The Basics of Swing Building in Baseball

Build a house or build a swing.it all starts with a good foundation.

You will play as good as you practice!

Writing a single article on something so complex that it causes sleepless nights for the best trained and paid talents in the world is daunting.at least to this coach.

By John Peter Pero

Styles vs. Absolutes

First - I cannot and will not debate hitting styles, though I certainly have my opinion. The reality is that half of the Hall of Fame has an unconventional swing. I will leave this area to you in hopes that you will stay on the straight and narrow and will continue gaining the knowledge it takes to help ALL your players season after season.

Here's a hint

Anything resembling the teachings of Ted Williams or The Mike Schmidt Hitting Study will keep you on the right road.

For every bad swing a hitter practices...it may take three swings to correct!

Here's where I've chosen to start.by making one assumption.

(Be brutally honest with yourself before incorporating the steps below!)

I will assume that your player(s) have a basic working knowledge of good swing mechanics. Players who practice incorrectly not only waste time, but tend to go backwards to the point that it can affect their future success and love of the game. The baseball road is littered with talented players who have been eliminated from the game prematurely when poor youth baseball swing mechanics become overmatched by superior pitching and the improvement of their own teammates.

Let's Get to the Point.And to the Progression

The following are six (6) areas that can simplify this building block process.

many which can be incorporated into a basement, garage or your own backyard.

Mirror Station - Simply put.if a player visually sees what he's doing incorrectly, he will make the adjustments necessary to improve.

I recommend swinging in front of a full-length mirror beginning at 50% power, then 75%, progressing to game speed and maybe even a few swings beyond 100% power.

Be logical about the number of swings depending on the player's age and strength.taking breaks in between. Focus on fewer great swings.less is more!

(yes. take extra precautions when working indoors)

Tee Station - Simply put, you never grow out of hitting off the tee. It is the one station where players can focus on every aspect of the swing.without having to track a moving object. This is critical! Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn said something like, "I do nothing but tee work until January." I wish I could remember the exact quote, but you get the point.

Toss Station - Also known as soft toss or flip drills, this is a basic drill generally done with two players. Balls are hit into a net after being tossed underhand in a short arc and at a 45° angle on the open side of the hitter from a distance of around 6 feet. These consistent tosses (aimed at the hitter's front thigh or hip for straight-away hitting and adjusted for hitting to various areas of the field) incorporate the lessons learned from tee work, adding the skill it takes to hit a moving ball.

This important station allows players to get tons of swings in a short period of time and in a small area.

Hitters get tired quickly when the tosser doesn't allow time between swings. Be patient!

Front Toss & Short Toss - This is another important building block in the progression. A coach or player will sit on a bucket behind a screen and toss pitches from directly in front of the player; usually in a cage or on a baseball field. This can be done from a distance of 15 to 20 feet and then from a 35 foot distance. Pitches should be thrown consistently and to particular zones, allowing the player to duplicate each swing as precisely as possible.

Note #1

Make sure your screen is in place and not in need of repair! Players and coaches should all be cautioned and taught to focus on staying completely behind the protective screen during every pitch.

Note #2

When utilizing short toss drills from shorter distances of 15 to 20 feet, balls should be tossed underhand so that the pitch will come in to the hitter at an angle more resembling that of a live pitch. This eliminates the "loopy" throws which encourage the poor mechanics of an uppercut swing.


Dead BP - (Batting Practice) - Dead batting practice is simply the batting practice you see on every field and at every level. You will see great examples of this when you go to a college or pro game two hours before the first pitch. It is thrown from 55 feet (not the official pitcher-to-hitter distance of 60' 6"), generally from a platform or portable mound. Pitches are thrown straight at around 55 to 65 mph.into particular hitting zones. These consistent pitches are designed for the hitter to repeat his swings over and over with consistency; hitting balls hard and to particular areas of the field.

A ball field and a batting cage with or without a pitching machine is all that is needed.

Live BP - (Batting Practice) - Take dead BP and add the battle of pitcher (coaches or pitchers doing the throwing) versus hitter, preferably in game conditions. In a team practice, I find maximum benefit when all defenders are also playing this as a real game.

The backyard version of live BP incorporates a pitching machine and pitching machine with an autofeeder for single player practices or a batting cage with a live pitcher behind a protective L-Screen.

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Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction!It's all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.

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



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BatAction.com
HandsBackHitter.com
QuickSwingTrainer.com
AdvancedSkillsTee.com
BattingCagesDirect.com
BattingCagesrUs.com

Four Steps to Organize Your Little League Practice

You have a such a short time to prepare your team usually about 3 to 4 weeks. It is important you are organized your practices so that you may over come the constraints that come with being a Little League Coach.

By John R Di Nicola

The only chance you have as a Little League Coach is try and get yourself organized. I have listed out the very basic steps to organize your practice. You have so so many constraints on you it very difficult to get all the practice completely covered. The amount of practice time is limited maybe to 3 days per week. Getting practice fields is a major problem in most instances. The length of practice is another. You cannot hold marathon practices three to four hour practices. Using a planned schedule will enable you to have practice that are fun for the players therefore they will learn what what you trying to teach them.

