus on and you will be well on your way to the winning player that wins the game more often than not.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Friday, September 09, 2005
Baseball Strength Training
Baseball Strength Training
By Tony Burtt of Cutting Edge Training for Athletes
A baseball training program should incorporate a strength training component. Strength is crucial for baseball success. The two primary reasons for this are to develop explosive power and to protect against injury (especially arm injuries).
Many players neglect to develop explosive power. The reasons for this are varied. Some don't know how. Some have tried lifting weights, and become injured (doing the wrong kind of baseball weight training). Some don't think it's important (guess again!).
In baseball training, little things add up to make a huge difference. If you add even a small increase in your power, your game will improve in all areas.
Here are some general guidelines for baseball training: 1. Use a variety of weight training methods such as free weights, body weight, medicine ball, kettlebells and surgical tubing exercises.2. Avoid pressing movements with heavy weights (risky for the shoulder).3. Train your lower body with heavier weights.4. Train your upper body with lighter weights.5. Never forget to train the core of the body (hips, buttocks, lower back).6. You must take special care to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles using light (3-5 lb) weights.Your aim with baseball training is to build functional strength. Baseball is a sport that requires you to stop, start, and explode. It's a sport dependent on explosive bursts of power, and reactions. You must train your body to be strong at a variety of angles and planes. Every player bends, twists, and throws.
Medicine balls are an excellent baseball training tool. A solid medicine ball routine builds explosive power, and teaches your muscles to work together as one tightly knit unit. I'd start with an 8 or 9 pounder. Here are a couple of suggestions: 1. Find a place where you have a solid wall and about 10 feet of ceiling height. Hold the medicine ball in both hands at chest height like a basketball player about to make a chest pass. At the same time, squat down and leap off the ground. Jump up in the air and push the ball up as high as you can against the wall. Quickly retrieve the ball and continue the drill for 30 seconds. See how many you can complete. 2. Grab the medicine ball with your hands underneath. Squat down so that your thighs come parallel with the ground (the ball is held with your arms dangling in front of your body. When you squat down, they almost touch the ground). Leap up off the ground, and at the same time, thrust the ball up in the air (watch that you don't get hit by the ball as it comes down!). Do as many as you can in 30 seconds. Both of these above drills will build incredible strength and power. They are excellent for baseball training. Find out more about medicine balls and routines at: Medicine Balls for Baseball Training
Weight lifting routines for baseball can be tricky. Many baseball players make the mistake of trying to lift too much weight with various overhead lifts. This can lead to a potential injury to the rotator cuff (the muscles in the shoulder that basically keep your arm in the shoulder socket - pretty darn important for a baseball player). Let's get something really clear right now. If you can't throw a baseball (or you can't throw it very well), then you're not much use to your team. I don't know of many designated hitters being recruited by colleges or signed to Major League contracts. So, baseball weight training should avoid any overhead lifts with heavy weights. What do I recommend for baseball training? Let's start with lower body. Exercises such as the squat, deadlift, and leg press for lower body. Heavier weights are okay here, but get a spotter! Learn to do the lifts correctly! And, there are some other exercises you can do that will really make a difference… …try doing body weight lunges (at different angles), and single leg squats (these are very difficult). These two lower body exercises build excellent strength and flexibility in the core area. And, that's crucial for baseball training. There's an excellent baseball training web site that provides detailed training programs for baseball players (and other athletes). You owe it to yourself to take a look at this. There's no doubt you'll find information that will take your game to a much higher level. It's the best info out there: Baseball Training Programs
Take care of your arm! Your baseball career depends on your arm. Don't neglect your rotator cuff exercises. The rotator cuff is made up of four small muscles. They respond very well to very light weights (3-5 lbs), and higher reps, say 15-20. Surgical tubing is one of the best ways to build up your rotator cuff. You should do exercises several times a week. There are dozens of good rotator exercises. Check your favorite search engine for "rotator cuff exercises" and you'll find one you'll like. Your baseball training *must* include the rotator cuff. Oh, one more thing. Always stretch out your arm (rotators) before you start throwing (and afterwards). And, if you're a pitcher, I recommend you get out the surgical tubing and get a little work in with it too before you throw. Give yourself every edge and advantage with your baseball training. Okay. How about your upper body? No baseball conditioning program would be complete without good old-fashioned push-ups. Hey, I know they're not high-tech, but they are excellent for baseball. Why you ask…? …because they strengthen the rotator cuff, and the rest of your shoulder (arm strength), as well as your chest, and arm muscles. They give you an awesome return on your "sweat equity." Try a wide variety…and see if you can work up to a one-armed pushup. When you can crank off 10 or so one-armed push-ups, then you're getting pretty strong. Push-ups are better than bench presses. But if you must bench press, only use dumbbells. And, avoid heavy weights. Again, the risk of injury to the shoulder is ever-present, especially with a barbell. So, if you're going to bench press, use dumbbells with a spotter. Next, you need to do some chin-ups. Do them both with palms facing forward and towards you. These are difficult (most people can only do 3 or 4), but again, you get a lot of bang for the buck with this body weight exercise.
