Pitching Mechanics - How to Throw Harder

http://www.simplifiedpitching.com - Many pitchers rely on their arms too much when pitching. Here is an explanation for how to properly use your legs and stride to create momentum on the mound. You can learn more at http://www.thepitchingacademy.net


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Baseball Hitting: Basic Hitting Mechanics

Here is a pretty good video on hitting mechanics. I hope that your find it useful Have a great day.



While the baseball swing has many complexities, these are fundamental basics that young hitters can learn and benefit from. To become a BetterBaseball player, go to TeachingBetterBaseball.com!

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Youth Baseball Batting Tips - The Fundamentals

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Youth Baseball Batting Tips - The Fundamentals
By Guest Author Jeffery A Wise

Learning youth baseball batting tips and practicing them thoroughly will practically guarantee a successful baseball hitting career. The best time to learn these tips is when you're young. Knowing the fundamentals of hitting will develop into lifelong skills.

My father taught me tips for hitting when I was a youth and those skills have stuck with me to this day. If you are a parent, be patient in teaching your child these fundamentals one at a time. If you are a young ball player, seek help from a parent or coach to make sure you're grasping these tips correctly. Remember that it takes time to develop skills. Even professional ball players practice batting fundamentals every day.

Here are the fundamentals you need to be the best baseball hitter you can be.


Keep your head down and eyes on the ball. Youth tend to keep their eyes on the pitcher or somewhere else on the field. Instead, they should practice keeping their eyes on the ball. From the moment it leaves the pitcher's hand to the moment they make contact with the bat. One way to practice this from the beginning is to hit off of a tee. You can go to any open ball field and practice. Another way to practice is by doing soft toss. Have your father, friend or coach get on one knee and underhand toss you the ball and swing into the protective net if your field is equipped with one or if you have one. You can do this in your backyard or at the ball field. These drills will help you focus, keeping your eyes on the ball.
Stand correctly in the batter's box. Make sure you are standing in the box shoulder width apart with your feet square and in line with the pitcher. Keep it simple in the beginning. Bend at the knees a little and hold the bat at or just below your chest and four to six inches away from your body. Make sure you feel comfortable in the box. If you don't feel comfortable, you won't get as many hits as you want.
Have a smooth, never changing swing. You can practice your swing anywhere virtually. Your goal should be to take a few dozen swings every day. Your swing should be smooth from start to finish. It shouldn't be jerky.
Always hustle. Whether you get a walk, ground out, fly out or a clean hit, always hustle to first base and wait for instructions from your first base coach. Sometimes that hustle will turn into an extra base or force the other team to make an error. Hustling also shows your coaches that you're serious and dedicated. Coaches like to see players who hustle and work hard.
Have fun. Relax and play the way the game was first intended. Have fun! If batting becomes a chore or no fun then you definitely won't be as successful hitting as you would if you were having fun.

These basic youth baseball batting tips should be practiced regularly. As time progresses, these fundamentals will become second nature to you and will stay with you the rest of your life.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn the proven system of youth baseball batting tips so that you can learn how to hit a baseball better. Start learning today at http://www.baseballhittingtipsonline.com by reading our information and downloading our free report.

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




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Helping Hitters With a Positive Mental Outlook

Gy Guest Author Jack Perconte

Having worked with thousands of baseball hitters over the years, I have noticed that many of them become upset when they hit foul balls, especially in batting practice. I try to have hitters feel good about fouling balls off. In that way they keep a confident, positive outlook for the rest of the at-bat. Once negativity enters a hitters mind, they may lose the confidence and the edge they may have had. Additionally, I do not believe it is good to show the pitcher that you are upset or ever give the opposition the feeling that you are less confident.

When I notice a hitter become upset over fouling off some pitches, I say, "Wait a minute, that was a good thing. It is better than a swing and a miss. Hitting is not that easy so just making contact is a positive thing." I follow that up with "Hey, that foul ball kept you alive for another pitch, and your pitch is coming." I strive to convince hitters that fouling a ball off on a tough pitch is a total victory because, "Even if you put that one in play, it would have probably been for an easy out." I follow that up with, "The chances of the pitcher throwing the next pitch in the same tough spot are very slim."

Of course, fouling a pitch off that was very hittable (right down the middle) can be demoralizing but I never want my hitters to feel negatively at home plate and, as mentioned, I never want them to give the pitcher the mental edge.