Scheduling Practice -

You have a such a short time to prepare your team usually about 3 to 4 weeks. It is important you are organized your practices so that you may over come the constraints that come with being a Little League Coach.

Getting Practice Fields


number of times you practices: weather, all players can make to all practices.
practicing to much parents complain
not practicing enough

Fielding, Defense, Pitching and Hitting

Fielding


Outfield
Infield

Pitchers


Pick off - 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and covering home
Run downs
Out field: Cut off men, short stop, 3rd base, 2nd base, 1st base, Pitcher
Throwing to bases -2nd,3rd, home
Situations - Simulate a game situation with coach hitting and player running


www.BatAction.com



Hitting Stations


Hitting off of a "T"
Soft Toss
Live Hitting - 10 swings
Bunting

Pitchers


Throwing a bull pen with catcher

You look at this say wow! You just have organize yourself. Make sure self a template (using Microsoft word) for your practice days. Plug in your dates. You can do A, B C, D and rotate them through your practice schedule. It is a must that you get parents to help. You will need at least two to help to run a practice. You will have to do two of these segments each day and possibly a third.

You will find defense is one of the most important segments you must cover everyday. You can never hit enough ground balls to your infield. So fielding must be done just about every day. You may want to have just your infield come and work on ground balls and going over where they positions themselves for cut off from outfield. You can do the same for pitchers. Bring the pitchers and catchers to practice their defense and working on their wind up and delivery.

Best thing a you can do is make sure you are organized! Stick to your schedule and make adjustments as you go. Please do not get frustrated and not follow an organized plan.

Practice Makes Prefect

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or information you can E-Mail me at: jdinicola@easypitching.com

You can follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/easypitching

Web site: http://www.easypitching.com

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

Remembering the "Johnny Bench Baseball Batter-Up" Baseball Trainer

My son loved absolutely loved his Johnny Bench batting trainer. It was so simple and easy to use. He would hit that tiny rubber ball with the molded seams and it would wrap around the pole, return, and he would hit it again. Only God really knows, how many times he watched that ball circle that pole. It was the youth hit trainer that made him a great hitter. It made him a major leaguer in his own mind. He would imagine himself being Johnny Bench. With 2 outs, bases loaded, and the World Series on the line, he had a lot of pressure on him for a 12 year old. He would track that ball around the pole as if it was a 90+ miles per hour fastball. He learned to concentrate on the ball and to keep his head still during his swing.

It was tough be a big league hitter in those days. When that ball got to him, he would hit it so hard that he would almost come out of his shoes. Grand Slam, he would yell! Then he would trot around the backyard smiling and basking in the glory that only a World Series title could bring. It was so sweet to be named the MVP of the whole world. Baseball was fun and his Johnny Bench trainer was his pitcher. As an only child and with no neighbors living close by, it was his best friend and his way of having a great make believe baseball game in his own backyard. It was those backyard games that developed the hitting skills he needed to become a great little league all-star, high school standout, and college baseball player.

Back in those days training aid manufacturing technology was a bit behind the times. There were certain things about the JB trainer that were a bit frustrating. The major problem was those confounded rubber bands. They would dry-rot and break. Eventually most people made their own from cut pieces of old tire inner tubes. Eventually the ball broke off the rod and the JB trainer playing days at our house were over. And the big mass of concrete it was mounted in proved to be a major problem to move when wanted it gone.

Years ago I looked at young players and I realized just how much they too needed a good wholesome home trainer that was fun, practical, entertaining, and productive to hit. That need is the reason I invented the BatAction Hitting Machine and the Hurricane Hitting Machine. Both of these patented batting machines have similar ball motion paths, high speed ball movement, and both offer the same levels of fun and excitement. These popular machines feature adjustable ball speeds and height settings for all ages and ability levels. If you experienced the Johnny Bench trainer as a youngster and appreciate what it did for you, you will want your child or grandchild to have the same opportunities. If you are looking for a rotational hitting machine at a good price, I recommend the BatAction and Hurricane Hitting Machines. I know that you will love the results that you see from regular backyard workouts on these hitting trainers. Good luck till next time, Nick Dixon.

CoachesBest has a great deals on the BATACTION HITTING MACHINE. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine deals on ebay and save big!

Baseball Training Product Spotlight - The Hands Back Hitter by Swing Buster

www.HandsBackHitter.com

10 Questions & Answers related to the
Hands Back Hitter Baseball Trainer:

1. What do you do for LH batters?
The same unit ASSEMBLES for either RH OR LH.

2. Can you change it over?
You can but it takes about 3-4 minutes and most coaches buy two (2) for team practice because of the price, it just saves time and you can run two stations at once.

3. What balls do I use?
It comes with 12 medium weight plastic balls but you can use real baseballs, softballs, and golf ball wifflesTM too.

4. What powers it?
There is a patented spring popper that allows height adjustment for all weight balls...it takes no electricity. You can use it is the rain.

