Batting Tips for Little Leaguers

Batting Tips for Little Leaguers
By guest author: Jeffery A Wise

There aren't too many differences between the batting tips for Little Leaguers and everyone else. But there are a few differences you should know about.

One of the differences is the ability of the players. A seven year old little league player can't do everything a 12 year old player can. The first thing you need to cover are the basics. Like many things in life, building a strong foundation is needed before you can develop other baseball batting skills. Here are the tips you should learn early on.


How to choose the best bat for you
How to hold the bat
How to stand in the batter's box
Where to look
How to stride
How to swing
How to have fun

The last tip is especially important for young players because they need to be able to love baseball. It is the best sport in the world and they should have fun playing it. It's okay to be serious sometimes, but baseball needs to be fun first.

After mastering these tips, older Little League players can then focus on skills that will improve their abilities so that they can excel at the sport and continue playing into their teen and college years. These skills include:


Bunting
Recognizing the difference between a curve ball and a fastball
Hitting the ball to the opposite field
Situational hitting
Trigger mechanism to get the swing going
How to avoid slumps
And more!

Whether you are a coach or a young player, please be patient with the learning process. Skills can't be developed overnight. With enough hard work you can take these Little League batting tips and turn them into Little League batting success.

It's good to watch events like the Little League World Series and the pros because then you will see these tips in action.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn more batting tips so that you can become a better hitter and help your team win. Start learning today at our site through articles, blog posts and videos and begin hitting the baseball with confidence.

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

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Baseball Swing Secrets to Learning the Right Mechanics Quickly!

By Joey Myers

The perfect baseball swing is like poetry in motion...watching Joe Mauer, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriquez, or Manny Ramirez hit leaves anyone with an awe that is indescribable. They've taken hundreds of thousands of cuts to create such a beautiful swing with such devastating impact on pitchers.

But, do you really have that kind of time with:


The new season coming up?
A big tournament being a week from now? or maybe you
Have to get ready for a big scouting showcase?

What you need is to SUPER-learn the baseball swing, like, yesterday!

Well, this article will go into what it's going to take to do just that. Doing the following will not make your swing perfect , it never will be, but you'll be able to take the information from the Smart Hitting Tips tab on the navigation bar, do what's prescribed here, and have a helluva showing.

Most of the following tips are hard rooted in research based on state-of-the-art Neuroscience and Exercise Science practice & theory...

This isn't a get hits quick scheme either, and will take A LOT of work, 2,000+ reps a week to be exact, but you'll train your brain and body to harmonize, building to successful baseball swing execution.

Ready?? Hold your horses...First,

You must create a time-line...when do you want to accomplish this? In a week (recommended, at least)? or 2? A month? Decide that first, then move on to the following Steps...

STEP 1: Make Small Circles

Start off slow with one concept, two at most, a day and breakdown each and every movement by going in extremely slow motion. You're brain is like a record...the more you do a movement, the more the needle wears the grooves on the surface of the vinyl... the more reps you do, the deeper and more solid the grooves.

Be careful because it can also work against you, by doing the movement wrong, so start off slow the right way, then speed up.

STEP 2: Balancing Act

Using the Balance & Reach Drill a foot or two off the ground will cause your brain to engage more muscles to stabilize the whole body, and the more you engage the Central Nervous System, the more muscles get recruited, and the faster your body picks up the technique.

Also, doing regular swings on an unstable surface, like on a narrow cushiony weight bench, diving board, exercise bose ball, or with eyes closed, the better off you'll be in record time.

STEP 3: Reps Before Bed

Studies have shown going through the motions before bedtime helps to burn them into your brain better. It has to do with the Four Stages of REM Sleep ...major repairs, both physically and cerebrally, go on in the 3rd and 4th Stages of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. If you don't get to the last two stages, then your body doesn't repair itself, which leads us to the next Step...

STEP 4: Set Alarm for 4.5 Hours

In order to speed up the learning process for developing an effective baseball swing, you have to take advantage of two sets of REM sleep. Do your swing repetitions before bed, set your alarm clock for 4.5 hours, wake up and do more reps, then finish off your sleep or the next REM cycle.

What this does is complete one cycle of REM (all 4 stages), then reset your body (by waking up) for another round, deepening those grooves in the brain. By doing this you're 50% more likely to make "stick" the desired technique.

All this can be possible if you...

