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.

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

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Did you have a Johnny Bench Batter-Up Trainer When You Were Young?

The Johnny Bench Batter-up was one of the first serious baseball batting trainer ever. This popular rotational hitting machine was on the market in the late 70's. If you grew up hitting on one, you know the value of the rotational hitting machine. You will glad to know that there is a modern version of these opular trainer, the Derek Jeter Hurricane Machine offers the same benefits and advantages. http://store.baseball2u.com/husotrmajese.html... Visit the Hurricane Machine Training Blog at http://hurricanebaseballtrainingmachine.blogspot.com/... for free training tips, drills and coaching articles.

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Fixing Problems Using Baseball Hitting Aids

Youth Baseball Hitting Aids
By Joseph Harrison Jr

Chief among the positions in baseball is the position of hitter, which is way more complicated to do than most people would assume. Many problems could be said to cause a player to not hit properly, and these problems can be very frustrating until the source of them is discovered. A player's performance can be hindered if they lack proper hitting mechanics, and luckily these problems can be remedied through learning about the human body and with the use of baseball hitting aids.

Focusing way too much on the upper body and neglecting the lower half is a major cause of hitting problems for player of baseball. Learning about your lower body is a must before you can expect to begin hitting the ball correctly.

Attempting to hit the ball without knowing what your lower half is doing, is similar to trying to build a house without establishing a proper foundation, it will fall to the ground.

Shoulder dipping is one of the problems faced by hitters, and it is caused by collapsing of the player's backside. Other issues include hunching out over the plate, and letting your hands extend away from your body during a swing. Every one of these problems can result from not knowing enough about how to position your lower body during a swing.

Shifting your weight onto your back leg before the pitch begins is called loading, and if the weight does not stay on that back leg it could cause a hitting problem. Many hitters naturally shift their hips forward in the direction of the pitched during the beginning stage of their swing, and this issue may be the source of many or all of the problems listed, and this hips shifting problems is called "floating".

The "floating" problem is definitely fixable once the hitter is able to recognize it as a problem. Videos and books are good examples of useful aids, and they can be quite easily found. These aids will help one detect and the fix problems with the lower body during hitting, and then you can focus on the upper body during the swing.

Use of these types of aids can help your coach or yourself recognize which problems your have when you are at bat, and you will soon be hitting better than you had once imagined possible. These books and video hitting aids can easily be found at a local bookstore or library, and if those don't pan out you can find many online sources for aids too.

I am Joseph Harrison, a baseball coach since 20 years ago. I love baseball since I am young, especially the feeling when you know you will absolutely crush the ball. Training your kid to gain interest in baseball will benefit him from both mentally and physically. In with he will gain team spirit, learn how to cope with teammates, and at the same time train up his physical, and concentration (to have good eye and hand coordination and the ability to use both at once). Go through my article and you will know all the benefits of baseball.

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

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