Coaching Baseball; Recommended Baseball Articles for Coaches

Coaching Baseball; Recommended Baseball Articles for Coaches


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Have a Great Weekend! Good luck to you and your team if you are playing. Here are some recommended baseball coaching articles for baseball coaches. Nick Dixon
Coaching Little League Baseball - Bad Habits Make For Bad Coaching

Article discusses 10 bad habits of bad Little League Coaches. These bad habits make it impossible for a coach to be an effective coach and role model.


Coaching Youth Baseball - Coaching Your First Baseman

Here are important points and skills that you must teach your First Baseman. Tips cover teaching the proper way to get to the bag, set up to receive the throw and how to stretch.


Baseball Coaching Digest - Stop and See - 1st & 3rd Double Steal Base Running Play

This 1st and 3rd Double Steal Play known as the Stop and See Steal. This play is used by offensive teams to score a runner from 3rd base by stopping the stealing runner short of the bag and tag.


Baseball Coaching Digest - Fake 3rd Out Defensive Trick

The Fake 3rd Out is a trick play ran by defensive teams to trick an unsuspecting base runner. If the base runner is not alert and aware, he may step off the bag and give the defensive team a cheap out to end the inning. Coaches should make their players aware of sure plays and tactics to prevent this trick from happening to their team.


Baseball Coaching Digest - Illegal Use of the Courtesy Runner Rule

Baseball coaches must be alert for one way that opposing offensive teams may illegally use the Courtesy Runner or Speed-Up rule. How does a team illegally use a courtesy runner? Here is the procedure outlined:


Baseball Coaching and the Importance of Goals For Team and Player Motivation

There are very few volunteer jobs more challenging, time-consuming or rewarding than being a coach in your local league. There are many four letter words used by coaches that I can not use here. Here I want to discuss the 4 four-letter words that can and will determine the amount of success a coach has during the coming season. The four words are Goal, Plan, Work and Time.




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4 Baseball Pitching Drills For Little League Players

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4 Baseball Pitching Drills For Little League Players
By Nick Dixon
Teaching, training and developing young baseball pitchers takes a lot of time, patience, and practice repetition. Many young pitchers need to practice pitching skills daily. To keep the interest level high, it is best to use a variety of drills on alternate days to prevent boredom. Here are 4 baseball pitching drills that can be used to train youth and beginner pitchers.

Drill #1 - Up & Out Foot Drill Objective - To help pitchers perfect the proper back leg action. The purpose of this drill is to stop foot drag and prevent over striding.

Equipment Needed - A brick, block or wood or other suitable object. The object will be placed at a location just in front of the pivot foot of the pitcher. The pitcher will be working out of the stretch. The pitcher should be reminded to roll and pick his back foot up so that it clears the object.

Procedure - The pitcher throws using his normal motion and delivery. If the pitcher fails to clear the object, then his back foot is "dragging" or he is over striding. Young pitchers should be coached to step out of the "hold" and up and over the block.

Drill #2 - Dot Spot Drill Objective - The purpose of this drill is to build confidence, to teach young pitchers to hit their spots and to teach young pitchers to have great control.

Equipment Needed - Good balls, Catching equipment, and glove.

Procedure - The catcher has 4 dots on his gear. The 4 dots or spots are different colors or they each have a number on them. The dots are taped to each knee on the shin guards and one to the left shoulder and right shoulder. The catcher or coach calls a color or a number. The pitcher must hit the dot called. The pitcher has 6 pitches to hit all 4 of the dots. All dots should be called in different orders each time. If the pitcher fails to hit 4 dots correctly, the pitcher must do 10 push ups. Two pitchers can compete to see which finishes first. The dots may be placed lower on the catcher to stress keeping the ball low or down in the zone.

Drill #3 Long Toss - Power Building Drill - Pitchers should long toss several times a week to build strength and endurance. The two players should warm-up as usual and then move back a few steps after each 4 throws. Pitchers should be able to increase their strength and extend their distances within weeks. Pitchers of all ages should work out to a distance at least 3 times their normal pitching distance. Some coaches allow players to "crow hop" at the farthest distances. That is up to you.

Drill #4 - Front Side Drill Objective - This drill is used to teach and reinforce the proper front shoulder action during delivery.

The drill is performed as the pitcher kneels on the pivot-leg knee. The pitcher will begin the drill with the throwing arm in the "T -position" and the stride foot aimed at the plate. The pitcher begins the throwing motion by pulling and tucking his front arm and glove. At the same time he is bringing his throwing arm and shoulder around and toward the plate. The drill should be performed many times to give the pitcher the feel of proper mechanics and front shoulder movement. The front elbow should be used as the guide for the front side. The glove should be extended out and tucked as the pitcher rolls his lead shoulder and pulls it in. This deceptive move is used to distract and deceive batters. The drill should be finished with the throwing arm in proper finish position outside the stride leg knee.

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

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

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Over-training: Are We Playing TOO Much?