5. Will the string wear out?
We recommend no cleats but strings have not been a problem. Besides they add a second string free just in case.

6. How will I know how to use it?
It comes with a Training CD with about 100 slides with some streaming video. If you do not have a computer, it has pictures with instructions in the assembly guide and coaching tips.

7. What ages and gender?
It adjusts for arm length and the long trigger area allows the batter to move up and away about 14 inches with no adjustment between batters required. Very athletic 6-7 Y.O kids learn well and all payers up to and through college. Most now consider the fast pitch swing to be the same as MLB swing so it have equal application for baseball and softball.

8. How hard is it to assemble?
4 hands tighten knobs and NO TOOLS
the popper is pre-assembled.

9. Do you have to cock it each time?
Yes, we want them to work more slowly, concentrating on balance, stride, and load. Swinging in rapid succession makes for upper body hitters. This is what makes this trainer so good.

10. Why does it make you hit better?
The Hands Back Hitter separates the swing and the stride and forces deeper ball contact. It promotes a hip driven swing that is powerful and adjust for different pitch speeds.

Product Spotlight: Tru-Toss Soft Toss Machine

Click here for more info on this product.


A unique soft toss machine that throws soft toss from the ground up!

True soft toss as if done with a coach
Non-electric - no batteries, no cords, no headaches!
Variable soft toss angle and heigh
Increase visual concentration while tracking the ball
Promotes a nice rythmic swing


Strung like a tennis racket in a steel frame, the rebounder bounces the ball up into the hitting zone. You can change the angle with which the ball bounces into your soft toss hitting zone.

Use more horizontal angle to bounce the ball to specific pitch locations. Add more vertical angle to do quick hitter drills by shooting the ball to the hitter faster. Opposite tightening knobs make adjustments quick and easy without having to retighten each time.



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Baseball Equipment for Training

wwwAdvancedSkillsTee.com
www.QuickSwingTrainer.com
www.HandsBackHitter.com
www.Hurricanemachine.com

Whether you just want to play the sports enough so you can hit a home run or are determined that your son gets the opportunity to enter the major league. You could do a lot better by investing in baseball equipment that trains you for this.

As a little leaguer coach or just looking to bond with your son by coaching him on specifics of baseball, you can use baseball equipment that trains you for this job.

Why not try this baseball training equipment? The baseball Instructional DVDs & VHS videos would train you to pitch by learning the 30 common pitching mistakes to avoid. Or you could try baseball hitting videos that will take you from basic skills through advanced hitting drills and techniques. There are video training baseball equipment that would give you baseball workouts to increase you power and performance on the playing field. These kinds of training baseball equipment are worth investing on, as you can replay these until you get the training basics right.

Another baseball equipment you could utilize to increase your swinging prowess to a better speed are such products as a training bat. This baseball equipment usually has a properly weighted bat and resistance weights in the form of rings to ensure you train at just the right weight. As you build up strength, you can swing through the strike zone at higher and higher rates of speed.

Some other baseball equipment may not exactly qualify as baseball equipment but these magazines, training manuals and even training sessions with a professional are constructive steps to getting your baseball skills up to swing. Whether you want to go professional or just get one or two home runs. The use of baseball equipment to train you into improving is always a wise investment.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Ken Austin
http://baseball-gear.1stdiscountshopping.com
http://1stinroses.com

Baseball Hitting Tips: Should You Swing Level?

AdvancedSkillsTee.com




Letting ‘your hips lead your hands’ is by far the most important baseball hitting tip that you must learn how to do in order to drive the ball to great distances. This phrase is thrown around very loosely in the baseball world today, but not many people actually grasp its true meaning. I've known plenty of hitters that are aware of this important batting concept, but still don't implement it within their swing. And because of this, they're not generating the POWER that they are truly capable of, or in other words, they are not hitting a baseball to their full potential.

Let me now explain WHAT 'let the hips lead the hands' actually means. By using common sense, you understand that your lower body needs to start your swing off and move towards the ball before your upper body does. This sequence of events is essential, because if it’s done in any other order, than you will not ACTUALLY be using your lower body to hit the ball. You will only be using your upper half, which takes away most of the POWER you could produce if you were using your ENTIRE body.

So exactly HOW do you go about doing this in the proper manner? Well first off, in order to get your lower body involved in your swing, you need to open up your hips immediately as you’re taking a step towards the pitcher. This is done by making sure your foot makes an angle of about 45 degrees or slightly greater, measured from the front of the plate (if your foot was pointing straight at the pitcher, that would be an angle of 90 degrees). While this is occurring, you also need to make sure you keep your upper body back, or slightly twisted in the opposite direction your lower body is moving in. So to sum it up, your lower body is starting to move forward, while your upper body is staying back. These opposing forces create a torque, which is crucial for obtaining MAXIMUM power for your baseball swing.

Ultimately, your hips should be the major driving gear of your body when swinging a bat. So when you’re in the position as described above, you need to use your legs, hips, and lower body to rotate your whole body, while simultaneously allowing your hands and upper body to follow them and absolutely CRUSH the ball.

