Everything You Need to Know About Baseball Conditioning

By Guest Author: Nathan E Gotch

Most players do not really understand baseball conditioning training because of the misinformation given by their respective coaches. One of the biggest mistakes that players make is utilizing aerobic conditioning. The most famous examples are poles and long distance running.

There problem with these conditioning techniques is that they train the wrong energy system. Baseball is one of the most explosive sports there is, and should be trained that way. Hitting, pitching, sprinting to first, or sprinting towards a fly ball are all examples of anaerobic movements. In fact, baseball is one of the least aerobic sports there is.

The game of baseball is designed as a constant stop-and-go routine. Players need to the ability to explosively spring into action. It doesn't take 30 minutes to swing a bat or deliver a pitch.

Baseball conditioning training must be structured to increase anaerobic levels. Anaerobic activities will increase explosion, strengthen fast twitch muscle fibers, build lean muscle mass, and reduce excess body fat. These results occur because most anaerobic exercises are high intensity.

Some of the best conditioning training techniques for baseball are sprints, hill sprints, plyometrics, agility's, Indian runs, suicides, pole intervals, and body weight circuits.

By utilizing these methods in combination, a player will be able to reach peak conditioning levels. Most of these exercises can be performed before or following a weightlifting routine. This is purely preferential, and you must decide what's right for your particular body and conditioning advancement.

Sprints are among the most effective conditioning exercises for baseball. These high intensity runs are baseball-specific and prepare players for the explosive movements involved within the sport. In addition, sprints will increase anaerobic conditioning, lean muscle mass, and overall running speed. Simply examine any professional baseball player and you will see their incredible sprinting speed. They achieved such great athleticism by utilizing methods like sprints because they are specific to baseball.

If you're a more advanced player, then you might see more benefits by utilizing hill sprints. Hill sprints are simply a more advanced version of the traditional sprints. Incorporating hill sprints in your conditioning routine will greatly increase your anaerobic capacity.

What every player must take out of this, is that baseball conditioning training is much more complex than just running some poles. Running long distance will never make you a better player. Always focus on high intensity conditioning through explosive movements, and interval training. This will ensure that every technique you use, is specific to the sport.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure you read Baseball Conditioning: The Correct Way for a more in-depth look at this highly debated topic.

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Baseball Training Aids - Finding the Best Ones

Baseball Training Aids

By Guest Author: Jack D. Elliott

All baseball players want to have a quicker bat, throw harder, or run faster. Many Baseball Training Aids sell this vision to baseball players tempting them to by their new product. However, the training aids do not always deliver what they promise. This can not only be frustrating to the young baseball players, but it can also be counterproductive. In some cases, it can even hurt the performance of an aspiring ball player. For this reason, to help combat the proliferation of bad products and to promote the good baseball training aids, I have put together this list of things you should review before buying:

Reputation of the Company or Sponsor

If the company is an established company in the baseball world that has been selling products for a number of years, they are far more likely to put out legitimate and solid products. The reason for this is their reputation as a company is dependent on how customers feel about their product offerings. If they have been in the competitive baseball equipment market for a number of years, odds are they have done this the right way. This essentially means you can be more trusting of their products and you should give a more critical review to new companies offering unproven products.

Look at the performance information that is included

Most baseball training aids will include some type of empirical evidence to show why their training aid is such a great product. If the product fails to include this type of information, this is a sign right away that something may be amiss. Another thing you should look at is to think critically over the source and meaning of the information provided. Essentially, you are trying to determine if the study or numbers are valid. Questions you should think about are what other factors might have caused this spike in performance that is unrelated to the product or who is putting their name behind this product. Often times, the best products will be getting a vote of confidence from former baseball players and coaches. Just a general endorsement by some guy in some town is not enough. What you are looking for is "recognized experts" who are giving their approval. Don't settle for anything less.

Does the baseball training aid have a track record?

Do not be fooled into believing the best things are those that are brand new. The best baseball training aids will be those that have been on the market for a few years and have been field tested by plenty of different people. These are the training aids you should seek out because there will be a number of reviews and comments made about them that you can look over to see if it delivers what it promises. In fact, it is almost always best to let others be the guinea pigs for new products. You reap the benefit by letting them deal with poorly performing products and get to use the products that everyone endorses. In this way, you significantly cut down on the risk that you will get a bad product.