Article Title: Over-training: Are We Playing TOO Much?
By Steve Zawrotny

Perhaps you have heard of a concept leadership and
management guru Stephen Covey calls 'Sharpening the
Saw.' While he was aiming this idea to the business
world, it has applicability to those who coach and play sports
as well.

Basically, the concept goes like this:

Don't get so busy sawing that you forget to sharpen the saw.

What happens to the saw while you are sawing?

It gets dull.

What happens when your saw becomes dull?

You can still saw, but the process becomes much less
effective. The work is harder and takes longer - you just
don't saw as well.

To bring this back to baseball and softball, I've noticed a
trend that is not new, but may well be developing into a
problem. The situation is the growing proliferation of travel
teams at all age levels at nearly all times of the year.
While things do slow down a bit in areas of the country
with cold winters, in many places, baseball and softball are
becoming nearly a year round activity.

First, there is the normal spring ball season. Practice for
this may begin in January or February (in some places, even
earlier), with games beginning in late March. The season
continues until June, then summer league begins. This
typically will run into August, and then school starts again.

In many areas of the country, this means Fall league ball.
Practice for this often begins in August, and the Fall season
can run into late October.

So, you have 10 or so months of 'sawing' with young ball
players, leaving perhaps two months to 'sharpen the saw.' I
wonder if this is enough time for players to work on new skills
development, along with appropriate strength and conditioning.

No doubt that the best way to improve in baseball and softball
is to play a lot. This is why many of the best (but not all!)
players come from warm weather states - CA, TX, FL and
others. They simply have better weather allowing them to
play and practice more.

But is there a point where the returns for all these games and
travel diminish? Where it's time to stop and take some time
to 'sharpen the saw?' I think there is. Consider the major
league season: April - September, then the playoffs. Two
teams go all the way to the World Series in October.

Therefore, the vast majority of big leaguers are playing
about 5 months (admittedly, a LOT of games), not counting
Spring training (pre season). And there are various winter
leagues that certain players participate in for additional skill
development.

But, while playing a lot of games in a relatively short
period of time is physically demanding, the big boys
have a LOT of down time with which to recover or
Sharpen the Saw.

I submit that coaches and parents need to consider this
idea carefully. It is well known that acquiring a new skill
takes time, and that there is usually a decrement in
performance as one learns and implements a new skill.
That's why it's usually best to not make any major mechanical
adjustments during the regular season. And, with all the
games and practices during the regular season, coaches
know it's tougher to provide a lot of individual attention to
their players.

This is becoming more apparent by the increasing number
of questions I get about how to implement a good all
around Strength & Conditioning program during the season.
Or how to fit in arm strength or bat speed workouts between
games and practices. It can be done, but it's not easy.

Here are some key points to consider:

1) In what areas does your player(s) need to improve?
Prioritize them.

2) Take the first priority (let's say it's running speed
improvement) and make it the first thing to work on
after any skill work for that day. Skill work requires more
precision as it is performed. For this to be most effective,
one should not be tired or the skill work can suffer.

3) If your player has multiple areas where they need
to improve, consider taking some time off from all the
playing and games. Will missing Summer or Fall ball
really hurt you, considering you'll be working on new
skill development, along with S & C?

4) This brings us to the idea of 'active rest.' The
athlete remains physically active, but in some other sport
or activity than baseball or softball. Sort of the 'cross
training' concept, which allows the ballplayer to recover
physically and mentally from their regular routine. As long
as the ball player is staying active, most any activity will
suffice.

Here's a basic format for a well rounded off-season S & C
workout:

M - Strength, Flexibility work

T - Power work, Flexibility, Energy System conditioning

W - S, F

TH - P, F

F - S, F

Sat - ES, F

Do any hitting or pitching mechanical work before these
workouts, e.g., skill work in the AM, S & C work in the PM.

5) Let the energy level of your player(s) be your guide.
If s/he is having fun, is full of energy and enthusiasm about
their workouts, is not feeling unduly sore, etc., then let them
go. On days they may be feeling tired and worn down, it's
time for a day off. Just pick up at the next day's workout -
don't worry about making up for the missed work.

Remember, everyone needs to stop and 'Sharpen the Saw'
at some point. If it means not playing as many games in
order to do so, so be it. The idea of taking one step back in
order to more quickly take two steps forward is very legitimate
and worth making a part of your player development program.

Steve Zawrotny, MS, CSCS
405.373.3253
steve@baseballfit.com
FREE REPORT: "Harmful Resistance Exercises Baseball/Softball Players Should Avoid"
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Zawrotny

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Youth Baseball Coach - The 12 Commandments of Little League Baseball Coaching Success

Article Title: Youth Baseball Coach - The 12 Commandments of Little League Baseball Coaching Success
By Nick Dixon

Being a good head coach for a Little League Baseball Team or any youth baseball team requires certain skills, character traits, knowledge, and a high sense of commitment and dedication. There are certain rules and guidelines that every Little League Coach should always remember. I feel that there are 12 guidelines, the "commandments" that are required to establish a good learning atmosphere and true team unity.