>> Learn more Hitting Drills to improve your baseball swing today!
Hi my name is Nick Demyanovich, and I run a Baseball Hitting website that offers lots of FREE advice for dramatically improving your baseball swing mechanics. You'll learn the secrets of hitting a baseball with POWER and CONSISTENCY! So don't just wait to discover these hitting secrets for yourself like I did. Go check it out now, and join my FREE newsletter for great hitting tips and special offers for your baseball equipment needs that could save you lots of money! Learn more at http://www.baseballhitting-training.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/baseball-articles/baseball-hitting-tips-should-you-swing-level-1038401.html

Five Baseball Trainers Every Hitting Coach Should Know About

All of these products are available at www.Coachesbest.com.
Nedco Sports BatAction Machine
Derek Jeter Hurricane Machine
HandsBack Hitter by Swing Buster
StayBack Tee by Swing Buster
The Target SKLZ Trainer
The Hit2win Trainer by Nedco Sports

Baseball Training – Technology Enhances Equipment

Baseball Training – Technology Enhances Equipment

Baseball training has made tremendous strides in recent years due to the technological advances of baseball softball training equipment. As an adjunct to coaching and mentoring, softball baseball training equipment can produce amazing results for hitters and pitchers through repetition and feedback. The Batters Edge™ and the VLM Pitchtracker are the most advanced hitting and pitching products available on the market today.

Baseball Training – Repetition Keys Performance

Muscle memory and skills training are the two major ingredients in successful performance outcomes. We perform functions daily that have been engrained through repetition. For example, piano players utilize skills training and muscle memory acquired through repetitive actions in order to achieve high performance levels. In much the same way, baseball hitting drills and softball hitting drills can effect superb results based on muscle memory and skills training.

Baseball Training – Good Practice Habits Buoy Outcome

As youngsters we are taught by our parents and coaches the basic techniques of baseball training. Parents often engage in hitting drills in baseball with their youngsters, or they may participate in softball hitting drills. In softball/baseball training, repetition keys muscle memory, which is the memory used by the muscle sets involved in a particular activity. In the same way that we adopt a particular penmanship through muscle memory, hitters can develop good technique through repetitive skills training.

Baseball Training – Technology Advances Muscle Memory

Through technological advancement, players of all ages can develop the muscle memory and skills training necessary to excel. Historically, Mom may have been able to provide some softball batting training for her daughter, while Dad worked on softball stride training at the plate. Mentors, however, can assist just so much.

Today, there are baseball training equipment supports that will facilitate softball/baseball training. A-Game Technology has recently developed two baseball training supports that are revolutionizing the way the game is taught.

Baseball Training – The Batter’s Edge™

The Batter’s Edge™ is a revolutionary baseball training product designed to reinforce the proper balance and hip rotation needed to perfect the swing. The Batter’s Edge™ is a platform that embraces the body’s muscle memory to enable hitters to maintain a balanced swing.

Through repetitions, the balanced swing becomes second nature to hitters and, as a result of the augmentation of their muscle memory; the adjustment to live pitching in a game is seamless. The Batter’s Edge™ is a baseball training device that is suitable for players age 8 years and up.

The product is ideal for use in dirt, grass, or artificial surfaces. It can be used in hitting drills in softball and baseball off a tee, from a pitching machine, or in soft toss.


Baseball Training – VLM Pitchtracker

A-Game Technology has brought the art and science of pitching into the 21st Century with the VLM Pitchtracker. Now, pitchers are able to refine their skills through the marriage of modern technology with the development of muscle memory and proper skills training.

Through this cutting edge development designed to enhance pitcher training, pitchers can perfect their release points in order to achieve incredible results. This device tracks the movement, velocity and location of a pitch and it presents the results for coaches, parents, mentors and players for review in a user-friendly visual format.

Pitchers are able to perfect their mechanics and see immediate and remarkable improvements in their ability to throw a pitch where it’s meant to go. Coaches can use the VLM Pitchtracker to analyze multiple pitching factors and to chart progress over a period of time.

Both the Batter’s Edge and the VLM Pitchtracker are available at www.agametechnology.com , and further information on both these amazing baseball training aids can be obtained at the website.

For more information regarding baseball training, Technology enhance Equipment,
VLM Pitchtracker and
BATTER'S EDGE please visit: www.agametechnology.com

The Baseball Bat And Its Relevance To Baseball Training

By Chris Moheno

Before there were any batting cages or tees to teach hitting techniques through baseball training, there was simply a ball and a baseball bat. Just picture someone cutting down a big tree and cutting it in a long enough length to shave it down so a person could swing it. At 2.75 inches in diameter and no heavier than 36 ounces, someone finally did many years ago.

However, it wasn't constructed with curves and smooth areas for the simple look. There was aerodynamics involved so you could swing the baseball bat with speed and precision to get hits and eventually try to round the bases and score. Could you imagine if this never turned out that way and you went up to bat with a 10lb log? Baseball drills during practice would definitely take their toll.