STEP 5: Do NOT Eat Carbohydrates Past 6pm

Eating enough Carbs to spike your insulin, anytime past 6pm will keep you from getting to Stage 3 & 4 of REM sleep. Our natural occurring human growth hormones (HGH) get released in those stages of sleep ONLY, to repair the body. To allow that to happen, we have to chill out on the Carbs after hours.

And most importantly for your baseball swing, not only will you not repair and heal, but learning is dampened and your immune system crashes.

Last but not least,

STEP 6: Hyper-Computing for Cadence

Once we get a handle on all of the above baseball swing hyper-learning points, now we can speed up our micro processors. By doing this, we train the Central Nervous system by speeding up our motion to get the proper tempo or cadence.

Key point: do NOT attempt this until you have a solid handle on the proper form and movement first.

Speeding up the process of a particular part of the swing helps to deepen the specific movement groove in the brain, so when you engage the correct tempo, the movement is more natural.

You have to exaggerate a technique (in this case, speeding up the cadence), to get the right motion.

This is also great training for combating fast tempo pitchers, who when you step in the batter's box and look up, the pitch is already on its way.

The bottom line about HYPER-learning the baseball swing?

For these 6 Steps to be effective, you have to take between 1,200 to 2,000 repetitions a week...the RIGHT reps. Remember, wearing grooves in your brain can work for OR against you. Keep in mind, with that amount of swings in a small time-frame, you're going to develop blisters and sore muscles. Try and work through them, but if it comes to the sacrifice of good form, then stop, let them heal, and get back on the horse.

To Hyper-Heal sore muscles, do what the Soviet athletes did in the 80-90's, ice the sore spots for 5 minutes, then plunge into a hot bath or spa for 15 minutes, and repeat the process a couple times. This sequence also helps your body release melatonin, which will aid in putting you to sleep.

For blisters, drain them, but don't cut away the whole dead skin blister layer for a couple days...put antibiotic ointment between the dead and raw skin, and cover with a band-aid & athletic tape. They also have blister spray skin toughener, which you may want to look into...it burns like hell for a moment, but makes it so you can hit again with virtually no pain.

We hope you enjoyed this baseball swing article, remember we're always adding content, so please subscribe to the RSS feed, blog, and/or The Dugout Newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest baseball hitting information.

My name is Joey Myers, and I played 18 total years of baseball finishing my career after my fourth year of college (2000-2003) as a Fresno State Bulldog (the 2008 College World Series Champions). I'm very grateful for the success I had at Bullard High School, and getting a scholarship to play at a Division I university, Fresno State, where I started 110 out of the 178 games I played, in the outfield. Now I devote most of my life to baseball swing coaching and personal fitness training. My websites are http://www.swing-smarter-baseball-hitting-drills.com/ and http://www.corecreationsonline.com/

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

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Teaching Young Baseball Batters to Have Better Eye Focus and Visual Concentration

Teaching Young Baseball Batters to Have Better Eye Focus and Visual Concentration
By Nick Dixon

The eyes of the batter are his greatest asset. The batter must "see and think" with the eyes. A batter can know the count, know the situation, know the pitcher, and know how to swing, but if their eyes are weak or fail them, they will more than like suffer defeat at the plate. How many times have we heard a successful batter say that "I am really seeing the ball right now" or an unsuccessful batter say "I am not picking the ball up. I am not seeing the ball". There are many factors that affect the ability of the batter ability to see the baseball.

Factors and conditions such as the pitchers motion, the amount of sunlight or field lighting, the angle of the sunlight as to the time of day and the background in center field all can hamper or affect the ability of the batter to see the baseball. These factors we have little ability to change. However, we can minimize their affects by improving the ability of the batter to focus or see the baseball.

How should a batter use the eyes during the batting process? Does a batter simply step in the batters box, tap the plate with the bat, and start looking for the ball? Or is there a recommended process or procedure of using the eyes during the batting process? What should the batter focus the eyes on prior to the pitch? If you ask 10 batters, most likely, you will receive 5 different answers. Batters can be taught a technique that can increase the effectiveness and sharpness of eyesight during the batting process.