From a coaching stand point, good coaches should never give batters the impression that they do not believe in the hitters or that they (batters) may have missed an opportunity. Coaches often do this by looking disgusted or showing disappointment when a player fouls a good, hittable pitch off. Any negative feelings in sport generally lead to failure. Additionally, there are many words that coaches can use so hitters stay positive, optimistic and confident. Here are some of those that will help hitters keep a positive mental outlook:

1. "That wasn't your pitch anyway" - this is good to say when a hitter takes a borderline pitch that was called a strike or when the umpire makes a questionable call.
2. "Be ready, your pitch is coming" - always good advice and better than saying "Protect the plate," which puts the hitter in a defensive, negative mode.
3. "I know you can do this," which is always good advice, especially for less confident players.
4. "It only takes one," which is good to say to get hitters to stay positive and not dwell on past missed opportunities.
5. "Now you're ready" - good to say after a hitter did not swing at a pitch that maybe they should have swung at.
6. "Way to hang in there" - good advice after they foul off a pitch on a 2-strike count.
7. "Good at-bat" - good to say after the batter made an out but either hit the ball hard, had some good swings or battled the pitcher for many pitches.
8. "Nothing you can do about that at-bat, it's over and you will get him the next time" - always important advice suggesting hitters have short memories and a positive mental outlook in the future.

Of course, there are hundreds of positive words coaches can use, with the above being examples. The key is that athletes and coaches remember, "Negativity rarely brings out the best in a ball player."

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

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Youth Baseball Coaching Practice Schedules and Fields

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Youth Baseball Coaching Practice Schedules and Fields
By Guest Author John Nowly

Practice is defined as doing or repeating a pattern, or polishing a skill. What we are trying to do is polish the skill. Practice is the tires that make the vehicle go. Practice is the oil that makes the machine run. You will be shaping young minds on your new endeavor. Some of the youngsters you get might be stepping onto the field for the first time in their lives. It is quite possible you will get kids who do not have any ability to make contact with a baseball or have any idea how to judge a fly ball. As a coach, it is important that you provide an informative environment to learn a new skill and develop an effective program for developing that skill.

The informative environment is something we will be covering in lesson seven with baseball drills. Developing these skills happens in the running and planning of practices. In today's high tech, instant satisfaction, high-energy world, everyone is always in a hurry. I suggest setting up a consistent practice schedule. You will find it can be extremely beneficial for everyone involved. Chances are when the season starts you will not have your game times yet but you will have an idea of which nights you will be playing.

One of the advantages of deciding your practice schedule as soon as possible is so you can get the fields locked up. At the beginning of the year before the games start, you will want to get in as much practice as possible. Typically, practices can be for 2 to 6 weeks before your first games are scheduled. I would suggest that you would want to practice at least 1 and a half to 2 hours per session. Any longer than that, depending on the age of the kids, you risk losing their attention. After a week or two of practice, you will get a feel for how long you can practice before the learning curve takes a belly flop into home plate. This is something you need to be in tune with as a coach in order to maximize your time while you have their full attention.

What you want to do is set a practice time that is the same every single non-game day. In the beginning of the year, you should not have problems getting in all your practices. Once the games start, fields and peoples schedules get full. Make sure to print your practice schedule out on a piece of paper and give to the kids. Start with a Monday thru Friday practice schedule. This gives everyone his or her weekends open for now. A start time that is after work is recommended as this time works best for all involved. It gives time for the kids to get their homework done, stay after school as necessary, and gives the parents time to get home from work. Setting practice at 5 to 6:30, 5:30 to 7 or 6 to 7:30 seem to be the best times for parents. It gives them time to get the kids from daycare, and drive your future All Star shortstop to baseball practice. It will also give the parents time to be involved, sit, and watch their child practice. Another benefit is that this time will be consistent with game times after the season starts. Consistency is easier on everybody as it is one less thing to remember. Practice is everyday at the same time.

When the games start, the practice schedule will change. Say your games are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Practice will then be every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Alternatively, if you play Wednesdays and Fridays, practice is every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Do you notice anything about the above schedule? I will give you a hint. I do not do windows on weekends. Ideally, your league does not schedule games on Saturday. This can vary from city to city and having a Saturday morning game is still quite popular. If that is the case, you might be playing a Thursday, Saturday schedule. Schedule your practices then for Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. My philosophy of practice schedules is that weekends are off days for family. Many people work all week and the weekend should be time for the family to be able to get together and go out of town or spend quality time together.

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

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When Will Joe Mauer Return?

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When Will Joe Mauer Return?
By Guest Author: Jacob Stipsky

Joe Mauer, the stud on the Minnesota Twins is approaching his comeback after his recent heel injury that has left him sitting out on the bench.

Before the Twins played the Orioles on Thursday the 6th of May, Mauer got out for some batting practice. He still didn't feel ready to run on his bruised foot, but did mention he's feeling a lot better. One week without Joe Mauer is one week too long!

Mauer will be using new shoes that have custom orthotics. These custom shoes should help him with his pain until he's 100% better.

The manager of the Twins Ron Gardenhire does not want to rush Mauer back into the lineup. That would be a mistake as it's a very long season. A heel injury is quite easy to re-injure, so I like Gardenshire's slow approach.