Youth Baseball Coach: The 12 Commandments of Coaching Little League Baseball

1. I shall always consider the safety and welfare of my players to be my utmost responsibility when we are playing and practicing.

2. I shall treat every player fairly and show no favoritism. I want my players to have faith and trust in me. I want them to know I care.

3. I shall display good sportsmanship at all times. I will not display any behavior that would be a poor role model for my players.

4. I shall always be the first person to get to practices and games and the last to leave.

5. I shall never leave a player or players alone after practice. I will wait for a parent or guardian to arrive and pick them up.

6. I shall plan and organize every practice. Every player will have an assigned place and activity. Idle time is wasted time. Every minute will be valued and used wisely.

7. I shall make doing things right a priority. When it comes to practice repetitions, quality will be valued over quantity. I feel that 5 good practice swing performed properly do more good than 25 sloppy swings with incorrect fundamentals.

8. I shall be honest to myself, my players and my parents. I will always tell my players the truth. Telling misleading or false information is not acceptable.

9. I shall maintain the needed degree of team discipline to foster athletic improvement and growth. I must teach my players the value of self discipline in baseball and team sports.

10. I shall teach my players to respect all persons of authority and adults including myself. I will require that they show that respect to all parents, coaches, umpires, and league volunteers.

11. I shall learn the knowledge necessary to perform my coaching duties. That knowledge will include the rules of baseball, the fundamentals of baseball, and the proper techniques of baseball training, baseball instruction, and baseball coaching.

12. I shall always remember that I have a duty greater than the coaching of baseball. I have a responsibility to help each player learn the proper values and priorities that they should have in life. I will seek to help each player achieve to his or her maximum potential as both a player and a person.

I hope that this article was informative and useful to you. I would like to personally thank your for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

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



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How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics

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Article Title: How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics
By Nate Barnett

I'm sure you know from experience that hitting a baseball consistently for any length of time is one of the most difficult and frustrating things to do in sports. There are two areas of your overall baseball preparation you'll need to develop on a regular basis if you want the most consistency possible as a competitive athlete - the mental game of baseball, and proper hitting mechanics. If you're interesting in learning more about baseball psychology there are quite a few resources online as well as my blog. This article is reserved for teaching a little on the topic of hitting mechanics.

I get the chance to work with dozens and dozens of athletes individually each year. It's truly a rewarding experience much of the time, though at times it can be extremely frustrating to see such talented athletes fail to put in the necessary work to achieve some consistency in their swing. I never have a tough time getting the athletes to work hard when I work with them in the cage. It's when athletes have to motivate themselves to work outside of their practice days when their work habit breaks down.

In order to become a highly consistent and effective hitter, I prescribe the following "medicinal procedure" to be used away from practice:

1. Dry Drills: These are hitting mechanics related drills that are meant to reinforce muscle memory. It is impossible to only put in two to three days on a specific hitting technique and make it stick long-term. The problem you'll run into is that during a game your focus will be placed on the pitcher and not your mechanics. If you have failed to put in the necessary time to build quality muscle memory, you'll revert back to the problems you were initially trying to fix.

2. Mental Rehearsal: The mind is a powerful tool for good or evil. When you use your mind for positive imagery or visualization you will increase your effectiveness as a hitter. If your mind pollutes your body with thoughts of failure, your body will respond in a negative way. Lack of confidence and fear can destroy a good hitter. To make sure you are conditioning your brain in the right way, it's highly important that you replay mental video clips of yourself succeeding offensively. This is easy to do, many of you do it all day long in other areas. Sometimes your mind wanders in church or school and you lose focus as to what is occurring around you. If you can slip into this mode and daydream about your performances, you can truly become a master of the mental game of baseball.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball. His website is devoted to teaching the mental game of baseball and hitting mechanics. After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career.

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

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Baseball Speed - The 60 Yard Dash is Different Than Stealing Second Base

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By Thurman Hendrix

Although it is very obvious that running a 60 yard dash is different from attempting to steal second base, I often wonder if players understand the differences between the two. Actually, based on my experience with training baseball players to improve their speed, I am fairly confident that most do understand the differences, but fail to make any changes in their strategy when it comes to running their 60 yard dash.

Although every scout or coach may assess the 60 yard dash utilizing different rules, the following are the most popular:


The runner must start in a traditional steal-start position.
The time will begin based on when the runner makes their first movement.

Therefore, it is usually understood that the total distance between a 60 yard dash (180 feet) and stealing second base (under 90 feet after taking a lead-off) is different. However, the most important thing to understand is that you cannot get picked-off when running a 60 yard dash and the only thing that you'll need to worry about is running forward (to your right) and not backwards (to your left).