Don't underestimate the value of body weight exercises like lunges, push-ups and chin-ups. Try them. You'll be amazed at what a regular, simple routine can do for you. And, the risk of injury is minimal. An alternative to chin-ups are rows. I'd look for a machine that allows you to do them sitting down. Don't do lat pull-downs in front of your head (again, to avoid injury to your shoulders). Kettlebells can be an excellent baseball training device. In particular, for the lower body. Kettlebell swings build explosive power in the hips, buttocks, and legs (not to mention stamina). Those muscles generate the explosive power and speed you're after. I'd avoid the overhead snatches, and clean and jerks, but the lower body lifts and other core area exercises would be fantastic. Kettlebells are small and portable. You can take them anywhere. You can get a fantastic workout in just 10 minutes.What's that? You've never heard of kettlebells? No problem! Elite combat troops have known about them for a while…and many athletes are using them to gain an edge on the competition. Here's an excellent resource to learn more: Kettlebells for Baseball Speed and Power!
By Tony Burtt of Cutting Edge Training for Athletes
A baseball training program should incorporate a strength training component. Strength is crucial for baseball success. The two primary reasons for this are to develop explosive power and to protect against injury (especially arm injuries).
Many players neglect to develop explosive power. The reasons for this are varied. Some don't know how. Some have tried lifting weights, and become injured (doing the wrong kind of baseball weight training). Some don't think it's important (guess again!).
In baseball training, little things add up to make a huge difference. If you add even a small increase in your power, your game will improve in all areas.
Here are some general guidelines for baseball training: 1. Use a variety of weight training methods such as free weights, body weight, medicine ball, kettlebells and surgical tubing exercises.2. Avoid pressing movements with heavy weights (risky for the shoulder).3. Train your lower body with heavier weights.4. Train your upper body with lighter weights.5. Never forget to train the core of the body (hips, buttocks, lower back).6. You must take special care to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles using light (3-5 lb) weights.Your aim with baseball training is to build functional strength. Baseball is a sport that requires you to stop, start, and explode. It's a sport dependent on explosive bursts of power, and reactions. You must train your body to be strong at a variety of angles and planes. Every player bends, twists, and throws.