Gardenshire plans on waiting until Joe Mauer tells them he's completely ready to go. Since he's not been active over the last week, he'll need a day or two of running around before he gets out there to play.
After six long games of sitting out, he's still uncertain when he'll be at 100% and ready to run around.

Mauer's had a positive attitude and knows he's only getting better. He's the type of guy that has a hard time sitting out and is itching to get back out there - he wants to play ball.

Unfortunately for the Twins, J.J. Hardy has been out for a few games as well. With the Twins sitting in first place at 19-10, they're only going to get better with a healthy roster!

This author is a huge baseball fan and enjoys writing about anything related to baseball. He spends much of his free time writing reviews on baseball products as well. His most recent review covers the Jugs Instant Screen, a baseball hitting screen.

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How to Develop Youth Baseball Championship Attitude

Coaching Youth Baseball
By Guest Author Mike Xavier

The secret to developing a winning youth baseball team is to build a foundation of the correct championship attitude in your players. This solid foundation is supported by four critical pillars that must be present to succeed and explained to your squad repetitively.

The first pillar is called crossing the lines attitude. When your players are at home with their families, they must be nice to their siblings, respectful of their parents and perform their daily chores without a fuss. They absolutely should be nice as nice can be. But when they cross the foul lines on a baseball field, that is not that place. On the field, they need to have the mindset of being the toughest guy around - taking a ball off their face and still throwing someone out. Upon crossing back over the lines when the game is over, they return to help their mom take out the trash.

Next is the attitude of no excuses. They need to be taught that they need to take personal responsibility for everything that they can control. Items such as, the sun was in their eyes, the grass is too long, the umpire stinks are all excuses. Your coaching staff should set an environment of trust where no cares if you mess up if you take responsibility for your actions and fix it proactively.

Everyone can perform well when things are going great, but the mark of a true championship team is how they respond when things are not going well. This leads you to the pillar of dealing with adversity. By bringing this to the forefront of their thinking, they begin to check their emotions to the side and look for solutions on how to get out the the jam they currently are in.

Finally, the fourth pillar to complete the support of your team's attitude foundation is referred to as - we are all in this together. Have your players look around at each other as you describe that the last time you checked we are all in this together. Coming together as a unit will significantly alter the odds in your favor to be on the winning side of the score. This almost always involves picking each other up when something goes wrong, but also occasionally can involve getting on each other when a player is dragging a bit.

By developing these four characteristics in your team's attitude with your consistent words and actions, your team will win at home and your team will win on the road.

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Simple Little League Baseball Drills to Help Teach Swing Mechanics

Little League Baseball Drills
By Guest Author: Joseph Harrison Jr

Hitting a baseball is perhaps the most difficult aspect of any sport. This can be an especially daunting task for the inexperienced little leaguer. Like all things in life, hitting a baseball requires dedication and a lot of practice. Additionally, successful batting requires sound mechanics and body control. That being said let's discuss some of the mechanics of hitting and a few little league baseball drills that will have your child well on their way to becoming a more consistent hitter.

The first and most important thing for your child to remember when attempting to bat a ball is to keep their eye on the ball. I know this sound like common sense but you would be amazed how many kids spin completely around when swinging. If your child can not see the ball, they most assuredly will not hit it.

There is a simple drill used in little league baseball designed to help keep your child's eye on the ball. Have your child stand in the batter's box with their chin on their front shoulder (the shoulder facing the pitcher). Have them practice keeping their head down as they swing through the ball. As their swing reaches completion their chin should end up on their back shoulder (or the shoulder facing the catcher). A batting tee is quite helpful when performing this drill. If you do not have a batting tee, soft toss drills are also quite effective in teaching this skill. This is also a good habit to get into as it teaches the child to keep their head still as well, further increasing chances of contact with a pitch.

Balance is the second piece to hitting successfully, once again, common sense right? Revisit the spinning child mentioned above. Your child must be balanced to successfully hit a baseball. A good rule of thumb to follow to achieve optimum balance is to keep the feet about shoulder width apart. This is not a must, there are a lot of successful ball players out there with unorthodox stances; it all boils down to what feels comfortable to the individual. Try to encourage an orthodox batting stance in your little leaguer, they will benefit in the long run.

In addition to eye-hand coordination and balance, the upper body muscles play an important role in achieving a successful swing. There seems to be a bit of a misconception concerning the importance of the upper body, namely the wrists, when swinging. It is true that a lot of power is generated from the lower body, but bat speed also plays a pivotal role in hitting for power, and bat speed is primarily attributed to, you guessed it, the wrists. There is a delicate balance in the wrists that needs to be achieved to be a consistent hitter. As a hitter the trick is to not necessarily swing hard, but quick. The trick is to shorten the swing, just a bit, and roll the wrists over as the bat strikes the ball.