Even though the rules of a 60 say that players must start in a traditional steal-start stance, they do not say exactly what that entails. The only thing that distinguishes a baseball start from, say a track start, is that in baseball the player starts sideways to where they are running (second base). The player uses this type of start because in a game they have to be prepared to move in either direction. Therefore, in a 60 yard dash, as long as the runner starts sideways to where they are asked to go, they will most likely resemble a traditional baseball start and usually will not be called out for cheating.

With that being said, here are a few changes that should be incorporated into your 60 yard dash start:


The front (right) foot should be pulled back so that the back foot is able to move directly towards the target and not have to go around the front foot.
The front (right) toes should be turned out more so that the runner could push-off immediately and not have to turn it any more upon first movement, wasting valuable time.
The arms should be switched so that the right arm is loaded and ready to fire.

Remember, in a 60 yard dash time usually starts on your first movement. Therefore, you should immediately cover ground and eliminate any movement that simply gets you ready to run.

To learn how to improve your 60 yard dash and baseball specific speed visit: http://www.60yarddash.com

Thurman Hendrix is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and specializes in training athletes. As a former pro baseball player he will help you increase speed in a very short amount of time.

This article may be published on your web sites or other electronic publications assuming it is used in its entirety. The resource box, copyright info, and all references must also be included and all hyperlinks must be HTML clickable.

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

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2010 DeMarini Baseball Bat Lineup - It Cant Get Any Better Than This!

Baseball Batting Trainer by SKLZ - Derek Jeter Series

Article Title:

2010 DeMarini Baseball Bat Lineup - It Cant Get Any Better Than This!
By Jeff Heitz

2010 Vexxum
It's back. The original DeMarini Bat that Bends. Hitters get to enjoy the longest barrel in baseball as The Vexxum is made of the SC4 Aluminum, giving it the Long Barrel technology that hitters love! The N2M End-Cap and C6 Composite handle are scientifically designed to maximize handle performance with optimal flex, making contact even more punishing.

2010 Voodoo Black
It's Back and More wicked Than Ever!
The Voodoo Black has some big time new features this year. That's right. Featuring a Pitch Black Plus Composite Handle that features Silver Trace Technology. This new technology adds strength and improves power transfer to the barrel of the bat. Combined with a thickness tuned SC4 Alloy Aluminum barrel, the Voodoo is redefined and ready to continue the onslaught.

2010 Vendetta
Step up to the plate and settle the score with this bad boy!

Four years of hard work and development has produced a work of art. We've brought out the reinforcements in our two-piece handle system, featuring a sick vibration-killing core complemented by our exclusive Rails technology. The Vendetta has a 12% stronger SC4 Alloy barrel. This can only mean a huge sweet spot game after game, putting you the best of both worlds - big time power and a super comfortable feel!

2010 Vendetta C6
Killer Composite Bat!

That's right,the all new Vendetta C6. The barrel is made of C6 composite with a wider and stronger weave providing one powerful single wall composite bat. Oh yeah, and it still has the Rails Hybrid Handle with a vibration dampening inner core and a Rails reinforced outer frame.

2010 M2M
So you like heavy metal?
Introducing the all new revolutionary M2M. DeMarini's first ever 2-piece aluminum baseball bat providing both the stiffest and most responsive barrel. Constructed of a SC4 Aluminum barrel and M2M handle, the M2M will deliver power swing after power swing.

2010 CF4
Wicked Power with a big time barrel!
The all new CF4 Black is here with a vengeance. With an 11% longer and stronger double composite barrel, the CF4 Black is our most technologically advanced bat. The redesigned end cap known as The Hub, adds the power, better feel, and provides a sweet sounding bat. When you add all the totals up on this one, you get one rump stompin bat.

2010 CF3
Bad Man Strong!
Pretty darn hard to believe that it could get any better, but it did. A Pitch Black Double Wall Composite barrel featuring two independent Pitch Black composite walls with the thinnest layer and tightest weave possible creates an even more dynamic springboard hitting surface. Pitch Black Handle with an exclusive composite material and weave creates the strongest handle with optimum flex. So what does all that mean? Bombs away baby! Big bombs away!

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


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Miken Baseball Bat Review

Baseball Batting Trainer - Derek Jeter Series

By R. Nelson

Before I start with the baseball bat review, let's begin with the name. Miken is a combination of the names of its two founders, Mike and Ken. I had always thought it was the name of a well known softball player.

Miken was founded in 1997 as a manufacturer of composite golf club shafts and soon began manufacturing softball bats with its composite material. They expanded into baseball bats and continue to manufacture composite only bats.

In 2004 Miken was purchased by K2 (the ski company) which also owns the Rawlings and Worth brands. There's no doubt Miken composite material is now well integrated into Rawlings and Worth bats. I'm sure most of the bats of each brand are identical except for the name on the paint. This now explains why Worth has the most over hyped spin on their bats, remember RAV? Worth is on the bottom of K2's totem pole and the writers must be out of material by then.

