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.

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.

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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


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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

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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

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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.

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Ken Austin
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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

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