The other component of the upper body in batting is the hands. Most batters keep their hands somewhere in the mid chest level with the bat held slightly out in front. There are, however, plenty of players that implement unorthodox batting stances and styles that have yielded great results. The most important thing is that your child feels comfortable in the batter's box.

Another important aspect of batting is to remember to never drop the hands prior to a swing. A lot of young players like to drop their hands, meaning they ever so slightly dip the hands from the chest area to the stomach area. Consider that when you have tenths of a second to see the ball, decide if you will swing, and then execute your swing, dropping the hands can speed a pitch up for a batter, meaning the time the batter spent dropping his hands should have been spent moving the hands forward in preparation of striking the ball. Just a tenth of a second shaved off a swing can be the difference between the game winning line drive and foul ball down the first baseline. Often batters that swing late do so because they drop their hands. Soft toss is an excellent little league baseball drill for developing quick wrists and strong hands. Other simple but effective little league baseball drills are squeezing a tennis ball which builds strength in the hands.

The lower body is the last component of hitting. As previously mentioned, first and foremost, good balance is needed to achieve a proper swing. The biggest mistake that young hitters commit that affects their balance when batting is over striding, resulting in an off balance swing. Instead of taking a giant step, the batter should simply lift the front foot, or the foot nearest the pitcher, off of the ground, this is a mechanism used to time ones swing. Instead of taking a giant clumsy step have your little leaguer practice lifting their foot and simply placing it back on the ground almost where they got it from. This helps them to keep their weight back, a crucial element to hitting well.

The other key ingredient involving the lower body is to twist the hips, ideally as the bat contacts the ball, and simultaneously rolling the wrists over. Commonly used little league baseball drills such as a method called "squashing the bug" is fine tools to teach this hip twisting. In this particular drill the batter holds out their left hand (for a right handed batter) and strikes the left hand with the right simulating a baseball swing. The emphasis of the drill should be placed on the feet and hips as the batter should focus on sharply turning the right, or back, ankle as if to squash a bug with the toes.

Well there you have it, a few simple little league baseball drills that work to improve the key components of hitting, eye on the ball, balance, and a delicate timing of the upper and lower body muscle groups. Hitting is no easy task; even for the guys you get paid the big bucks. The only way to get better is to practice good habits and abandon bad ones as soon as they arise, and they will. Hitting is an exercise in muscle memory, the key is consistency.

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

The Perfect Baseball Hitting Drill?

The Perfect Baseball Hitting Drill?
By Guest Author:Jack Perconte

The sign of a good baseball hitting drill is one that forces the correct hitting fundamentals and that over time, causes the correct hitting action when a hitter goes without the drill. With that in mind, some drills are obviously better than others. The drill below does just that. It forces the correct action and works on all the important hitting fundamentals of staying back, compact swing, weight shift, hips opening and follow through.

Because this drill combines all the correct baseball hitting fundamentals into one drill, it makes teaching hitting easier and quicker, as long as it is performed correctly. It is a little complicated and requires some hitting tools that one does not usually have in the basement, or backyard. The local batting cages though will have the things needed - balls, protective screen, batting cage.

Here is the perfect baseball hitting drill:

1. The hitter stands very close (within six to 10 inches) from a net, facing the pitcher with the net being behind the hitter where the catcher stands. The hitters rear foot and hands should both be this distance away from rear net. Make sure a home plate is set and hitters stand their normal distance from the plate.

2. The coach sets up behind a protective screen with a bucket of balls in front of the hitter, beginning at twelve to fifteen feet away.

3. The coach flips balls to the outer half of the plate - firm underhand flips are best from this distance, trying to keep the ball level with no rise or drop on the flipped ball.

Result you are looking for? Because the ball is on the outer half of the plate, hitters should drive the ball to the opposite field by missing the net on the initial portion of the swing but hitting the net on the follow through.

Note: Hitters may graze the net on way forward and come up a little short of hitting net on follow through and this is acceptable.

Why is this the perfect baseball hitting drill?

1. One of the main fundamentals of hitting is "staying back" - if the hitter jumps forward (lunges or over strides) they will not be able to hit the net on the follow through.

2. Another goal of hitters is to have a compact swing - when a hitter's swing is long, in anyway (upper cutting, casting, dropping barrel behind them) they will be striking the net on the initial portion of their swing.

3. Another objective of a good swing is to have the hands in a power position (palm-up, palm down) at contact. By hitting the ball to the opposite field on this outside pitch, this drill will guarantee that the hitter is in this correct contact position.

4. Another component of the perfect baseball swing is that the hitters' weight transfers while their hips open - missing the net on the way forward will promote weight shift and the only way to hit the net on the follow through, or get close to it, is to open the hips.