Anyway, Miken manufactures decent bats but there are better options in the marketplace. You won't see many Miken bats in the hands of baseball players at any age level. So you might feel lonely if you own one. Here's what they offer:

100% Composite:

- Heat: 100% composite, one piece bat with a stiff or flex handle. Miken has taken the lead from Easton and is wise to offer an option on the handle. Unfortunately, this bat is priced too high in my opinion. It retails for $379 putting it in the Stealth IMX/Synergy category, and the Stealth IMX/Synergy is a proven commodity.

- Torch: 100 % composite, one piece bat with a stiff handle. This bat retails for $299. I like the Louisville Omaha Comp in this composite price range, as it's also a proven commodity.

- Burn ESD - Miken also produces the Burn ESD, but it seems to be on the discount rack. I do not recommend it.

As mentioned, there's nothing wrong with a Miken bat except there are better options in the marketplace. Go with the other options.

To see baseball bat reviews of other manufacturers and a lot more baseball bat information visit Baseball Bat Reviews

http://www.baseballbatreviews.ruqqa.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R._Nelson


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Hitting Drills For Baseball - How to Perfect Your Hitting Skills in Baseball

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Hitting Drills For Baseball - How to Perfect Your Hitting Skills in Baseball
By Carolyn Anderson

Hitting the baseball correctly is indeed an essential skill for baseball players. For all of us who loves to watch baseball, we often equate superb batting skills to being a good baseball player. Of course, as an essential skill in the sport, hitting the ball is one skill that all baseball players should master.

Although different individuals may have their own techniques in hitting the ball, it is however important to learn the correct way of doing it right from the start so you won't end up correcting a bad habit that is hard to straighten out later. Aside from learning the correct way of hitting the ball in theory, it is also important to have some hitting drills for baseball to help you practice what you know and help you body master the skills needed in hitting the ball nicely.

Keep in mind that making yourself a good batter in baseball is a combination of having a correct and good grip, an athletic and balanced stance and of course, the right swing. To help you practice these important skills, it is also important to condition your mind and body to be able to master this skill well. Here are some hitting drills for baseball to help you improve your batting and your performance in every game as well.

The Power Bat

One of the hitting drills for baseball that you can make use in improving your batting is the power bat drill. What you will do in this drill is to practice on an object heavier than a baseball. This drill aims to help you increase your power through the point of contact, and not decrease the speed of your swing as soon as it comes in contact with the ball.

The Chair Drill

As the name suggests, this hitting drill uses a chair to help you see the importance of your hands to the ball. By sitting down on a chair while hitting the ball eliminates movements on the lower body and helps you concentrate on your hand. You can ask a practice partner to throw a ball on your hitting zone while you will try to hit the ball as flat as you can focusing on your wrist action.

The Vision Drills

One of the hitting drills for baseball includes the vision drills which help in improving your reflexes to the ball as well as preparing your vision for the real game. This drill is usually done by using differently colored balls and hitting each color depending on the instructions given with them. Say, you have red, blue and yellow colored balls and you assigned red to be the balls you should hit, the yellow ones you should take. Indeed, vision drills will help sharpen your mind and your eyes and in dealing with pitching in the real game.

These are just three hitting drills for baseball, but there are still a lot you can do to improve your hitting skills. And of course, you have to keep in mind to concentrate and focus while in the game as well. Tension can be devastating to your hitting the ball also.

Carolyn Anderson is a sports lover and loves to learn some new sports and interests now and then. To help you master a superb batting, check out Parker Training System Manual. Also check out Youth Soccer Power Unleashed, a step-by-step training program to help you make your kids learn soccer and enjoy it.

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Benefits of Portable Batting Cages

www.BattingCagesDirect.com





By Jason Gluckman

Many advanced baseball and softball teams use portable batting cages to ensure adequate training while on the road. Just like standard batting cages, portable models act as a virtual catcher, helping to control the movement of baseballs and softballs. With batting cages, teams can focus less on chasing down errant balls, and more time fine-tuning their batting skills.

Portable batting cages hold many advantages over other types, including standard indoor and outdoor models. Portable batting cages can be used for baseball or softball teams traveling from field to field, as well as for families who pursue outdoor activities and who like the flexibility that portable batting cages offer. Portable batting cages are functional and convenient because of their capacity to be dismantled and stored when not in use.

In addition, portable batting cages can be purchased at a variety of prices, which correspond to various sizes and styles. Portable batting cages vary in price. The difference in price is usually determined by the size of the overall batting cage (by frame length, width, and height) and the type and quality of the netting. For schools or teams planning to use their batting cages frequently, it would be beneficial to purchase the most durable quality available. For a family who might not use their batting cage on a regular basis, but who likes to have it from time to time, it would be less important to have an expensive, high-quality cage.

Portable batting cages can provide many years of use with minimal maintenance. Seldom do cages require major overhauling. Batting cage equipment can be purchased conveniently at a hardware or sporting goods store, as well as online. With very little upkeep, portable batting cages can provide years of use and enjoyment.

Batting Cages Info provides detailed information about batting cage equipment and indoor, outdoor, portable, and tunnel batting cages for sale. Batting Cages Info is the sister site of Trampolines Web.