Medicine balls are an excellent baseball training tool. A solid medicine ball routine builds explosive power, and teaches your muscles to work together as one tightly knit unit. I'd start with an 8 or 9 pounder. Here are a couple of suggestions: 1. Find a place where you have a solid wall and about 10 feet of ceiling height. Hold the medicine ball in both hands at chest height like a basketball player about to make a chest pass. At the same time, squat down and leap off the ground. Jump up in the air and push the ball up as high as you can against the wall. Quickly retrieve the ball and continue the drill for 30 seconds. See how many you can complete. 2. Grab the medicine ball with your hands underneath. Squat down so that your thighs come parallel with the ground (the ball is held with your arms dangling in front of your body. When you squat down, they almost touch the ground). Leap up off the ground, and at the same time, thrust the ball up in the air (watch that you don't get hit by the ball as it comes down!). Do as many as you can in 30 seconds. Both of these above drills will build incredible strength and power. They are excellent for baseball training. Find out more about medicine balls and routines at: Medicine Balls for Baseball Training
Weight lifting routines for baseball can be tricky. Many baseball players make the mistake of trying to lift too much weight with various overhead lifts. This can lead to a potential injury to the rotator cuff (the muscles in the shoulder that basically keep your arm in the shoulder socket - pretty darn important for a baseball player). Let's get something really clear right now. If you can't throw a baseball (or you can't throw it very well), then you're not much use to your team. I don't know of many designated hitters being recruited by colleges or signed to Major League contracts. So, baseball weight training should avoid any overhead lifts with heavy weights. What do I recommend for baseball training? Let's start with lower body. Exercises such as the squat, deadlift, and leg press for lower body. Heavier weights are okay here, but get a spotter! Learn to do the lifts correctly! And, there are some other exercises you can do that will really make a difference… …try doing body weight lunges (at different angles), and single leg squats (these are very difficult). These two lower body exercises build excellent strength and flexibility in the core area. And, that's crucial for baseball training. There's an excellent baseball training web site that provides detailed training programs for baseball players (and other athletes). You owe it to yourself to take a look at this. There's no doubt you'll find information that will take your game to a much higher level. It's the best info out there: Baseball Training Programs
Take care of your arm! Your baseball career depends on your arm. Don't neglect your rotator cuff exercises. The rotator cuff is made up of four small muscles. They respond very well to very light weights (3-5 lbs), and higher reps, say 15-20. Surgical tubing is one of the best ways to build up your rotator cuff. You should do exercises several times a week. There are dozens of good rotator exercises. Check your favorite search engine for "rotator cuff exercises" and you'll find one you'll like. Your baseball training *must* include the rotator cuff. Oh, one more thing. Always stretch out your arm (rotators) before you start throwing (and afterwards). And, if you're a pitcher, I recommend you get out the surgical tubing and get a little work in with it too before you throw. Give yourself every edge and advantage with your baseball training. Okay. How about your upper body? No baseball conditioning program would be complete without good old-fashioned push-ups. Hey, I know they're not high-tech, but they are excellent for baseball. Why you ask…? …because they strengthen the rotator cuff, and the rest of your shoulder (arm strength), as well as your chest, and arm muscles. They give you an awesome return on your "sweat equity." Try a wide variety…and see if you can work up to a one-armed pushup. When you can crank off 10 or so one-armed push-ups, then you're getting pretty strong. Push-ups are better than bench presses. But if you must bench press, only use dumbbells. And, avoid heavy weights. Again, the risk of injury to the shoulder is ever-present, especially with a barbell. So, if you're going to bench press, use dumbbells with a spotter. Next, you need to do some chin-ups. Do them both with palms facing forward and towards you. These are difficult (most people can only do 3 or 4), but again, you get a lot of bang for the buck with this body weight exercise.
Don't underestimate the value of body weight exercises like lunges, push-ups and chin-ups. Try them. You'll be amazed at what a regular, simple routine can do for you. And, the risk of injury is minimal. An alternative to chin-ups are rows. I'd look for a machine that allows you to do them sitting down. Don't do lat pull-downs in front of your head (again, to avoid injury to your shoulders). Kettlebells can be an excellent baseball training device. In particular, for the lower body. Kettlebell swings build explosive power in the hips, buttocks, and legs (not to mention stamina). Those muscles generate the explosive power and speed you're after. I'd avoid the overhead snatches, and clean and jerks, but the lower body lifts and other core area exercises would be fantastic. Kettlebells are small and portable. You can take them anywhere. You can get a fantastic workout in just 10 minutes.What's that? You've never heard of kettlebells? No problem! Elite combat troops have known about them for a while…and many athletes are using them to gain an edge on the competition. Here's an excellent resource to learn more: Kettlebells for Baseball Speed and Power!