5. Another ingredient of good hitting is that hitters' keep their eye on the ball; thus, the reason for working on the outside pitch. It is further recommended that hitters keep their eyes in the direction of where they ball is hit, while trying to hit the net on the follow through as hard as possible.

As hitters begin to perform the drill with some consistency (frequent line drives with back-spin to the opposite field), the coach can begin to back up until eventually doing the drill from regulation, hitting distance.

Is the drill the perfect hitting drill? Maybe not, but if done correctly, it works on all the necessary hitting fundamentals all at once. Finally, I am sure that I have not been the first one to discover this drill, but it is one of my favorites while teaching hitting over the last twenty-two years.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball
Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

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

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Want to Hit Homeruns? Baseball Players Need an Training Plan

Want to Hit Homeruns? Baseball Players Need an Training Plan
By Guest Author: Ricki Camargo

I grew up playing high school baseball in a small town. I was never the best or worst, but I pretty much got by on athletic ability alone. Then after high school, I was lucky enough to get a scholarship to a junior college. Again, I wasn't best or worst, but I quickly learned that I had to work at least a little in order to be competitive and get playing time.

After a time I realized that players who had less talent than me were passing me by and getting more playing time because they were working for it harder than I was. Growing up, I had always relied on my innate athletic ability, so I didn't really know what steps I needed to take now in order to get better. But I did know that I absolutely loved the game; I knew I had to make a change and no one was going to hold my hand and show me how.

I started to shadow a guy that was starting ahead of me in center field. I was amazed! I always knew he worked hard, but so much went on behind the scenes - staying after practice for extra batting practice, taking extra flyballs before practice and on off days, finishing first in every sprint during practice. It was the little things like that that made him great. After the season was over, I knew that I wanted to come back as a better player the next year. Now I knew the work that I had to put in, and I had a game plan to reach my goal.

Summertime is the best time for high school and college baseball players to improve their skills and get bigger, faster, and stronger. A big problem (and I was guilty of this also) is that players go into the off season with the mindset of - "I'll take a week off and enjoy myself and then hit the gym."

But, the GREAT ones go into the off season saying - "I will work as hard as I can to reach my goal, and no one can stop me or out work me." These are the ones that come back to school in the fall looking like a new player. That's the attitude to have! They also have a detailed workout plan to get them to their goals. This is a crucial part of your off season training.

N.Y. Mets trainer Jeff Cavaliere has put together a great program - that is endorsed by major leaguers like David Wright, Johan Santana and a handful of other Mets players - for any baseball player that wants to improve their skills. His book, which includes input from former and current Mets players about what really works for them, lays out the exact sets, reps, and exercises complete with color pictures for each, detailing step by step how to get the most out of them. You also get access to his blog that's loaded with more valuable tips like nutrition and injury prevention.

I still give private hitting lessons and incorporate many of the exercises he describes in detail, so I know first hand that following this program really provides results. If you're a player who knows he/she can get more out of their ability or a coach looking for individual player workouts or even a parent trying to unlock your child's hidden potential, Jeff's program is a great place to start.

As a former baseball player and coach, I now train high school and collegiate players. I review the latest baseball training drills, workouts, and nutrition tips as well as provide places to go online to read and view some of the best coaching advice in the nation. Refer to my website often for these training tips and more. http://www.baseballconditioning.us

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Baseball Pitching and Warming-Up Properly

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By Nate Barnett

Many baseball players warm-up the wrong way before they start playing catch. They tend to throw to warm-up and not to warm-up before they throw. Warming up the wrong way can cause injury to your throwing arm or any part of your body. Many injuries occur during spring training games or just before big super league tournaments when multiple consecutive games are played. Players often think they already warmed up enough from a previous game earlier in the day and they aren't as loose as they think.

Before a pitcher or any position player begins to play catch they need to warm up their entire body. Why? Players with good mechanics understand that you don't just throw with you arm, you throw with your entire body. Warm up the entire body to throw not just your arm.

What I like to do is start warming up my legs, hips, core, shoulders, arms and then fingers; yes fingers. I am not about to share with you all warm up exercises you should do because there are many. I just want to share some with you so you can get a fairly good idea how you should be warming up to play catch.

I will start with a light jog around the field followed by high knees forward and backward for about 30 yards each way. This gets the blood flowing. I will continue warming up much like football players do. Karaoke forward and back, jumping jacks, high knee skips, form running etc.

Warming up your core is also important before you play catch. I won't do old school sit ups anymore like I used to throughout High School and College. Prone holds serve the purpose, side prone holds with one leg in the air and so on. There are literally hundreds of core warm ups you could do, but I prefer the prone holds to simply activate the core and get it warm.

To get your shoulders and arm simply do arm circles forward and back; thumbs up for a set, thumbs down for another and then palms down. This ensures you warm up each of the three shoulder muscles. Front and forward claps are great and then fence shakes palms out, palms in and palms down.