Using this advice, will help you find some quality baseball training aids. One of the biggest lessons in life is to be happy with what you have. By being content with established baseball training aids and not always looking out for the next great thing, you increase your odds off having better practices through using quality baseball training aids and reduce the risk of getting either frustrated or picking up bad habits with poor training aids.

For more information on the best Baseball Training Aids, try visiting http://www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com - it is a website offering solid tips and information on baseball training aids and baseball instruction.

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3 Idiotic Weight Training Myths in Baseball

Baseball Weight Training Tips

By Guest Author: Thomas E Wilson

There are many myths out there pertaining to weight training for baseball players. Some of them were created a while ago while others were started not too long ago with the aid of the internet. Through the years, several players have been held back in their baseball workouts as a result of these common myths. We hope that by knowing the actual facts you will know how to adapt your baseball workouts so that you can reach your full potential in the game. Please be aware that I am in no way a doctor and you should seek the advice of your doctor before starting any training plans.

Myth 1: Weight training will probably mess up a great swing.

Facts: Absolutely nothing could be more incorrect! Weight training is vital to become a better hitter! Specific things should be taken into consideration while weight training though. Make sure you're stretching before and after you train, and balance your workouts with cardiovascular training too. Another point to bear in mind is that you're a baseball player and your main training priority is to become better at baseball. This means that while you ought to be exercising, you have to dedicate the majority of your time on the baseball field practicing your baseball fundamentals.

Myth 2: Pitchers should not lift weights.

Facts: Like myth one, not much could be more wrong. If you are a pitcher who doesn't weight train, then you are going to be beaten more often than not by hitters who do lift weights! Several individuals claim that you will get hurt by lifting weights if you are a pitcher. The fact is though, that weight lifting actually keeps you from getting hurt! This is the reason why most major league pitchers commit to a year-round training program, to keep themselves conditioned for the 200+ innings they will be throwing each year.

Myth 3: Weight training is going to make an athlete a better hitter or a better pitcher.

Facts: You are probably saying to yourself "you just told me that both hitters and pitchers should lift weights but now you're telling me it will not make me a better player?" Yes, I am telling you that lifting weights will not make you a better hitter or a better pitcher...alone. While it is extremely important to incorporate a great weight training program into your workouts, you ought to be practicing your swing or your pitching motion to actually make you a better hitter or pitcher. What I'm trying to say is that you need to be spending at least as much time on the field as you are in the gym. It is all about sticking to a well-balanced workout plan.

Now that we've debunked these common baseball training myths, I hope you will find a way to fine-tune your baseball workouts and training plan to help you become the greatest player you can be!

Are you interested in improving your game and being the best baseball player you can be? If so, check out www.BestBaseballWorkouts.com to find more helpful information as well as baseball workouts and training programs for sale that will take your game to the next level!

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Youth Baseball Training - Three Tips to Increase Baserunning Speed

Youth Baseball Training - Three Tips to Increase Baserunning Speed
By guest author: Jake Wyatt


Youth baseball coaches spend a lot of practice time focusing on batting, throwing, and fielding skills. Speed training often consists of just having the kids run the bases as fast as they can a few times. Coaches that take the time to work with their players on their base running speed will make their teams more competitive.

Here are some specific tips to use to help your players run faster. Working with each player individually to help them increase their speed will have the most benefit, as each player will need different improvements.

1. Arm position. The runner's arm position should be close to the body at a 90 degree angle and about waist high. As the player runs, the arms should be moving front to back. Sideways movements will slow the runner down. The shoulders and hands should be relaxed. Have players practice the correct movements in slow motion until they develop the appropriate muscle memory.

2. Focus. The runner should be looking at his destination, not at the ground in front of him. For baseball players this means the next base. However, the player does need to be aware of what's going on around him, so he doesn't get tagged on the baseline or run into another player.

3. Foot position. Keep runners OFF their heels. The proper foot position for the fastest speed is to land on the ball of the foot and push off, rolling forward to the toes. Professional running shoes have the cleats only on the front of the shoe, because this is where a runner's power comes from.