The Process of Hitting
The Process of Hitting
Hitting, without a doubt, is the most difficult baseball skill to learn. It has even been stated that hitting a baseball is the most difficult skill to master in all of sports. The combination of trying to hit a round ball with a round bat, squarely, is a very difficult task. Add two competing human beings into the equation, the hitter and pitcher, and the problem intensifies. The pitcher trying to disrupt the timing of the hitter, and the hitter trying to find his timing and rhythm. This makes hitting a baseball a skill that demands exceptional abilities and tremendous desire. So what should the primary goal of all good hitters be? To make solid contact with the ball? Not really. Sure, we would all like to hit the ball hard every time we go to the plate, but that is only the end result. We must do two other things before we can make consistent contact. First, we must have the same approach and swing every time, all the time. Second, we must be ready to swing at our pitch every time, all the time.
Effective pitchers constantly try to change the speed and location of each pitch with movement and different release points. The hitter faces a constant challenge to make contact on the "sweet spot," trying to generate maximum bat speed. Sound impossible? Yes, if the only thing that matters is base hits or even less, just solid contact. Before we can do any of the above, the primary goal of every hitter should be to get his pitch every at bat and take his swing every at bat. Every time, all the time. Do you see a pattern here? Every time, all the time! Take care of the process of hitting, don't be overly concerned about the end result or outcome.
There is no shortcut or easy secret to success in baseball, in particular hitting. Success comes from long hours of meaningful work; soft toss, drills and batting practice. A player also needs to be in control of his thoughts in order to be in control of his performance. Failure can bring about discouragement, disappointment, and even cause a player to quit completely. So how do coaches help players understand that 70% failure is all a part of the learning process? How can we help them to believe that they can succeed and have fun playing and hitting a baseball?By emphasizing the process of hitting! The one thing that you have 100% control of is the pitches you swing at! If the primary goals of a hitter are not solid contact, or getting base hits, but seeing your pitch every time, all the time, you can be successful 100% of the time and have fun doing it. That said, how do you maximize your chances of getting your pitch to hit in order to make solid contact? Through correct mechanics. Correct mechanics allow a hitter to do four things:
1.) Help you to see the ball better. 2.) Give you a shorter swing, allowing you more time to see the ball to make better decisions.3.) Generate maximum bat speed to hit the ball harder. 4.) Give you better balance and control throughout the swing.
If what you are currently being taught does not involve these four principals you are wasting your time! Plain and simple. Seeing the ball is the most important aspect to hitting the ball properly. The eyes are the gateways to the brain. The visual system accounts for approximately 80% of a hitter's total performance! So what exactly is the visual system? It is the Golden Key to the process of hitting. Technically, it is the ability to see clearly, recognize what you are seeing, track what you are seeing (the ball) and relay that information to the brain, which then signals the body to react to the pitch (swing or don't swing). The position of the head is important because it allows the player to track the ball with their eyes. If the head position is correct; 1.) The head is completely turned to the pitcher. 2.) The eyes are level and both eyes are on the release point. 3.)The head remaining still during the hitting process, only then will the hitter be able to develop an effective tracking system; see the ball well and utilize the visual system to it's fullest. The hitter must see the ball out of the pitchers hand all the way to the contact point, the complete 60 feet 6 inches. Any lapse during the ball flight can lead to failure. The hitter must first determine the speed of the pitch (always ready for a fast ball, his quickest pitch) and then identify the rotation of the ball. When you see the ball well, it allows you both physically and mentally to be ready to hit the pitch.
The second factor is a short swing. All things equal . . . The player with the most time will get the better pitch to hit. Good mechanics = faster swings = more time to decide on whether to swing. A short swing must be a straight line from launch position (hit position) to contact point. Anything else is too long and will take too much time. Your short swing every time all the time, at your pitch every time all the time, gives you maximum advantage in the battle between pitcher and hitter. Hitting is a total body activity that involves a sequential activation of body parts through a link system; A.) largest to smallest body parts, B.) slow to fast muscle fibers, C.) backside to front side, D.) bottom half to top half, E.) and bat from high to low. Hitting is a two-part phase, the stride first, the swing second. Most swing problems are a result of a poor approach, or stride. You must start right, (stride) in order to finish with the right swing.