When you feel loose you can start playing catch with your teammates. Again it is imperative that you warm up to throw and not throw to warm-up. Don't just start playing catch right away, you will increase the risk of injury.

Nate Barnett is co-owner of The Pitching Academy.

You can find The Pitching Academy's articles, blog, and videos on baseball pitching, and hitting mechanics when you visit the website.

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

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Strength and Conditioning - The Single Best Lift For Baseball Players!

Baseball Strength Training
By Brandon Richey

Having worked with many baseball players and coaches in the past that have all these crazy misconceptions on how a baseball player should train to be a better athlete makes me sick! The fact is that if you have a coach or trainer that tells you that overhead lifts are bad for your baseball career then I feel sorry for you. Now I'm not saying that you should go against your coach because this wouldn't be an extension of professional courtesy on my part, but if you can properly learn how to execute overhead kettlebell snatches in your own time then I strongly encourage you to do so!

Best Lift For Baseball Players, Period!

Now one of the main problems I have experienced with baseball players and coaches in the past is the fear of executing overhead lifts. The last time I checked the game of baseball was played by you having to hit the ball, catch the ball, and to throw the ball! All of these skills are performed by you having to have a strong powerful core, hips, and complete shoulder stability. If any of these areas are weak or unbalanced you are going to end up with an injury, period! If you want to strengthen these areas then you have to have a smart strength and conditioning plan and this is why I want to introduce to you the kettlebell snatch!

The kettlebell snatch lift is the ultimate kettlebell lift for baseball players in my opinion. This lift is executed by you having to pull the bell from either the ground or from between your legs up to above your head in one smooth explosive movement. The key to doing this properly involves you having to engage your hips and knees in a state of forceful flexion and then immediate extension in an attempt to generate the necessary force to elevate the bell to a high pull position lateral to your head. This "high pull" position should mimic you pulling back on a bow, like with a bow and arrow. Once the bell reaches this particular peak of the movement it will stall out or reach a point of what I like to refer to as "zero gravity." Once the bell reaches this point you will then want to vertically punch your palm towards the sky and allow the bell to smoothly roll over the back of your forearm and lock it out overhead. This incorporates tremendous shoulder stability and core strength.

If you haven't already started to implement the overhead kettlebell snatch into your baseball strength and conditioning program then you are failing to meet your body's fullest potential. Take the time to learn more by accessing more of my articles on the subject for free. Remember that most any baseball player can train hard, but only the champions train smart!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com
To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at: http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html
I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

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

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

By: Nick Dixon - Inventor of BatAction and Hurricane Hitting Machines

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.

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!
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Helping Hitters With a Positive Mental Outlook

Helping Baseball Hitters Improve
By Jack Perconte

Having worked with thousands of baseball hitters over the years, I have noticed that many of them become upset when they hit foul balls, especially in batting practice. I try to have hitters feel good about fouling balls off. In that way they keep a confident, positive outlook for the rest of the at-bat. Once negativity enters a hitters mind, they may lose the confidence and the edge they may have had. Additionally, I do not believe it is good to show the pitcher that you are upset or ever give the opposition the feeling that you are less confident.

When I notice a hitter become upset over fouling off some pitches, I say, "Wait a minute, that was a good thing. It is better than a swing and a miss. Hitting is not that easy so just making contact is a positive thing." I follow that up with "Hey, that foul ball kept you alive for another pitch, and your pitch is coming." I strive to convince hitters that fouling a ball off on a tough pitch is a total victory because, "Even if you put that one in play, it would have probably been for an easy out." I follow that up with, "The chances of the pitcher throwing the next pitch in the same tough spot are very slim."

Of course, fouling a pitch off that was very hittable (right down the middle) can be demoralizing but I never want my hitters to feel negatively at home plate and, as mentioned, I never want them to give the pitcher the mental edge.

From a coaching stand point, good coaches should never give batters the impression that they do not believe in the hitters or that they (batters) may have missed an opportunity. Coaches often do this by looking disgusted or showing disappointment when a player fouls a good, hittable pitch off. Any negative feelings in sport generally lead to failure. Additionally, there are many words that coaches can use so hitters stay positive, optimistic and confident. Here are some of those that will help hitters keep a positive mental outlook:

1. "That wasn't your pitch anyway" - this is good to say when a hitter takes a borderline pitch that was called a strike or when the umpire makes a questionable call.
2. "Be ready, your pitch is coming" - always good advice and better than saying "Protect the plate," which puts the hitter in a defensive, negative mode.
3. "I know you can do this," which is always good advice, especially for less confident players.
4. "It only takes one," which is good to say to get hitters to stay positive and not dwell on past missed opportunities.
5. "Now you're ready" - good to say after a hitter did not swing at a pitch that maybe they should have swung at.
6. "Way to hang in there" - good advice after they foul off a pitch on a 2-strike count.
7. "Good at-bat" - good to say after the batter made an out but either hit the ball hard, had some good swings or battled the pitcher for many pitches.
8. "Nothing you can do about that at-bat, it's over and you will get him the next time" - always important advice suggesting hitters have short memories and a positive mental outlook in the future.