There are several kinds of bats constructed by several companies, but wooden bats are the only kind available to use in Major League Baseball. There are criteria or should we say rules that everyone has to abide by including cork-less bats. This means adding a substance within the bat to make it lighter and create faster bat speeds. Many professional players use them for batting drills but are not allowed to use them during league play. More for entertainment purposes then actual baseball training.

While the wooden bat is for the grand central stage, it's the metal alloy ones that youngsters use all over the country, starting as small as tee-ballers all the way up to the collegiate men in the College World Series. As children growing into adults, a metal bat helps with hitting and is a lot more forgiving then your traditional baseball bat. There are areas where normally, you wouldn't be able to strike the ball far with a wooden style, but metal will allow it.

If you are fortunate enough to try the next time you are practicing, take out both types of baseball bats. Try a few different things to get a proper feel as to what might be comfortable and what might not. Hitting off a tee one day and possibly hitting the batting cages later that day will show you the difference.

In baseball drills, it's not just about swinging, running, and scoring when hitting comes to mind. It's also about learning how to stand in the box, testing different kinds while using open stances, closed stances, shorter strides and more. Then you have to find the bat that gives you a sense of security. That feeling that it's your lucky bat or maybe your best friend you're taking up there to the plate. It may sound funny, but sports brings superstitions to many and routine is one of them. Most like to use the same bat every time during their baseball training. Do you?

More about baseball training on baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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

Batting Tees Aren't Just for T-ball

SKLZ 5-Position Tee








By Morley Athletic

I'm sure every baseball or softball player out there remembers their T-Ball days. Well it seems that smashing the ball off of a batting tee isn't just for little kids. If you are a serious ballplayer or coach this is not news to you. You probably never stopped using a batting tee for training. If you don't use a tee for training you will after you read this article.

Today ball players of all ages have an enormous selection of batting tees available to them. Of course there is still the option of the standard heavy duty rubber single post tee. This design is inexpensive, durable and works well but we are not going to feature this model today. I will assume you have used or at least seen a standard batting tee before. Today we are going to look at a more exotic model that will offer more training options and convenience than the old standby.

The tee I am going to talk about is a couple of steps up from your everyday batting tee. It is made of the same durable materials but offers more options for post placement. The 5 Position Batting Tee has been in use for many years and it is easy to see why. The model pictured here as purchased from www.morleyathletic.com is made of durable rubber materials with an injection molded plate and steel reinforced tubes. The tubes adjust from 20 inches to 36 inches and the base plate even features a carry handle. This is all great but if we don't look beyond the general description of the tee you will miss it's true features. Five positions and two posts.

With two adjustable posts included with the tee you can now move beyond your standard drills and start practicing post drills and in and out drills. Double tee drills will take you beyond swing speed and truly hone in your ball hitting skills. You can be the most powerful batter in the game but unless you can make contact with the ball, well, you get the point.

It is the job of the pitcher to try and send the ball over the plate in a manner that will make it more difficult to hit. Most people consider speed to be the most important factor here. While the speed of the ball is important and certainly makes the ball harder to hit the pitcher has a lot of other tricks up his sleeve.

Placing the ball in a awkward position over the plate in combination with speed variations can keep even Babe Ruth from making contact. Inside and outside pitches, high or low. As a batter you need to be ready for it all. That's where this little five position beauty can really help you excel.

By being able to consistently keep the ball at one height level or one distance from the batter you can build that all important muscle memory. That way when your staring down the pitcher your body will have a better chance at instinctively hitting any pitch he throws at you.

That covers the use of the single post positions now lets look at an even more exciting aspect of training with a 5 position batting tee. Two tubes.

Let's talk about Babe Ruth again. The man had a knack for knowing where the ball was going to go. Magic? Not at all. It all comes down to skill as usual. So how do you predict where the ball will end up... by knowing how different hitting angles and positions will effect the ball. Of course this is not a perfect science but with enough training you can become the Babe Ruth of your league.

By positioning both tubes on the tee base at different heights and in different positions in relationship to each other you can master your hitting angles and develop a compact swing. Fence drills, post drills, in and out drills and more are possible with the 5 Position Batting Tee and don't require an additional batting tee or a real fence.

You can learn more about the different double tee drills and how you can use them by doing a quick Google search for "double tee drills". You will find hundreds of online tutorials and even some great books available.

There are dozens of tee styles available on the market. A few with basic layouts, a handful with complex innovative designs, many made for durability and some for convenience. The 5 position batting tee available at www.morleyathletic.com is sure to withstand the abuse you put out while offering many training options. You can also find many other tee designs as well as a full selection of over 8,000 products available at www.morleyathletic.com.
Morley Athletic Supply Company Inc. has been in business since 1931

As a fourth generation family member involved in the company, team sports is more than a job it's an obsession. With thousands of new products being developed and marketed every year it is important to keep coaches and players updated on what's new for their sport. I write articles to provide them with this information.