If a coach spends a few minutes every practice working with his players on their running form, his team will be faster overall. And a faster team wins more baseball games!

In order to be the best possible baseball player, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

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Baseball Training Fundamentals

Baseball Training Fundamentals
By guest author: Wade Lockstock

When you're dealing with baseball training, you have to look at a few factors. For example, how to you hit the ball with the bat? Getting it just right will make or break a team. A good baseball hitter has to have some natural talents, crack the basic skills of baseball and a certain level of confidence.

Natural talent covers the body, having good arms, wrist, hand and the ability to synchronize the ball with the bat. You could have all the natural ability in the world, but if you don't get the fundamental basics down, you won't be a successful hitter. Being self-confident comes from the constant success in hitting the ball with the bat.

Standing correctly is one of the biggest things to get right. You should stand up straight with the body weight being equally distributed on the feet. The feet should be shoulder width apart. When the ball is coming the person should lift up his front foot up a few inches then slide it forward towards the pitcher. The timing has to be just right and your hands should be one on top of the other when swinging the bat.

The bat is held differently for both right and left handed batters. You move you're hands down as you swing the bat. When you hit the ball, then you run to first base.

Running is the easiest step to do. There are all types of running and sliding into the bases. When you run, take one step in front of another keeping balance on both feet. The ball will tell you how far you can run. If the ball runs up the field you can try to get to base 2 or 3. It just depends on how far or short you hit the ball and who catches it.

Having a good pitcher can make or break the team. The pitcher is one of the most important players on the team. He can be of a great uplift when the team is down. You have to be strong and confident. If the pitcher is no good, you can find the team being in last place for the season.

The pitcher should have a good throwing arm. He also has to be able to throw the ball where he wants it to go. The object is to get the ball over the strike zone so that you can get the batter to strike out.

The pitcher needs to be in great shape too. He needs to be calm, cool and confident that he can do his job. No matter what happens the pitcher has to do the best that he can in pitching. Now you know some of the baseball training tips you can use on your next game.

Want All The Baseball Training, Tips And Tricks To Have You Playing Like A Pro? Visit: http://www.baseball-training.org.

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Youth Baseball : Little League Baseball Batting Tips

Youth Baseball : Little League Baseball Batting Tips
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Teaching little league baseball players how to bat requires a great deal of practice, patience and making sure each kid feels comfortable at the plate. Get the most out of your hitters with tips from a professional baseball instructor in this free video on little league baseball batting tips.

Expert: Mickey Hiter
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Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

Series Description: Little league and youth baseball coaching requires a great deal of communication skills, patience and understanding of baseball. Be a great coach and mentor with tips from a professional baseball instructor in this free video series on youth baseball.


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A Monthly Basic Baseball Training Schedule - Our 500th Post

A Monthly Basic Baseball Training Schedule
By Thomas E Wilson

If you intend to make baseball your life and make the big leagues, you really need to practice 365 days a year. We get emails all the time from medical experts explaining how rest days are very important in building muscle, and we could not agree more. When we say practice 365 days a year, we don't necessarily suggest going through a entire training session every day, as that is never healthy. We suggest that each and every day you really should do one thing to improve or practice, even if it is not physical.

You could record a baseball game and then watch it back in slow motion taking note on precisely how different players swing, field ground balls, and so on. You could possibly also read through a book on the subject of baseball tactics. Your opportunities are infinite, but don't forget you shouldn't be laying on the sofa each and every day watching baseball games and expecting to get a lot better. 95 percent of your training should really be physical training. With that being said, below is a basic schedule of what your baseball workouts ought to look like.

January-February: You should be focused on physical fitness all through the first two months of the year. Take advantage of your school's fitness center or work out room if they have one. If you have room in your house, buy one piece of exercise equipment so you can get plenty of exercise at home when ever you want to. A treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike are highly recommended. The second most vital thing is a set of free weights for bench pressing, curls, etc. If you don't have any space in your house for big pieces of equipment, use the cash you would have used and buy a membership to a local gym if you have dependable transportation. Like we say all the time, great players find a way to make things happen. Even if none of the above choices work for you, be ready to go jogging outdoors almost every day, through the rain, sleet, snow, and heat.