Of course, there are hundreds of positive words coaches can use, with the above being examples. The key is that athletes and coaches remember, "Negativity rarely brings out the best in a ball player."

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

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

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Baseball Mental Training and Baseball Goal Setting

Mental Training and Goal Setting


Mental Training and Goal Setting
By Nate Barnett

Each year I work with teams of youth baseball players in teaching them the values of the mental game of baseball. Just as there are skills needed to develop the physical side of the sport, there are skills necessary to build the mental side of the game as well. Unfortunately, teaching the mental game is a bit more difficult to teach because the results aren't necessary visible as quickly. Let me assure you however, if you have goals of playing baseball at the collegiate level or above, you will need a sold mental game if you are going to excel.

One of the first things I teach kids is set proper goals. This usually sounds a bit dry and boring, but it's important that a game plan is created in order to form a path to follow as an athlete. There are three important steps involved in setting goals that are functional. Broad goals, process goals, and action habits. Let me explain those below.

If we are talking about a season to season focus, broad goals are essentially what you want to accomplish by the end of the season. These should be something you can measure like batting average, fielding percentage, stolen bases, etc.

Process goals are the middle level of goal setting. There are the things you need to solve or improve upon in order to accomplish your broad goals. They should be specific as far as the things you are going to do daily, but they should be areas in your game that need immediate improvement. So let's say you have a season goal of hitting .400. A process goal would be to improve on your ability to hit off speed pitches. Or, it could be that you need to work on what pitches you choose to swing at.

The last part of this goal setting process is your daily action habits. These are the day to day things that you will do to get better at accomplishing your process goals. Using the example from above, if you process goal is to get better at hitting off speed pitches, your daily action habit might be to spend 15 minutes in the batting cage working on hitting a curveball. Whatever you choose to make it, it should be something that has a time frame attached to it.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game of baseball in athletes. Come download a free ebook on dealing with failure and the mental game of baseball.

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

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Baseball Pitching Tips - How to Expand the Strike Zone Properly!

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By Larry Cicchiello

Whenever you are ahead in the count, you should "expand the strike zone." No, let's rephrase that. You must expand the strike zone! That simply means throwing a pitch off the plate, that's actually a ball. Or throwing a pitch too high or too low that is out of the strike zone. Let's be clear on one thing. I think it is a total waste if you throw the pitch too far off the plate. If ahead of the batter and the count is 0-2, it makes no sense to throw a pitch over the batter's head or two feet off the plate. The objective is to get the batter to swing at a pitch that's not a strike. If you throw the ball way off the plate or over the batter's head the batter will not swing. The only thing that does is that it adds to your pitch count. That makes no sense.

It is estimated that at least 70% of swinging strike threes are on pitches that are NOT strikes. Please read the previous sentence again!

You don't have to take my word for it. You can see it for yourself. Occasionally, when a pitcher strikes out a lot of hitters in a baseball game, the following morning on television, they sometimes show the replays of all the strikeouts. Keep a tally for yourself. (Trust me on this one, you can do it.) I have done it several times.

If the hitter took strike three, you DON'T tally it. You are ONLY checking the SWINGING strike threes. Simply count the pitches swung at that were strikes and pitches swung at that were balls. Your tally will go like this: 1 out of 1, 1 out of 2, 2 out of 3, 2 out of 4, 3 out of 5, etc.

I really suggest you try this. You will get very good at it and in no time at all and may find it very interesting as well as surprising. The batters swing at more strike threes that are balls than are strikes! That is a very powerful statement. It is because the batter can no longer be fussy about what he swings at and must protect against being called out on strikes.

There is an expression that has been around for decades and still holds true and will NEVER become obsolete. "You get ahead of them with strikes but you get them out with balls." I know it's been around for decades because my father taught it to me about 50 years ago, when I was 9 years old. Boy am I old!

Make very good use of expanding the strike zone because very often, if ahead in the count, you will get batters out with balls.

One of the better baseball pitching tips you should always remember is that there is simply no reason on earth to give a hitter a strike to hit if he's going to swing at a ball! Baseball pitching is plenty tough enough.

Why not make your life easier?

Larry Cicchiello is the successful author of several very user friendly eBooks covering 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY player, coach or parent who wants to help their child will be fully equipped! Check out some FREE baseball tips on hitting and FREE baseball pitching tips at LarryBaseball.com.

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

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What is Mental Toughness and Why Is It Important?