Morley Athletic Supply Company Inc. has been in business since 1931. As a fourth generation family member involved in the company, team sports is more than a job it's an obsession. With thousands of new products being developed and marketed every year it is important to keep coaches and players updated on what's new for their sport. I write articles to provide them with this information.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/baseball-articles/batting-tees-arent-just-for-tball-747862.html

Forearm Strength Training

CoachesBest.com





By Kris Saelen

Hitting is very quick and aggressive job in baseball. A good hitter performs ball reading, body adjustment, and produces accurate and result oriented ball hitting within 0.7 seconds. In this short time, hitter should have to adjust himself against ball velocity and speed.

To perform such a quick and contest winning task, hitter always requires strong and powerful forearm instead of wimpy forearm. This is the place where bat speed depends on forearm strength.

To be successful, the understanding of significance on wrist and forearm strength training is necessary. There are four types of muscles that belong to the forearm. These are wrist flexors, forearm flexors, extensor muscles and barachioradialis.

Some players are more interested in heavy exercises to develop strength. They ignore the forearm. Without forearm the strength training program will absolutely be incomplete. Players and coaches always require speed, consistency in hard hitting, good knowledge of striking area, hitting all around and adjustments as per situation. All depends on the strength of forearm and rotator cuff muscles.

Strength training does not mean heavy exercises like body building and weight lifting. The forearm strength training programs can include light exercises like climbing, rope pulling and other special devices E-Flex forearm bar. Climbing and rope pulling are helpful to strengthen wrist flexors, forearm flexors and extensor muscles. It is an easy and more comfortable exercise. The chances of forearm burn, injuries and pain are minimized, while heavy exercises may result such undesirable situations.

Grip strength is more important for hitters. To swing bat at high speed, velocity and power, bat should be strongly gripped. The flexors and extensors of the fingers should also be exercised and trained for strength.

Forearm strength training should not be separated and neglected from other body parts. It is also important along with upper body strength training. Players and coaches normally ignore forearm and wrist griping from strength training and conditioning programs that is not favorable.

If a player fights and plays with frail forearm and wrist, his ball hitting speed, velocity and distance will be badly affected. A good hitter should hit outside the fence and cover distance of about 400 feet. This will be admirable and enjoyable by the spectators. It also brings fruitful result for both team and player.

The strong, healthy and powerful forearm always makes difference. The recognition and success of hitter, thrower and pitcher always depends on strength, speed, velocity and precision. Get through excellent practice and make a successful game!

For more Baseball Articles visit: the Baseball and Softball Store.

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

CoachesBest.com
HurricaneTrainer.com
BatAction.com
HandsBackHitter.com
QuickSwingTrainer.com
AdvancedSkillsTee.com
BattingCagesDirect.com
BattingCagesrUs.com

Product Spotlight: Hands Back Hitter by Swing Buster

The HandsBack Hitter teaches the mechanics of the perfect baseball swing. It teaches hitters the proper "stride and swing" fundamentals for correctly hitting a baseball.

The Hands Back Hitter™ Pro Model is the simplest, most affordable, yet most instructive training aid on the market. And to insure that you will practice often, it makes you a better hitter while you are having fun.

The Hands Back Hitter Pro-Model.
Uses ALL type balls real and plastic; baseball or softball.
The unique popper design allows the operator to adjust pitch height for any type ball.
The same unit assembles for righties and lefties.
It comes with an extra string, 12 medium weight plastic balls, and a CD-ROM training disc.
This patented pitching machine/ batting tee hybrid controls the swing sequence for teaching rotational hitting and opposite field mechanics .
Extremely durable and used from LL to D-1 Programs. The trainer players love to use.
Easy to use...

Push down on the popper.
Place a ball on the launcher.
Load your hands back as you stride to landing on the firing cord.

The Hands Back Hitter™, the affordable, portable, personal batting station that keeps them training and swinging right even when your not there.



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Baseball Batting Drill - BatAction Training Tip from Nick Dixon, Inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine

Baseball Batting Drill - BatAction Training Tip from Nick Dixon,
Inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine

Hello,
Just a quick note to tell you about a great "Bat Speed" drill that you can do on the BatAction Hitting Machine, the "BRING-BY BAT SPEED DRILL".

Drill Name - "BRING-BY BAT SPEED DRILL".
Procedure - Use your normal BatAction powerband and height settings.
Directions - The batter hits the ball as it travels by the batter from the opposite direction than normal. The batter will allow the ball to unwind between swings and the ball will be going in reverse (toward the direction of the pitcher - coming from behind the batter). The bat must keep their eyes on the ball and hit it as it passes by. The difficulty level is high because the batter must have great bat speed, hand eye coordination, and timing to proform this drill.
Procedure - The batter will hit the ball as it comes from the direction of the catcher. The batter must have good bat speed to catch the ball and hit it onward as it travels forward by the batter. This is a pure top quality bat
speed drill.
Recommended Reps - It is recommeded that you do this drill at least 3 times a week. The batter should do 3 sets of 12 swings each.