March-April: These are the classic "spring training months." Take your fitness training down a level and concentrate on acquiring your baseball techniques back again. Play catch, take ground balls, fly balls, and batting practice practically every day. Don't forget to ease your arm back into throwing slowly and gradually, since the last thing you want right now is an arm injury. Concentrate on form and regaining your technique.

May-October: Time to play some baseball! Continue to keep up mild physical training, but do not forget to conserve the majority of of your energy for the games. Now is your time to show off what you have worked so hard to be able to do!

November-December: Take a well earned break from baseball. As much as all of us enjoy the sport, taking a couple of months "off" is likely to protect against burnout. Still continue healthy and balanced eating and light exercise, but relax and enjoy the holidays. Set your goals and objectives for your baseball workout programs for the new year.

This is the standard training model that we suggest following. Of course, just like all workout programs, you should modify it to accommodate your needs. Additionally, seek the advice of a medical professional prior to getting started with any kind of significant exercise plan. If you ever get frustrated, just remember how you are in control of your future. Make the best of what you're given and work harder than everybody else. The most important thing to bear in mind, is that baseball is enjoyable, and though you need to work hard, keep in mind when you are working your butt off training, how much fun you will have not just playing, but excelling in the game you love!

Are you interested in improving your game and being the best baseball player you can be? If so, check out www.BestBaseballWorkouts.com to find more helpful information as well as baseball workouts and training programs for sale that will take your game to the next level!

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Baseball Coaching Digest: 5 Solid Tips for Taking Your Team From Worst to First in Batting Stats

Baseball Coaching Digest: 5 Solid Tips for Taking Your Team From Worst to First in Batting Stats
By guest author: Nick Dixon

There are five things that I recommend baseball coaches do to improve a team's offensive numbers. These are changes that coaches must put into place if they are looking to take their team to a higher level in hitting statistics. This article explains those five things that I suggest that you make a part of your regular team routine.

Your team can become a better hitting team. I am 100% confident that you can be the reason that your team has a better hitting season this year than last season. The number one thing you must remember is the saying, "Stupidity is never more evident than when a coach has his team do the same thing over, and over and over, but expects different results". If you want your team to be better than they have ever been, you have got to plan, coach, instruct, teacher, work, and organize your practices better than you ever have.

Here are three things I recommend for helping a team become a better hitting team:

1. Change Your Attitude - Teams always emulate the attitude of the coach. If you expect the team to hit better and do all of the work and preparations to do so, then the players will expect better results. Make it known that "thing are changing around here". Make it known that you have a new system, a new approach, and a new commitment to getting the job done at the plate. Let the team know that "everything counts". Every practice swing must be performed, reviewed, assessed, and critiqued. Make it known that every fundamental will be given the attention necessary to make the team better. Sub-par practice will not be accepted. We will practice like we play and play like we practice, with a stated purpose and with total focus.

2. Sense of Urgency - Make sure that your team and staff know that improvement is a must. They must realize that last year's or season's numbers were bad for a reason. Those numbers are unacceptable and unexpected this year. And explain to them that the reason for those bad numbers last season was a lack of work, a lack of commitment, and a lack of performance. The players and staff must realize the importance of making improvements. When a coach becomes better at teaching a skill, the team just got better. When a player becomes more knowledgeable on a baseball task, the team just got better. All players and staff must know that they must be committed to doing more than normal to help the team improve. Players and staff should be willing to stay after practice, come in before practice, or find extra time, outside of team practices, to work and improve on fundamentals. A player must know that the team "chain" is no stronger than the "weakest link". If a player is weak at a particular skill, until that player improves, the team will not be as good as possible.

3. Repetition of Quality Swings - Practice repetition for the sake of practice repetition is useless. Swing the bat is useless if the swing is a bad practice swing of less than game speed or game quality. You team needs to have a commitment to numbers and quality if your team's hitting numbers are going to drastically improve. My "rule of thumb" is that I want every player in my program to take at least 300 practice swing a day. Those swings must be purpose driven with no tolerance for "playing around", "goofing off" or "less than perfect execution". I don't care how the swings are performed. They can be off a batting tee, a training machine, live-arm in the batting cage, or simply a soft-toss drill. The key is to take enough swings every day to allow the player's swing to become instinctive, smooth, and as powerful as possible. The more quality swing a player takes, the more confidence that player will have.