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Baseball & Softball Swing Training - Is Muscle Memory a Myth?

By Todd Thomas

Exactly what is muscle memory and how do you create it for a specific thing you want your body to learn to repeat? The term muscle memory is thrown around so loosely, but do those who use the term really know what muscle memory is and how to create it? So many have just heard the term and simply repeat it because it sounds good. First off let me ask, do your muscles really have cognitive power in and of themselves? Do our muscles have brain cells embedded in them? I think even those who throw the term around as if they really understand it would even admit the simple answer to that question. That answer being No. Our muscles do not have the ability to remember anything. So where does the term muscle memory come from and how does one actually create it?

Muscles really only have two capabilities. They can either be constricted(to varying degrees) or they can be relaxed. That's it. So again, where does this "muscle memory" come from? Well, it's really BRAIN memory. The brain is what is really "remembering" moves or has the "memory" of certain performed activities. The brain sends electrical impulses to the muscles causing them to either be constricted or relaxed in order for the body to perform what it is being asked to do. So it's really the brain that needs to be programmed for memory of desired muscle movement not the muscles themselves. They just perform what the brain tells them to.

So with this in mind that we really need to train the brain not the muscles in order to learn and repeat a desired athletic move, that begs the question of exactly how to do it. To understand the answer, just think about the sensory inputs that the brain receives in order to learn. Yes, the senses...Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Feel(Touch). And of course, that sixth sense, Emotion. The two most important here for programming "muscle memory" is sight and feel. Sound or Hearing factor in here too from the instruction of what a coach may be telling a player to do, but hearing by simply being told how to perform an athletic move is a far distant second(if you will) behind sight and feel in training the brain for muscle memory.

It is important for a player to "feel" what they are doing in their swing. Feeling the swing as a whole and feeling what different body parts or muscles groups are doing is a powerful step forward for any player. The ability to feel the "hands" for instance and how they are working in the swing is important. Knowing where they(the hands in this example) are at each moment of the swing is important. "Feeling" where they are and feeling what they are doing IS KNOWING their performance in the swing. I tell students a lot to draw their attention to a certain body part and to "pay attention" to what that part is doing in their swing. Paying attention to it(whatever it is) is to "observe" it without trying to change it. Pay attention or observe it as I, the instructor, am observing it. Feeling is important and is a powerful way to make mechanical changes or adjustments and to promote muscle memory.

Then there is sight. Baseball and softball players being able to see themselves and what they are doing, be it in a mirror or on video is extremely important as well. Seeing what they are doing helps them to feel what they are doing. However, the players seeing what they are doing is not the only important visual sensory input to the brain that will help develop the much desired muscle memory. It is also extremely valuable for players to take in the visual input of other players they want to emulate by watching video of that player(s) over and over and over perform at their best(or performing their best swing). Don't sell the value of this short. I'm telling you, it is a scientifically proven fact that watching the best players perform at their best is a great(and in many ways untapped) way to train a player's brain in their desired athletic endeavor. Remember, it's the brain that is trained for "muscle memory" not the muscles themselves. The brain stores and recalls this information to send to a player's muscles when it is time to perform. Does just watching a little bit of video do it? No. It should be a regular "practice" of a player wanting to train their muscle memory. Just like physical practice isn't a one time(or few times) thing either. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

Oh yea, that brings me to physical REPETITION. Physical repetition of course is critical. Does physical repetition train the muscles? No. It trains the brain on the impulses necessary to send to the muscles to perform the desired athletic activity.

So technically, muscle memory is a myth. It's the brain that one needs to train to perform the desired muscles memory. Remember that!

Todd Thomas is a Baseball Coach and Professional Hitting Instructor for Mike Epstein Hitting. Coach Todd's personal hitting website is http://www.HitItHere.net. Coach Todd also enthusiastically endorses http://PlayMyBestBaseball.com as a place where baseball and softball hitters can master the Confidence, Composure, Focus and Consistency of their game so they can reach their full potential.

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HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds.

3 Reasons the Jugs Lite Flite Pitching Machine Will Improve Your Team's Hitting

Jugs Lite Pitching Machine

3 Reasons the Jugs Lite Flite Pitching Machine Will Improve Your Team's Hitting
By James Quick

The Jugs Lite Flite Pitching machine has so many great features for youth teams and adults it should be a part of every team's standard equipment. It throws special lite flite balls that are more light weight than regular balls. It is the perfect machine for kids because the balls will not cause serious injury if anyone especially a child is hit.

The number one reason for using this machine especially with children is that it will get them in shape for the baseball season. It will throw fastballs, curve balls, and other types of balls for the ultimate in batting practice. It will switch between right and left hand pitches to get your batters ready for just about anything.

This machine works great to train fielders too making this reason number two. The machine will swivel 360 degrees so you can throw to anyone out on the field and give them a great workout practice. The balls can be thrown anywhere from 30 to 50 miles per hour, but remember the balls are lighter so they only hurt a little bit when they hit you. There won't be any broken bones or bruises.