Baseball Pitching Machines

By Eugene Rischall

there are five things to consider.

1. Pitch speed-You want to have a machine with the proper pitching speed for you.

2. Number of wheels-You want the right amount of wheels.

3. Transportability-Pick a machine which is easy to transport.

4. Parts and accessories-Generators, auto ball feeders, dimpled balls and covers are important to your machine.

5. Warranty-Make sure you are properly covered with your investment.

Pitching machines come in different styles. An arm action machine and a circular wheel machine are very popular. Pitching machines are useful for batters who can practice on their own. The starter is ideal for young players. Pitches are normally 30 mph in these games. The curveball machine actually spins the ball in an opposite direction. The spin goes forward, which causes the ball to curve downward. Since the ball is curving toward the ground, gravity does not prevent it from curving. It actually helps it. You can put different spins on the ball. The 2 pitch sidewinder can throw straight fastball and 3/4 curve, straight fastball and 3/4 slider, tailing fastball and sidearm curve, and tailing fastball sidearm slider. The 2pitch3 machine can throw a 95 mph and a 75 mph curveball in one set up. There is also the twin pitch which gives you 2 pitches in one set up. Parts and accessories are important to your machine. Auto ball feeders feeds balls at different intervals. Can be used with almost any pitching machine. A power generator is an alternative power source for running your single wheel machine, or automatic ball feeder units in locations where there are no electric outlets. Baseball pitching covers protect your machine. Dimpled balls will dramatically extend the life of your machine. A pitch selector allows you to feed fastballs and curveballs without the batter knowing which pitch is coming. Two downhill feed chute extensions are connected to the in-feed chutes. Two balls are rolled down the feed chutes at the same time. The batter can see the balls roll down. Both balls appear just before the pitching wheels, but only one comes out. This feature makes it impossible for the batter to predict the pitch, but allows for ample timing of when the ball will be pitched.

I hope this article will be a tremendous help in your hunt for purchasing a baseball pitching machine best suited for your game. Besides improving your game, you can share your machine with teammates and have a lot of fun.

Author-Eugene Rischall, Owner, Baseball Training Emporium http://www.baseballtrainingemporium.com

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




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More Effective Baseball Hitting by Better Training Techniques

By Chris Moheno

Baseball is one of the most popular sports on the planet. People flock to the stadiums and pile around their televisions to watch the games. Beyond that, however, hundreds of people want to become more successful as baseball players. But their ability to succeed requires working on their skills. Just because you don't have a personal trainer, that doesn't mean you can learn how to make the most of your baseball training.

Baseball: What is Considered as Effective Hitting?

Effective hitting, in a nutshell, is hitting that results in the bat connecting with the ball. While this may sound simple, most experts agree that hitting the ball is the hardest skill to master. Even some professional players strike out or end up having to walk the bases during a game. The key to being successful in learning how to improve your baseball hitting is obviously practice but you have to practice the right way.

Here's where trouble often comes from. When you're on a team, everyone receives the same training. If you're learning the rules of the game or how to catch the ball, there's nothing wrong with using a standard method of baseball training. Baseball hitting is different. Each player is going to come to the game with a different level of skill and with different techniques that are going to hurt or help their performance. Good training finds ways to work with these existing skills and to maximize them for an overall positive performance. In many cases, that's not going to be possible without one-on-one training.

How Do You Train for It?

If baseball training is important to you but you can't afford to hire a personal trainer, there are other ways to improve your game. As mentioned above, practice is definitely going to be the key to ongoing success. The most effective approach to improving baseball hitting is to practice the individual components of good hitting, including the grip, the stance, and the approach.

Approach, for example, is something that is essential for good baseball training. However, most people have real trouble learning this information because it conflicts with their earlier training. For example, most players are taught from an early age that when they see a pitch coming they need to swing. They are not asked to judge the effectiveness of the baseball pitching. When the people doing the baseball pitching aren't very skilled either, this technique can work. As they improve, however, the will stop pitching strikes when they know the hitter is going to be swinging at every potential shot.

Instead, good hitters need to be able to determine which of the pitches have potential and which do not. Only then will they be able to get those doing the baseball pitching to send them balls with the potential to be great hits.

Another part of training to be a good hitter is practicing the swing. Even a good pitch for the hitter can not connect if that hitter does not have a good swing. Hitters need to realize that more than their arm movements are playing a role in the connection of the bat to the ball. The process actually involves the legs, the hands, the hips, and even the head. One main difference between good hitters and exceptional hitters is their ability to keep their eyes on the ball all the way through contact.

Additional Advice

Professional baseball players who have spent a good portion of their lives and their careers perfecting their ability to make that connection can provide some good advice for newer players, too. One of the most common pieces of advice involves bat selection. Again, no one recommendation is going to work for all players, except the recommendation to find a bat that feels comfortable in your hands. Try out a few and find one that delivers results.