4. Improving Knowledge - To improve quality of play, improved knowledge must take place first. Player must know what a good swing looks like. They must know what makes a stance a good stance. They must know and be able to identify good and bad hitting mechanics and fundamentals. They must hear the correct words and terminology when it comes to instruction, teaching, and practice. A coach must do his homework when it comes to learning the fundamentals of playing and coaching the game. Read books, articles, and everything else that you can get your hands on. Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest or the Baseball Today Coaching Journal to access free drills, tips, and coaching articles. Watch videos on YouTube of batting drills and coaching tips.

5. Truth and Consequences - Never lie to your team. Tell them honestly when a drill is good and tell them when a drill is bad. Have a consequence for poor drill performance. I try to keep my drills and instruction periods short at no than 10 to 15 minutes. But, if a drill is done sloppy or poorly, I have told my team that I reserve the right to always to have the team do a drill over or do a "start over". I want my players to know that we have a commitment to quality not quantity.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and useful. You may read more articles like it at the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. Thanks for reading this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The Baseball2u.com Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. Available now for just $119.95 + S&H.

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. Dixon coaches at Boaz High in Boaz Alabama. Dixon is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and Alabama Baseball Coaches Association.

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 considered an expert in baseball training and skills development. Dixon also serves as an active consultant to baseball equipment companies and other sports product inventors.

Dixon is also a contributing writer for the Baseball Coaching Digest, the baseball Coaching Digest Blog, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest Blog, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics

Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics
By guest author: Nick Dixon

The coaching of baseball pitchers does not require a degree in "pitchingtology". There is no such degree to my knowledge. I just made that up. My point here is that coaching baseball pitching is not rocket science. However, having a basic knowledge of the terms and mechanics is a must. Having a commitment to be attentive to details in instruction and and to have frequent quality practice sessions is a good start toward becoming a coach of a successful pitcher at any level.

Here are the 5 basics elements of pitching success:

1. Beginning with the basics and keeping it simple

Let we first say that one of the basic rules on our high school team is that if you make our team, you are going to pitch. Every player participates in pitching workouts until it is determined that player simply can not help us on the mound. Over the years about 75% of our players pitch at least 10 innings during the season. With that said, I want you to know that my philosophy is to keep the terminology simple, the technique simple, and to make the process of pitching as easy as possible to master.

2. Balance is Key

The first thing we want out kids to understand is the importance of balance. Pitchers must learn to achieve and maintain balance from the start to the finish of their delivery. This is done by learning to keep the weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet. Nothing happens on the heels. Keep head and body movement to a minimum. The head should stay still. This allows the head to stay over the ball of the pivot foot and over the body core or center. Special attention should be directed at eliminating any tendency to lean back, lunge forward, or to arch the back.

3. Knee Lift and Proper Stride Leg Motion

The lifting action of the stride leg should be smooth, straight up, and to a point of perfect balance. Make sure that the leg is not swung. The stride foot should go downward and then out. Many you pitchers want to lead with their hip and this cause major problems. Make sure that the leg action is down and out in smooth path. The stride foot should land on the ball of the foot. The stride should be in a direction with at least part of the foot landing on a straight line toward the catcher. Some pitchers will land more closed and some will land more open. The main point to remember here is consistency. A pitcher must land in the same spot time after time. If the landing spot is all over the place, control problems will be evident.

4. Elbow Dynamics

Much has been written and many studies have been made on the dynamics of the pitching process. To keep it simple, we want the following to occur. When the front foot lands both elbows should be up and even with each other on a direct line. The glove and ball may be above or below the elbow, but both elbows serve to reverse mirror each other. If the front elbow is tucked when the front foot lands, then a problem is evident. Both elbows should be extended away from the body in perfect opposite directions from the body to form a perfect straight line.

5. Late Break of the Hips

What I mean by this term is that we want the weight out and onto the front foot before the hip and trunk rotation occur. This late rotation generates velocity. Early rotation causes the pitcher to throw with all arm and will cause arm problems.