Batters should use two types of eye focus when batting. Batters should start with a "soft eye focus" to ease tension on the eyes, and then go to a hard eye focus when the pitcher starts the pitching motion. The batter begins the soft focus by looking at an area around the pitchers head and shoulders. The batters may soft focus on the pitchers cap. As the pitcher begins the pitching motion, the batter when then converts to a hard eye focus on the pitching arm shoulder area and the pitchers release point. During this crucial segment of the swing, the batter uses an extreme hard eye focus technique to pick up the ball. Using the soft to hard focus technique, batters tend to not lose concentration, suffer eye strain, and get too up-tight.

Coaching point: good teams and players read and identify certain tendencies by pitchers. The opposing pitcher should be observed and studied to determine his "arm slot" and "ball release point". Players should be doing this "observation" from the dugout and in the on-deck circle. Knowing the delivery motion, timing, and release point of the opposing pitcher allows batters to "pick up" or see the ball much quicker out of the hand of the pitcher. The ability to see the ball earlier increases the chances for a successful at-bat.

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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Coaching Baseball Batters - 3 Common Baseball Swing Mistakes and Corrections

Coaching Baseball Batters - 3 Common Baseball Swing Mistakes and Corrections
By Nick Dixon


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Article Body:

Coaching youth and high school baseball batters requires a watchful eye and close attention to detail. Baseball coaches must identify and correct any flaw in batting hitting mechanics. Players should not be allowed to practice their swing over and over without correcting their mistakes. Good baseball coaches are always on the constant lookout for any bad habits that a young player may develop. Here I discuss three of the most common hitting mechanical flaws and my approach to correcting each. Here are three common mistakes I often see at my baseball camps and when I observe youth games and youth practices.

1) BARRING THE FRONT ARM - The batter locks or stiffens the front arm as the swing begins. Many young batters will have assumed the correct stance and launch positions but have a tendency to tighten up as the swing begins. The barring of the front arm causes the swing to loop and to be too long. The batter has great difficulty taking the bat to the ball and making contact unless the ball is thrown exactly on the swing plane. The proper swing has a "short stroke" or path to the ball. The best way to correct barring of the front arm is to make sure that the batter keeps the front arm elbow bent or at an "L" position prior and during the swing.

2) STEPPING OUT OR PULLING OFF PITCHES - I often see this with young kids in our summer camp program. They always step out or their front side often flies open before the ball arrives. This batter has great difficulty making contact. Until this flaw is corrected, the batter will only become frustrated and embarrassed. To keep the front shoulder in the proper "closed" position, teach the batter to keep the front shoulder closed and directed at the second baseman for right-handed batters and toward the shortstop for left-handed batters. The stepping out is a more difficult flaw to fix. Having the batter pick the front heel off the ground and stepping just slightly toward the plate may help. I frown on putting obstructions behind the front foot to keep it from moving backward, although many coaches do this to stop this bad habit. I often use the "step in and hit: drill with a hit trainer, Bat Action Machine or batting tee. The batter assumes a position back away from the ball target that requires the batter to step toward the ball in order to make contact. If the batter does not step toward or into the ball, the batter will not be able to hit the ball.

3) UPPER CUT SWING - The upper cut swing may be caused by two things that are quickly identified Dropping the hands and back leg collapse can both cause the batter to swing upward. Make sure that the batter keeps the hands at the top of the strike zone and does not drop the hands or dip the back side shoulder during the swing. The back leg should be keep "tall or straight" to prevent back side dipping which can also cause an upper-cut swing. Two great drills that we use to stop this is the "Zone Circle" tee or soft-toss drill. We make a circle the side of our batting cage by inter-weaving a white or yellow rope in the net. The batter must hit or drive the ball off the tee or from a soft-toss into the circle. The batter must have a level swing and keep the front side in to be able to hit the zone.

COACHING POINT: Make sure that the batter is not over striding. This too can cause a batter to pop up. The batter must concentrate visually on the top half or middle of the ball to make good contact.

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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Sports Psychology and Baseball Hitting Tips - How and Why to Relax at the Plate

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Article Title: Sports Psychology and Baseball Hitting Tips - How and Why to Relax at the Plate
By Jay Granat

The baseball season is about to begin and I already getting calls from parents, players and coaches who are concerned about hitting slumps.

Anyone who has played baseball for any length of time has experienced the frustration of an extended hitting slump. And there are many causes of these performance valleys.

Some of the causes are physical. A breakdown in mechanics, poor balance, poor technique, a moving head, a tight grip on the bat or an injury can contribute to poor performance by baseball players.