The third reason for teams to get this machine is that it adjusts to softballs and baseballs and can be calibrated for older kids. This machine will last and grow with the team. You can also purchase a battery so you don't have to plug the machine in and it can be used just about anywhere. It doesn't weight much so even the kids on the team can take it apart and carry it around. They can carry it in the easy to handle carrying bag that comes with the machine.

Any baseball teams can take their hitting and fielding skills to the next level and benefit from the Jugs Lite Flite Pitching Machine. The variable speed settings make it great for all ages but knowing how safe and accurate it is will also make parents feel better and secure.

Give Yourself an Unfair Advantage Over the Competition

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Baseball Coaching Digest - The Three Best Slides in Baseball and 3 Coaching Tips For Teaching Each

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By Nick Dixon

Baseball sliding is an important skill for baseball players to master. It is every baseball coaches responsibility to teach every player how to slide safely. Every player should know the different kinds of slides and when each type slide is used. This article explains the three safest types of baseball slides and gives coaching points for each.

Sliding is difficult to practice. I can be relatively to easy teach if the coach knows how to properly execute each slide. Until players have a chance execute slides repetitively, they do not gain the confidence they should have to use the slides in a game. The best ways to practice baseball sliding if you do not have a slide practicing mat, is to wet the grass, use nylon cloth or card board on gym floors, or practice sliding in soft loose dirt.

There are a couple of basic safety points that should be remembered when executing all baseball slides. You must start the slide at least four steps from the bag. Sliding late is a commonly cause of ankle and leg injury. Keeping the hands high also prevent injury to hands, fingers and wrist.

Pop-Up or Stand-Up Slide - This slide is the safest and most popular sliding technique. It offers one definite advantage over other slides. The pop-up slide allows runners to advance more easily should an errant throw be made by the defense.

Three coaching points for the stand-up slide:

1. The left leg is bent and is under the right leg. The right leg is extended and it should be slightly bent.
2. The runner slides evenly on both lower cheeks of his rear end or on both back pockets.
3. The runner should adjust the slide path according to the position the fielder has assumed and where the tag glove is likely to be placed. The runner can touch the bag with his foot going directly into the bag or with a hand if the runner slides away from the bag.

Hook Slide - The hook slide is so named because of the "bent or hooked" positions of the legs during the slide and the fact that the bag is "hooked" or tagged with the back foot. The slide can to the right or left of the bag as the play requires.

Three coaching points for the "Hook" slide are:

1. The runner slides on one hip pocket or the other. The body is tilted during the slide. The body should be titled toward the side of the bag on which the slide is being made.
2. The bag is tagged with the back foot.
3. The hook slide is often used by runners attempting to break up a double play. It is also a good slide to use when trying to avoid an awaiting tag by the defender.

Reach-Around or Decoy Slide - The decoy slide is the most difficult to tech, learn, master and practice. It is a slide used when the ball beat the runner to the bag by 5 steps. The decoy slide is used to fool or trick the player making the tag. The sliding runner will fake tagging the bag with one hand and use the other hand to reach around the tag. The decoy is used only as a "last resort" to try avoiding a tag when the runner find himself "dead-to-rights" and sees the ball and tag waiting on him.

Three coaching points for the "Decoy" slide are:

1. The decoy slide must be started earlier than other slides.
2. The decoy slide should be made some distance away from the bag. The distance should allow the runner to reach the bag with both hands. The distance should require the fielder to reach way from the bag to make the tag. This reaching motion gives the runner a spot to avoid and reach around. The secret is to "sucker" the defender with one hand, then withdraw that hand, and reach around the tag with the other hand avoiding a tag and reaching the bag safely.
3. The sliding technique used at the beginning of the slide is the "stand-up" slide.

Note: I intentionally did not list the "head first" slide in this article. It is illegal in most leagues. It is a slide that is considered the most dangerous and risky. It has been the cause of many serious injuries. Coaches should consider the liability risk before teaching it as a method of sliding. I personally recommend to my players that they do not slide head first.

I hope that you found this article useful and informative. Thanks for taking the time to read this article. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

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. Coach 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 also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, 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, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Bat Rolling - The Process

HandsBackHitter.com

By Kirk Cameron

The Equipment

As I have written before, bat rolling is really not that complicated. There is however differences in the process. A machine is used, that consists of some very hard rubber, or very rigid nylon rollers. These rollers are from 5 to 7 inches in length. They are fixed to a steel shaft, and the shafts are inserted and secured in heavy sealed bearings. They a re then bolted into some type of an adjustable clamping devise.

What Happens

Your composite bat is inserted between the rollers and secured into the clamping devise. Then in a series of clamping the bat harder and turning the rollers to rotate the bat the bat is compressed to the desired amount by the person you have trusted your bat to. This releases the fibers in the bat lamination's and in turn accelerating the break in process of your bat. Which of course is the objective. If done correctly your bat should perform up to the factory specifications. So you can now get the most from your bat in a short period of time.