COACHING POINT: Make sure that the pitcher finishes low with the throwing arm finishing outside the stride knee. Many young players want to lock the front leg thus pole vaunting or lifting their body up and over the front foot. The stride leg should bend slightly.

As mentioned before, make sure that the stride foot is not heeling- out or landing on the heel. This is a flaw that causes jar and control problems. Also make sure that pitchers set up on the pitching rubber in the correct location. We want right-handed pitchers on the right of the rubber and left-handed pitchers on the left. This makes the ball more difficult to pick-up by the batter because of the increase in angle. It gives the pitcher more plate to work with.

Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog.

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Beginner Baseball Training Tips For Coaches

Beginner Baseball Training Tips For Coaches
By guest author: Sameep Shah


A proper training and coaching is very important no matter what level of game you need to success at. Therefore you will first have to find a qualified baseball coach who can teach you some essential fundamentals of the sport. If you are looking for some serious training through a professional coach then it is advisable to find a good local instructor or purchase videos and books or even find a reputable baseball institute. If you cannot afford to join the schools then you can read the books about the game or get some good DVDs. You can even find plenty of free information on the internet to help you get going with the game.

As the old saying goes practice makes you perfect, therefore the biggest tip in training would be keep on practicing. You need to focus on just 1 or 2 areas of the game when you are a beginner in the game. You should also work on getting the basics done perfectly for baseball and should bare in mind that the more you practice the better you can be in the game. You can even move further to expand your capabilities to advanced baseball training. One of the best ways to master in the game is to participate in the game. Therefore get yourself playing the game as much as possible. Apart from baseball fundamentals there are also other fields that you should work on.

Strength training - One important thing is to maintain your flexibility and strength when playing baseball. This training will help you avoid injuries and enhance performance.

Mental toughness - You will also have to work on the mental aspects of the game as it is evenly important to be a successful player. This means that you should learn team spirit, to be positive, skill to handle failure and criticism with the right courage. Always make sure the game is fun to play for you as it will keep your courage lasting long and when something negative happens you just shake it off and you are back to the game.

Diet - The diet you intake also plays a crucial role in your baseball training. Apart from strength and exercise training it is also important that you eat healthy. You need to have a balanced diet that includes all the vital vitamins, minerals and proteins.

These are some basic and important fundamentals for beginners that will help you build up as a successful baseball player.

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Baseball Hitting Mechanics 101

Baseball Hitting Mechanics 101
By guest author: Jeffery A Wise


The first thing any baseball player should learn is the proper baseball hitting mechanics. The earlier a player learns these mechanics, the better they will do when they step up to bat. It's not necessary for new players to learn complicated advanced hitting techniques. That will come in time, so they should just focus on the basics until they feel completely comfortable to move on. There are several simple steps you should know for the basic hitting mechanics.


How to stand in the batter's box
Where to look and the best way to position your head
How to position the rest of your body
How to hold the bat
How to swing the bat
When to swing the bat
What to do after you hit the ball

Anyone who loves playing baseball has a desire to be the best they can be, even at an early age. When I was young I asked my parents to buy me several baseball hitting books so I could learn how to be the best. I couldn't wait to crack them open and learn everything possible to improve my hitting.

If you are a parent of a young player, be willing to help your child advance and learn as much as the desire. Take it one step at a time, though, and don't rush them into anything. Some kids will ask a lot of questions, though, so be ready to move fast if necessary. Be prepared to answer any questions they have and help them both on and off the field.

It would be a good idea if you as the parent start studying before they even begin playing. Play to cover one hitting tip with them each week. Be sure they are comfortable before moving on to the next tip.

There are several tools you'll need to start helping a child learn the basic hitting mechanics. You'll need a bat, ball, helmet, tee and a field to practice on. You may want to also keep a notebook handy so you can document the progress of kids you're assisting, whether it's your child or a team of ballplayers.

If you stick to the basics of hitting, children will learn the proper steps necessary to hit a baseball. They must get plenty of practice and their skills are sure to develop. They will be excited as they seem self improvement. Even if a child seems to pick up the basics pretty quickly, they should never stop practicing these hitting mechanics. Even professional baseball players practice them on a regular basis.