Thirdly, good mechanics will allow you to have maximum bat speed at contact. Simply said, it will allow you to hit the ball harder. Factors that affect bat speed and magnitude of force applied are 1.) Strength of the batter, no one should be stronger or in better condition than you are as a player. 2.) The weight of the bat, a lighter bat can be swung faster than a heavier bat. When you have a choice between heavier and lighter bats, go with lighter for better control and bat speed. 3.) The more body parts involved at the point of contact, the better the bat speed. We want the body and swing to arrive on time at contact. You want to hit with your whole body, not just half the body. If we stride to the front side too early, we lose our entire lower half, which is the strongest part of the body, our legs. Power and bat speed is timing and rhythm. Arrive on time, on plane, through the ball until we finish our swing.
Finally, good mechanics will allow the hitter to have better balance and control of his body. To be a good hitter you must have proper weight distribution throughout the entire swing. To have good balance the batter must have his weight centered over a shoulder wide stance, with a vertical torso, tall upper body, and knees flexed. Proper mechanics help to ensure that this occurs. For example, if your weight transfers too early you lose balance and cannot control your center, your head. If you do not start right, you will not finish right.
In conclusion, there is no such thing as a natural hitter or the perfect swing. If we look at any video of any hitter, we can find something wrong with his/her swing. The bottom line is that we don't want you to let the things you can't do get in the way of what you can do. Therefore, the perfect swing is your swing every time, on your pitch, every time period. In the hitting process we are only as good as the previous phase. We are as strong as our weakest link. If we make a mistake in seeing the ball, it is bound to have a negative impact on our swing. Remember, before we talk about the specifics or mechanics of hitting we must make sure that we see the baseball as well as possible. Have a short swing so we have the time to make better decisions, utilizing maximum bat speed so if we do hit the ball we hit it as hard as we can. To do this we must have good balance and control of our bodies. These four things are the foundation for proper swing mechanics, and without the four critical elements, the process of hitting becomes nearly impossible.
- Rick Down
Hitting, without a doubt, is the most difficult baseball skill to learn. It has even been stated that hitting a baseball is the most difficult skill to master in all of sports. The combination of trying to hit a round ball with a round bat, squarely, is a very difficult task. Add two competing human beings into the equation, the hitter and pitcher, and the problem intensifies. The pitcher trying to disrupt the timing of the hitter, and the hitter trying to find his timing and rhythm. This makes hitting a baseball a skill that demands exceptional abilities and tremendous desire. So what should the primary goal of all good hitters be? To make solid contact with the ball? Not really. Sure, we would all like to hit the ball hard every time we go to the plate, but that is only the end result. We must do two other things before we can make consistent contact. First, we must have the same approach and swing every time, all the time. Second, we must be ready to swing at our pitch every time, all the time.
Effective pitchers constantly try to change the speed and location of each pitch with movement and different release points. The hitter faces a constant challenge to make contact on the "sweet spot," trying to generate maximum bat speed. Sound impossible? Yes, if the only thing that matters is base hits or even less, just solid contact. Before we can do any of the above, the primary goal of every hitter should be to get his pitch every at bat and take his swing every at bat. Every time, all the time. Do you see a pattern here? Every time, all the time! Take care of the process of hitting, don't be overly concerned about the end result or outcome.
There is no shortcut or easy secret to success in baseball, in particular hitting. Success comes from long hours of meaningful work; soft toss, drills and batting practice. A player also needs to be in control of his thoughts in order to be in control of his performance. Failure can bring about discouragement, disappointment, and even cause a player to quit completely. So how do coaches help players understand that 70% failure is all a part of the learning process? How can we help them to believe that they can succeed and have fun playing and hitting a baseball?By emphasizing the process of hitting! The one thing that you have 100% control of is the pitches you swing at! If the primary goals of a hitter are not solid contact, or getting base hits, but seeing your pitch every time, all the time, you can be successful 100% of the time and have fun doing it. That said, how do you maximize your chances of getting your pitch to hit in order to make solid contact? Through correct mechanics. Correct mechanics allow a hitter to do four things:
1.) Help you to see the ball better. 2.) Give you a shorter swing, allowing you more time to see the ball to make better decisions.3.) Generate maximum bat speed to hit the ball harder. 4.) Give you better balance and control throughout the swing.