By Mike Posey

Over the years I have had the opportunity to coach many players and one thing I can tell you without reservation is the best players were all mentally tough. It's a hard concept to explain until you see it, but it's obvious when you see a player that has it.

To clarify my point, not all of the best athletes have it. No every big league player is mentally tough and there are plenty that never make it to the big leagues that have great mental toughness. It's not about ability, I've coached many great athletes that didn't have a clue about being mentally tough and would fold under pressure. They could perform well when there was nothing on the line, but when the game was in balance, or the competition was tough, they usually failed.

On the other hand, I've witnessed many players with average skills, but mentally tough, perform in ways no one thought they could perform. A clutch hit, a key bunt, a great defensive play that stopped a rally, mentally tough players get the job done. In fact, the greater the pressure, the better they perform.

One thing I've come to understand with experience is that mental toughness is not an inborn DNA trait, but rather one that is developed over time and exposure to adverse conditions. Preparation in mental toughness begins with experiences at a young age. Parents can play a key role to begin the process of training mental toughness, but they need help along the way. A disciplined educational system with high expectations and good classroom rules, along with tough, but fair coaches (or mentors in other activities) with a positive mind set, is essential to developing a child mentally, whether they are an athlete are not.

This is one of the many reasons why it's important for all children to be involved in balanced organized extra curricular activities at a young age: Karate, gymnastics, ballet, music, scouts, children and youth activities at church, or youth sports will play a part in beginning to instill the discipline and structure that is needed to develop mentally. Notice I said begin to play a part. It takes time and preparation.

Development of mental toughness (and leadership skills) is also a reason that athletes need to be involved in a proper training program by the time they are 14 or 15 years old. A training program not only helps to build power, strength, and agility, but is important in developing mentally. Players should be accountable to a mentor (trainer, coach, etc...) as well as the camaraderie and pressure of a small peer group, even if it's only one or two others.

If a player is involved in a training program earlier than 14 or 15, it should be for the purpose of agility and speed training, along with teaching the proper techniques in strength conditioning without weights. Before any training program is started, please consult your child's physician during their annual physical, as the development of each child is unique.

Defining Mental Toughness
Mental toughness is having the psychological edge that allows one to perform at peak maximum effort and efficiency during the demands that are placed on them during training, practice, or competition. Specifically, when the demands are greatest or the conditions become adverse.
Whenever the demands are the greatest is when the characteristics of mental toughness are the most evident.

Some of the many characteristics that are evident when a player is mentally tough include:

- Self-confidence
- Self-motivation
- Focus
- Concentration
- Composure
- Calmness
- Poise
- Self-control
- Positive Energy
- Determination
- Persistence
- Leadership

Please note, this doesn't mean that the outcome is always a win, in many cases these attributes can show up the most during a loss, especially a close loss to a tough opponent or during adverse conditions. But over time and with careful training, the mental toughness of skilled players comes to light in championships won.

Developing Mental Toughness

To become mentally tough one must practice attributes that lead to mental toughness. I wish there were a formula to follow, but there is not. It takes time and patience under the right leadership to develop mental toughness. Parents, educators, coaches, and other mentors must be systematically involved in the training process.

Also, it takes failure and the ability to bounce back. Many people develop mental toughness through the experience of failure. Good parents do not want their children to fail and I understand that. But today, too many blame others for the failure. Parents are quick to blame the teacher for problems in class or a coach when the child is not excelling in an activity. Mental toughness can not be developed properly when blaming others. In fact, the opposite is the case.

Here are a couple of examples:

"Every strikeout got me closer to my next homerun". Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth grew up in an orphanage. During his playing career he struck out a record 1330 times on his way to hitting 714 career homeruns.

"Failure makes me try harder the next time." Michael Jordan

Jordan was only 5' 7" when he entered high school. Because of his speed and athleticism (and an older brother named Larry that the coaches knew well) he was invited to try out for the varsity, but didn't make it. He was placed on the JV team where he routinely scored 25 -30 points a game. By his junior year, he was 6'4" and made the varsity team. By then, he not only had the skill to play, but the drive and determination to be successful, while demanding the same from his teammates. His older brother Larry had a lot to do also with him developing his toughness on the court.

Edmund Hillary failed three times before finally being the fist to climb Mt. Everest.

Bill Gates and Steve Allen (his Microsoft co-founder) failed at their first business, Traf-O-Matic, which was developed to analyze traffic patterns.

Walt Disney's first animation business in the 1920's failed after only one month, forcing him to take a job from another company at that time. Coaches, you can train your players to become mentally tough but it takes time, persistence, and hard work. But the results are worth it.

Coach Mike Posey "CP"
http://www.expert-baseball-tips.com
Tips from a championship coach's perspective and experience, offering creative insights into helping others learn the game of baseball.

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


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HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
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Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds.


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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.