Some of the causes of hitting slumps are mental. A batter who has been hit by a pitch can be scared in the batter's box. A player who has been hitting poorly can lose his confidence. A batter who is worried about impressing his coach, his parents or a scout can become quite anxious. A player who is conflict with teammates may find it hard to hit to his potential. Similarly, a player with stress related to his or her life off the field can have difficulty concentrating when he or she steps up to the plate.

Also, it is important to understand that there are many relationships between the mind and the body where hitting a baseball is concerned. For instance, a nervous player is apt to grip the baseball bat too tightly. Likewise, a tense player is apt have difficulty turning on a pitch.

Interestingly, some people believe that our vision gets worse when we are tense and that it improves when we are relaxed.

There are many ways to relax one's mind and one's body before you get up to bat.

Players can learn relaxation techniques, meditation, visualization or self-hypnosis. Some players benefit from listening to music in the dugout or before a game. Others do some aerobics before they take the field as they find that this helps them to relax when they get up to bat.

Tension will work against you at the plate, so it is important that baseball players learn how to get very comfortable when they face the opposing pitcher.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and the founder of http://www.stayinthezone.com. He is also the author of 101 Ways To Break A Hitting Slump With Sport Psychology And Self-Hypnosis. http://www.stayinthezone.com/shop-stay-in-the-zone.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=21

Dr. Granat can be reached at 888 580-ZONE.

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

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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.

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

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Benefits of Portable Batting Cages

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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.

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

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The Soft Toss Drill - You Will Benefit Tremendously If You Use it Properly!

By Larry Cicchiello

The soft toss drill is one of the best baseball coaching drills around and please don't ever sell it short. It is a great time saver to break a bad habit, get into a good habit or to simply maintain your baseball swing if you are in a good groove.

Let's say you're into baseball coaching and you want to break a bad habit that one of your hitters has suddenly gotten into. It may take about 300 swings for the baseball hitter's muscle memory to take over and break the bad habit. For you to throw this player enough pitches for him to get 300 swings would take a long time. Even if you went to the park every other day and threw 50 pitches a day to the hitter and they were all strikes, it would take a couple of weeks. Now you can see the major advantage if you can accomplish the same thing in only one or two days. I would much rather have my player struggle for a day or two instead of two weeks. That's awesome.

Remember, you don't have to be in a baseball hitting slump to practice your swing. It is simply one of the outstanding baseball coaching drills and do yourself a favor and make very good use of it.
Some Benefits of the Soft Toss Drill
It doesn't even require a baseball field or a glove.
You don't need someone to round up all the balls in the outfield.
The person doing the "soft tossing' to the hitter doesn't even have to have any baseball skills at all, so you can get anybody to "soft toss" to you. Please don't take this the wrong way but your grandmother can soft toss to you. I say that with total respect.

Soft toss only requires a bat, some baseballs, a fence and an optional plastic bucket or two.

I know more than one person, including my 17 year old son, who has a setup in the garage with thick carpeting fastened to the wall of the garage and that acts as a fence. You can then soft toss any time of the day or night. It can be ten degrees outside or even raining or snowing. You can still get your swings in.

Regulation balls are not necessary and you can use a softer type of ball to practice damage control in your garage or even in your back yard if you opt to soft toss there. (And you will remain on good terms with your neighbors if a batted ball should go over the fence)
If using non regulation baseballs, you will not detract from the benefits of the soft toss drill at all, as the swing is the same no matter what type of ball is being used for the drill.
Many players, coaches and parents use this drill incorrectly. There are many variations and I've tried lots of them.

My Favorite Method:

You stand about 12 feet from a hitter who is about 8 to 10 feet in front of a high fence.

Be very careful. Make sure to avoid areas of the fence that have posts or the batted ball may come right back at the hitter. Make sure the fence you are hitting into is high enough! The person doing the "tossing" should make sure to be in a very safe position so they don't get hit by the batted ball.
Your angle to the hitter should be just about like he's in the batter's box and you're in foul territory just outside the foul line. In other words, if he's a right-handed hitter and you were soft tossing to him, imagine that you are positioned along the first base line, slightly in foul territory. Stay very safely out of the way so there is no chance that you can get hit by the batted ball.

Squat, kneel or sit down with as many baseballs as you want to use right next to you. A plastic bucket is very helpful to sit on and and an additional bucket to hold the baseballs is also very useful.