Remember that the reason to practice baseball hitting mechanics is to give you skills and talent to become the baseball player you want to be. Download free hitting videos with tips and instructions you need to get started quickly by visiting Baseball Hitting and learn how to hit the baseball better.

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Baseball Coaching and Training Tips

Baseball Coaching Digest: The Perils of Defensive Assumption in Baseball Action by Nick Dixon
Assuming or taking certain things for granted when your team is playing or coaching baseball defense can lead to costly mistakes and could even cause your team to lose. This article outlines three things that coaches and players should never assume when you are coaching or playing baseball defense.

Baseball Coaching Digest: The Perils of Offensive Assumption in Baseball Action by Nick Dixon Coaching and playing baseball requires total mental concentration and focus. One mental thought that has caused many teams to lose in baseball is the thought of assumption. Assumption is defined by the Webster dictionary as the taking of something for granted; something expected. This article explains two types of situations during a game that offensive players must be taught not to make assumptions. This article discusses how coaches should eliminate the perils or dangers of offensive assumption by properly preparing their baseball team in practice.



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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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Core Exercise | Baseball Players | Baseball Training

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Tips to Get Great Teaching Aids to Practice Baseball Techniques

Tips to Get Great Teaching Aids to Practice Baseball Techniques
By Connor R Sullivan

Most young people these days are involved with some sport or another, and to make them better at the game itself they often need something like baseball training aids to bring out their hidden talents. Pitching machines in particular will enable them to hone their skills up to match level and beyond. This is a good way to see if they can carry on with the sport into adulthood and may make them enthusiastic enough to keep on with it until they turn professional.

Indeed, there are so many videos and books out there that show the budding player how to work and improve his skills that it is sometimes hard to know which ones are the best. But people often prefer to have those which are backed by the expert players themselves. These first quality stars of the sport will give some insight into what is needed to make the game easier to be played, and they also know how to psych up the youngster to make them perform better as well.

Imagine a young person looking at his hero on video and having a one on one lesson from this great player. Who could fail to get enthusiastic about the game when all these pointers are being taught so that anyone can improve his game playing tactics? Game techniques and even exercise routines are all par for the course on these videos and they can also be used in a school setting as well as at home.

Special equipment is also advised for those who want to improve their strength and speed on the court or field. Rolling equipment which stretches and strengthens the calf muscles without damaging the knees or joints is ideal. Even specialist shoes which enable the player to jump up to nine inches higher are usually recommended too and this added speed and agility surely brings about a much more confident player all round.

The throwing equipment is great since it enables the player to hone that skill down to a very fine art. It can either be set to throw curve balls, from right or left, or just the same shot over and over until the player is confident that he can handle the ball correctly. Because the machine can be altered at will, this equipment can even be used for children. Since the ball often leaves this machine at about ninety miles per hour, this is a must for any parent who does not want their child to be injured of course.

Of course, the great thing about all this equipment is that it can be used both at home, and in a school or club setting. Because the price has come down so much, even families can afford to put them in the yard for all the family to enjoy and practice their skills.

This works particularly well at family gatherings where the girls can play the boys or moms and dads can have a go too. If the game is introduced in a fun setting then children will certainly form a life long interest for sure.

Connor R. Sullivan owns and operates a top ranking web site to help people find pitching machines to improve their baseball skills. He offers a large selection of baseball training aids for coaches and parents to use for the athletes.

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

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Teaching the Professional Baseball Swing

Teaching the Professional Baseball Swing
Super8Hitting http://www.learnbaseballhitting.com/lcp. Teaching the professional baseball swing with easy to follow baseball hitting videos and drills. Learn to be teaching the professional baseball swing quickly.

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Mark Johnson - Hitting Mechanics

Sam Houston State University's Head Coach, Mark Johnson, Talks About Hitting and His Faith.