Is there a differences

Not all the people rolling bats out there use the same methods or the same rolling devices. There are differing views on both. Some say the bat should be rolled both parallel and perpendicular to the bat barrel, and some say only parallel is necessary. Most agree that parallel rolling gives the most uniform and consistent release of the composite bat fibers. Some also have differing opinions on which type of material the rollers are made of to get the best outcome from the process. Either the very hard rigid nylon, or the hardened rubber. As far as I have been able to ascertain, though the equipment may be a little different the process they use is pretty much the same. That is because that is what the instruction booklet that came with their machine told them how to to it. I however take a very different, more exacting, scientific approach to the rolling process.

The Precision Method

From my experience in machine repair, and high performance motorcycle engine building, I have developed a very precise and much more accurate method of rolling your composite bat. I use specialized equipment to measure the amount of pressure applied to the bat surface, as well as the amount of compression of the bat barrel surface. This allows me to make sure you get the ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE from your bat because I know exactly what is being done during the rolling process

What Special Equipment

To measure the amount of pressure being applied to the bat surface I use an inch pound torque wrench. This has an analog (or dial) indication display, which give me direct and precise pressure measurements, because it measures the pressure per square inch of surface area. To measure the amount of deflection(or compression) to the barrel surface I use an analog (or dial) micrometer. This measures in 1/1000 ths of an inch increments. You can't get much more precise than that.

So What

Not all composite bats are made the same, which I am sure you are well aware of. Some are more rigid and some more flexible. Some bat barrels are much thicker and respond differently when compressed. This also holds true for the different materials used to construct the bat. There is a great amount of differing science used to construct a bat because the manufactures want their bat to stand out from the rest. Naturally they want you to buy their bat. Price also determines how the bat is made and the materials used. Differing science also has to be used when rolling a bat. A whats good for one is good for all approach cannot be taken. You have to know exactly how the bat is responding to the amount of pressure being applied, and how much pressure to apply to get it to respond the way you want it to. If you don't, you are just guessing, and you don't want that.

Show Me

Lets say I am rolling a bat and have applied pressures of 5, 12, and 22 inch lbs to the bat, and have rotated the bat between the rollers 15 times at each pressure. From my readings I know the bat has been compressed 200/1000 of an inch (or 1/5") in the process. I have also done this to another bat but it has only compressed 150/1000 of an inch. You can see that the bat that reached 150/1000 of an inch would probably have a thicker barrel construction or be made of a more rigid material. This information tells me that I have to make adjustments to the process if I am going to get the best performance from the bat. I may have to go slower and through more rolling progressions with one bat than the other to attain my objective. Of course the bat rolling techniques I use are much more involved than that but you get the idea.

Of the many other people out there rolling bats I have never seen anyone that offers the precession or quality of service that I offer. So to the best of my knowledge I am the only one the has developed these exclusive methods. If I know people they will probably be climbing all over themselves to try and duplicate my methods. Either that or they may say what they do is just as good. Don't believe it. There is me and then there is the rest. So come to the best and get The ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE out of your bat. Make the wise informed choice. Happy Hitting.

If you would like to have your new or used softball or baseball bat rolled so it will perform to it's maximum potential using the most advanced method then you must go to this site. http://www.UltimatePerformanceBatRolling.com Happy Hitting Look for more informative articles in the near future.

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, 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, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Play Baseball the Way It's Meant to Be Played

By Nate Barnett
During my professional baseball experience, I had the fortunate chance to play with a player by the name of Willie Bloomquist. Willie is currently in his 10th season as a professional baseball player. In the minor leagues I watched Willie go about his game with great diligence and focus. It wasn't that other players I played with were horribly less focused, it's just that Willie did something different than most. Aside from pitching, he could play every position well at the professional level.

The ability for athletes to play a variety of positions is extremely valuable. Not only does it raise your value as an athlete, but it raises the value of the team since a multi-position athlete can fill in for anyone, anywhere. Having said this, it is disappointing to see young athletes identifying themselves as a first baseman, or a right-fielder only. Great athletes learn how to play baseball a variety of different ways. Why? Because it's fun and it's the way baseball was meant to played.

Prior to the age of specialization where we as a baseball culture accepted roles such as "the set up man", or "the closer", players played many different positions in the field, and starting pitchers threw deep into games. I'm not suggesting that youth athletes not have a primary position to focus on, but I am suggesting that learning multiple positions has a greater long-term benefit. Just ask Willie how it's helped him. His ability to play baseball the way it was meant to be played is the reason he is still playing professional baseball today. He's simply too valuable to let go.

Nate Barnett is owner of the The Pitching Academy, a pitching information website designed to improve your on the mound performance as a pitcher. The Pitching Academy contains information, products, training, free articles, and more on pitching, play baseball, how to play baseball, pitching grips, and much more.

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Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, 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, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!