Some pros also suggest that you have someone else watch your performance to provide feedback. That's a benefit of having a trainer but you can get around that problem if you can't afford a trainer. Instead, have someone record your actions so you can watch them later yourself and tweak your performance. You might also be able to watch the recording of your hitting performance with a coach who can evaluate your performance.

The pros also know that good baseball hitting training includes lots of practice. You'll need to complete countless numbers of drills if you want to start seeing an improvement in how often your bat makes that connection with the ball.

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 secrets on baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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


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Baseball Equipment Reviews - Demarini CF3 and Easton Stealth Composite Baseball Bats Compared

By Scott Mathewson

Are you tired of the ping, ping, ping of aluminum bats? Many people have complained about the high pitched sound before. Well, there is good news for you because the 2008 baseball bats are made of a carbon reinforced composite material. So, instead of the ping of aluminum you hear more of a crack of thud when the ball hits the composite bats. It sounds more like a traditional wood bat. Now you can get the distance of a metal bat without the annoying sound.

As a baseball equipment retailer and, quite frankly a person who loves the game, we often get asked to pick the best bat. Rather than play favorites, the following is a review of two of what will be the best selling bats in the 2008 equipment line up.

New for 2008 the Demarini CF3 is making waves all over the college baseball world. The CF3 is Demarini first attempt at a composite baseball bat and they past the test with flying colors. The Demarini CF3 is the first double wall composite bat that has 2 walls acting independently of each other for maximum trampoline effect. This combined with the new clutch end cap give this bat the biggest sweet spot in the game and allows for maximum performance on off center hits.

The Easton Stealth Composite is new for 2008 and is Easton’s second attempt at a composite baseball bat. The new Easton Stealth Composite comes two different ways the regular flex (BCN7) and the stiff flex (BCN8). The difference between the 2 is the amount of flex in the opti-flex composite handle. The regular flex has 3 times more flex than aluminum handles and the stiff flex has 1.5 times more flex than aluminum handles.

Easton second go around at a composite baseball bat is a huge improvement over the first. Last years version was very end weighted and a had a very heavy swing weight. In the new models Easton moved the kick point toward the handle giving this bat an incredible balanced feel.

Whether you choose the Demarini CF3 or the Easton BCN7, BCN8 baseball bats, you are swinging one of the hottest bats on the planet. So, keep you eyes and ears out for these new bats at a field near you.

And if in Omaha, stop by Prime Time Sporting Goods (10933 Harrison St. LaVista, NE 68128) and take a gander at our array of

softball and baseball bats and equipment.

And read our Coach's Corner blog for fun commentary on the world of baseball and more reviews for items like fielder's gloves.

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

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Bat Rolling - What You Need to Know Before Rolling Your $300 Bat

By Chase Rodgers

Composite bats are made of many layers of fiber, resin, and glue. When a bat comes from the factory the resin and glue between the fibers are stiff and less pliable. As a bat is hit by a baseball or softball the resin and glue begin to break, this is what players would call "breaking in", literally. As the resin and glue breaks up the bat becomes more flexible in that spot. The same thing is accomplished through bat rolling, a bat is compressed through nylon or hard rubbers rollers and the resin breaks up leaving the area more flexible. Now when we do that around the circumference of the bat 8-12 times the bat becomes much more flexible. This flexibility equates to an increase in batted ball speed and farther distance of hit baseballs or softballs. Studies have been done and found that some bats after being rolled jump up as much as 5mph in batted ball speeds. You can figure about 8 feet per mph of batted ball speed.

Now, wait a minute isn't perpendicular rolling sufficient? Sufficient is a good word because the answer is yes, but if you want the resin broken up completely you would have to make about 8-12 more passes through perpendicularly hoping you roll the bat through the correct spots. After the bat is rolled perpendicularly, an assured way to break in the rest of the bat would be to roll it through a parallel rolling machine. This breaks up the resin that the perpendicular bat rolling missed, for a more consistent and flexible bat. The parallel rollers can not be too long, although, because there will not be a consistent and even pressure over the length of the rollers. The rollers really need to be a maximum of a foot in length; this would cover any sweet spot on any bat.

It would seem like breaking up the resin would decrease the longevity of a bat. To an extent this statement is correct so you could spend about 24 hours of batting practice breaking in every spot on your bat, hoping you did not miss a spot or get the bat rolled. In the first case you would have about an extra 24 hours of bat life as long as you didn't hit the bat in the exact same spot 10 times therefore decreasing its life. If you had trouble following that I will explain: bat rolling breaks in the entire bat with one swoop. Breaking in a bat in by hitting balls endlessly causes an inconsistent break in and heightens the chances of breaking the bat sooner. Now the bat still has a strong interwoven mesh of carbon fibers throughout the entire bat which is very strong, this is what makes it possible to stay durable and flex when the brittle resin is broken up.

So let's go over this; bat rolling increases batted ball speed and has a longer life than a bat broken in the same amount through normal hitting. Sounds good to me but some sanctions of softball have considered this an illegal modification. Bat rolling, when done correctly, can not be detected: so what the sanctions do not know won't hurt them.

Click here to watch the bat rolling process.

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