Three Easy Steps involved:

Holding the ball underhanded, show the hitter the ball.
Drop your hand with the ball in it down toward the ground and pause for about one or two full seconds. (At that point, the hitter should "load up," cocking his hips, hands and elbows.)

Softly toss the ball to the hitter, so that it has a slight arc up and then down. Aim for his back hip, or a different spot if desired and the hitter hits the ball into the fence. Repeat with the remaining baseballs.

It's very important that this drill never be rushed. The purpose is to have a good swing repeated many times until the hitter can do it in his sleep. It is one of the best baseball coaching drills for getting a hitter to break a bad habit or to develop a good habit through repetition.

Once again, be very cautious as to where you are when soft tossing the ball to someone. And make sure there is nothing in front of the hitter that can possibly have the batted ball come right back at the hitter.
The amount of time spent to break a bad habit will be at an absolute minimum because you can soft toss a hundred balls in no time at all!

Larry Cicchiello is the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." His very user friendly eBooks cover 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY players, coaches or parents who want to help their child improve will be fully equipped! Some FREE tips are available at http://www.LarryBaseball.com/product/all

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

========================

If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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Youth Baseball Digest - What is Baseball Slugging Percentage? How is Slugging Percentage Calculated?

By Nick Dixon


Slugging Percentage is a baseball batting stat that assigns value to hits based on the number of bases reached. The bigger a hit is the more it raises the Slugging Percentage of the batter. Slugging Percentage is also sometimes called "Slugging Average" or "SLG". "SLG" is considered a reliable indicator of a batters power. It is very simple to calculate. This article explains how to determine a batters SLG.

Slugging average assigns a bigger value to bigger hits. So the calculation becomes "total bases" divided by the number of at-bats.
Here are the values for each base hit:

· HR = 4 points.
· TRIPLE = 3 points. =
· DOUBLE = 2 Points.
· SINGLE = 1 point.
The formula for determining SLG:
(HR x 4 points) + (TRIPLES x 3 points) + (DOUBLES x 2 points) + (SINGLES x 1 point) = SUM
SUM (Divided by Total At-Bats) = Slugging Average.

In other words, Slugging Average is calculated by adding the totals for all the hits the batter has, then divide by the total number of at bats. For example, a batter goes 2 for 4 and hits a triple and a double, which is five points. Five points divided into 4 at bats equals 1.250 Slugging Average.

Other examples:

A batter is 7 for 12 on the season. He has hit a HR, 2 TRIPLES, 2 DOUBLES, and 2 SINGLES. The total of bases added up equals 16. Divide the 16 bases reached by the 12 total at-bats and you get a Slugging Average of 1.333
SLG is expressed as a three-digit decimal. It is considered the best indication of a batters measure of power.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and easy to understand. Thanks for reading my 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!

Is it the Correct Baseball Swing?

By Jack Perconte

Often, a hitter seems to have a perfect baseball swing but their statistics never seem to equal this beautiful looking swing. Looks can be deceiving! There is a way to find out if the baseball swing is as fundamentally sound as it appears. With the use of a batting tee, follow these steps to analyze the swing:

1. Set or draw a home plate on the ground first.
2. Have hitter get set in the spot they normally stand at home, just like in a game.
3. Lower the tee to the height of the hitter's knees and a half-foot in front of their lead leg.
4. The tee stem should be placed exactly down the middle of home plate.
5. Now, place a ball on the tee.
6. Hitter takes 10 swings
7. With the correct swing, at least 8 balls should be hit hard directly back through the middle of the field.
8. It is mandatory that the hitter stands in the same spot each time and does not change to a different position in the batter's box. As mentioned, this must be the same spot they stand in a game.
9. The ideal hits would be line drives knee high back through the middle, but any hard hit balls through the middle are a sign of the correct baseball swing.
10. This drill will show that the hitter's hands and hips are lining up correctly which is necessary to becoming a good baseball hitter.
11. Hitters should practice this drill until they are able to hit at least eight or nine balls back through middle before working on other pitches with the ball on the batting tee.