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More Effective Baseball Hitting by Better Training Techniques

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Better Baseball Hitting Training Techniques
By Guest Author: 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

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Training Baseball Players - Why Hitting a Small Ball Leads to Big Results

Jugs Small Balls at Baseball2u.com
Small Ball Training for Baseball Players
By Guest Author:John Peter

In all of sports hitting a round ball with a rounded bat is said to be toughest thing to do. It might be true, it might not, but I can tell you that the difference in Major League Baseball between $2 million per year and pumping gas at a Texaco station could be as little as 30 more hits a year. So, it sure is not easy!

Think about that for a second...

500 at bats and 150 hits, and you are hitting .300.

500 at bats and 120 hits, and you are hitting .240 and maybe out of baseball!

So what's my point? THE GAME ELIMINATES US ALL (see the related article of this same title). Some way, some how and some day we are all out of the game. Sometimes it's injury, but more frequently, it's on-field performance. And hitting is the one skill that will keep a position player in the game longest! Whether it is breaking into the starting line-up, the clean-up spot, a travel or High School team, or even a Major League roster, hitters have a way of staying in the game longest! (Remember, there still is a DH for poor-fielding wall-bangers in Big League ball).

Focus Plus Quality Repetitions Equals Success

Can you find ways to make better, solid and more frequent contact with the talent you now possess? You bet you can. It's easier than you think and can be done right in your backyard! Hit a small ball...first with a bat, then with a smaller bat, then do it again and again. It's a simple idea. I hope most readers will agree that this makes sense. ... But lets dig deeper into how and why this works.

I will tell you that it is a baseball truth that if you learn the proper swing mechanics and then simply do it again and again... You become better...period!

Here's Why It Works

1st - Players of all ages can do this though we will be making some adjustments based on age and skill level.

2nd - Hitting requires timing and balance. This is achieved through repetition of proper swing mechanics done again and again.

3rd - Focus heightens when a player is challenged - a smaller ball perhaps struck with a smaller bat will create an even greater amount of focus. Do this again and again...you will see results almost immediately!

4th - Hitting is fun!

Here's How It Works

Your local K Mart or Wal Mart sells golfball sized whiffle balls by the dozen. They also sell broom handles. Get the picture? It stands to reason that if a player can hit a small ball, he certainly can hit a regulation-sized baseball. The same is true with a smaller bat. Start with 2-3 dozen balls and a bat. Throw from 15 to 20 feet depending on the hitter's age and skill level. Even if he struggles in the beginning, watch what happens when he starts connecting. The eyes narrow, the "this is no fun" attitude disappears. In short order, he's taken 50 - 150 swings! This is where progress begins to happen.

Note - If you do this three times or more during the first week especially the day of or the day before a game, you have just raised the hitter's timing and confidence levels tremendously! But if you do it one time only, you or your player may not be motivated enough at this time in the player's development to become a more skilled player or coach. I say this simply because this exercise requires less effort and time than most skill-building exercises that I could possibly invent or teach!

Coaching Tips & Variations

For Younger or Less-Skilled Players - Buy what used to be known as a Fat Albert Bat. It's plastic and about 3 times the diameter of a regulation-sized bat. Cost is less than $5.and is available at a K Mart or Wal Mart type store. It's a great way to build confidence. Players get a kick out of how far they can hit the ball too! Eventually, let them advance to their own game bat.

The Soft Toss Drill - This should be a staple for any team. Simply stated, the "pitcher" kneels about 5 - 7 feet diagonally (a 45 degree angle) to the front side of the hitter and tosses underhanded toward the front hip or thigh area in a small-to-no arc path. This is a great way to get alot of swings without all the bad throws that happen when pitching from longer distances. It saves on the pitching arm as well. The batter takes a minimum of 15-25 cuts. Take a break to retrieve balls when the player's swing begins to get sloppy or his breathing becomes labored.

Note: Pitcher must allow time between pitches for the player to get his bat back to the set position. This is extremely important for his timing as too fast will eventually equal lousy swings and may allow bad habits to invade.

Make It A Challenge & Make It A Game - Look for the fun in any drill. Why be bored or feel like you are working when you don't have to. Here's a few quick , fun ideas...

Batting Average Game - Each player (or if one player, each rack of 20 swings) keeps track of how many good hits during each round of 20. Play it in 6 or 9 "innings"

Total Hits Game - Make each round a continuous total. Again play it in "innings".

http://www.baseballtips.com/

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

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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