If what you are currently being taught does not involve these four principals you are wasting your time! Plain and simple. Seeing the ball is the most important aspect to hitting the ball properly. The eyes are the gateways to the brain. The visual system accounts for approximately 80% of a hitter's total performance! So what exactly is the visual system? It is the Golden Key to the process of hitting. Technically, it is the ability to see clearly, recognize what you are seeing, track what you are seeing (the ball) and relay that information to the brain, which then signals the body to react to the pitch (swing or don't swing). The position of the head is important because it allows the player to track the ball with their eyes. If the head position is correct; 1.) The head is completely turned to the pitcher. 2.) The eyes are level and both eyes are on the release point. 3.)The head remaining still during the hitting process, only then will the hitter be able to develop an effective tracking system; see the ball well and utilize the visual system to it's fullest. The hitter must see the ball out of the pitchers hand all the way to the contact point, the complete 60 feet 6 inches. Any lapse during the ball flight can lead to failure. The hitter must first determine the speed of the pitch (always ready for a fast ball, his quickest pitch) and then identify the rotation of the ball. When you see the ball well, it allows you both physically and mentally to be ready to hit the pitch.
The second factor is a short swing. All things equal . . . The player with the most time will get the better pitch to hit. Good mechanics = faster swings = more time to decide on whether to swing. A short swing must be a straight line from launch position (hit position) to contact point. Anything else is too long and will take too much time. Your short swing every time all the time, at your pitch every time all the time, gives you maximum advantage in the battle between pitcher and hitter. Hitting is a total body activity that involves a sequential activation of body parts through a link system; A.) largest to smallest body parts, B.) slow to fast muscle fibers, C.) backside to front side, D.) bottom half to top half, E.) and bat from high to low. Hitting is a two-part phase, the stride first, the swing second. Most swing problems are a result of a poor approach, or stride. You must start right, (stride) in order to finish with the right swing.
Thirdly, good mechanics will allow you to have maximum bat speed at contact. Simply said, it will allow you to hit the ball harder. Factors that affect bat speed and magnitude of force applied are 1.) Strength of the batter, no one should be stronger or in better condition than you are as a player. 2.) The weight of the bat, a lighter bat can be swung faster than a heavier bat. When you have a choice between heavier and lighter bats, go with lighter for better control and bat speed. 3.) The more body parts involved at the point of contact, the better the bat speed. We want the body and swing to arrive on time at contact. You want to hit with your whole body, not just half the body. If we stride to the front side too early, we lose our entire lower half, which is the strongest part of the body, our legs. Power and bat speed is timing and rhythm. Arrive on time, on plane, through the ball until we finish our swing.
Finally, good mechanics will allow the hitter to have better balance and control of his body. To be a good hitter you must have proper weight distribution throughout the entire swing. To have good balance the batter must have his weight centered over a shoulder wide stance, with a vertical torso, tall upper body, and knees flexed. Proper mechanics help to ensure that this occurs. For example, if your weight transfers too early you lose balance and cannot control your center, your head. If you do not start right, you will not finish right.
In conclusion, there is no such thing as a natural hitter or the perfect swing. If we look at any video of any hitter, we can find something wrong with his/her swing. The bottom line is that we don't want you to let the things you can't do get in the way of what you can do. Therefore, the perfect swing is your swing every time, on your pitch, every time period. In the hitting process we are only as good as the previous phase. We are as strong as our weakest link. If we make a mistake in seeing the ball, it is bound to have a negative impact on our swing. Remember, before we talk about the specifics or mechanics of hitting we must make sure that we see the baseball as well as possible. Have a short swing so we have the time to make better decisions, utilizing maximum bat speed so if we do hit the ball we hit it as hard as we can. To do this we must have good balance and control of our bodies. These four things are the foundation for proper swing mechanics, and without the four critical elements, the process of hitting becomes nearly impossible.
- Rick Down
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