Finally, the batting tee is a great hitting tool if utilized correctly.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball

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

==========================
If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Baseball Training - Batter's Edge for Balance

Baseball Training - Batter's Edge for Balance


The Batter's Edge is the greatest technological advancement in baseball training equipment in over 30 years. The reason is simple - the Batter's Edge is a baseball batting training device that teaches balance and control when hitting a baseball or softball. It is a remarkable tool designed to improve your hitting performance through repetition of best practice techniques.


Baseball Training - Balance Perfects the Swing

Why is balance important to your swing, you ask? Baseball and softball training coaches teach that balance is the key element for an effective swing. "You can't hit a round ball with a round bat squarely unless your body is properly balanced," says Ryan Gorecki, a three-time Seton Hall University batting leader in the 90's and five year member of the Texas Rangers organization.


Gorecki is a firm believer in the correlation between proper balance and control and the baseball swing: "In order to have proper balance at the plate, your stance must be comfortable, and your weight must be equally distributed with your feet and shoulders squared. Balance must be maintained as you stride into the ball and your bat follows through the hitting zone."


Baseball Training - Swing is the Thing

Baseball balance training can help boys and girls become better hitters. Gorecki continues, “By staying in balance when hitting, you will be able to rotate on your hips and swing the bat through the zone level, which is the only way to hit the ball squarely. Baseball hitting balance equates to success, and eliminates chopping or upper cutting."


Ted Williams, the greatest of all technical batsmen, preached the importance of balance in developing a swing that generates greater bat speed and power through the hitting zone. Through repetition of proper baseball training techniques, players can improve their batting skills dramatically.


Baseball Training - For Players of All Ages

A-Game Technology, a pathfinder in technological innovation, has developed the Batter's Edge as the first baseball training tool that teaches balance, stride, swing, and muscle memory. The Batter's Edge is a platform training device that comes assembled and fits in most bat bags. Muscle memory allows hitters to concentrate on the pitch, and not their swing. It is like having a coach under your feet helping you to master the skill of hitting.


Gorecki, batting instructor for the East Coast Sports Academy on Long Island, teaches hitting mechanics to boys and girls of all ages. He recommends the Batter's Edge for baseball hitting drills because it promotes balance by keeping batters on the balls of their feet, allowing a smooth rotation of their hips and weight transfer as the swing comes through the hitting zone.


Through the use of the Batter's Edge, hitters will better control their stride while maintaining their eye contact on the ball. It also teaches proper back foot rotation at the point of contact. "The more you repeat good balance habits, the better you will hit," says Gorecki, "and the Batter's Edge can make the difference in your baseball and softball swing.”


For more information on the Batter's Edge please visit www.agametechnology.com.

For more information regarding softball, baseball training, softball training, baseball training equipment ,and
BATTER'S EDGE please visit:www.agametechnology.com

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Teaching a Balanced Batting Stance

By Andy Pohl

Hitting is a chain reaction of body movements. As with any chain reaction, the end cannot be met without a proper beginning. The purpose of the stance is to get the hitter in a body position that will facilitate a quick and powerful movement towards the baseball.

First of all, hitters need to find a stance that is comfortable and balanced. Their eyes must be focused on the pitcher. Many hitters have their heads tucked under their shoulder or tilted to the side. This consequently impedes their ability to see the ball clearly from the best angle. Make sure the head is upright with the eyes focused directly at the pitcher.

All good hitters get themselves in a good athletic position to start. A good athletic position consists of flex in the knees with the hip sockets back. If a hitter is having a difficult time getting into an athletic position or confused about what this position feels like, have them pretend they are defending someone on the basketball court. They will quickly notice that their knees are flexed, their butt is out, and they are slightly bent over on the balls of their feet. Have them hold that position and put a bat in their hands. This is the proper stance.

The stance is should be relaxing enough to have a calming effect over the body. The bat should be held loosely in the fingers or across the callous line of the hand. Never hold the bat in the palm. The hands and forearms should be relaxed as much as possible. Seeing the veins pop out of a player's arms is a good indication that they are holding gripping the bat too tight. Any tension in the hands and arms slows down the swing, which subsequently reduces power.

In order to relax, hitters should breathing slowly, in with the nose and out with the mouth between pitches. Taking practice check swings while in the box waiting for the pitcher to get set also relaxes the body and gives the hitter a sense of flow. Athletes cannot be successful hitter if their mind and body are not in a relaxed state.

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Pohl
=================
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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!

The Importance of Plate Discipline

By Andy Pohl

Every hitter has their weaknesses. Perhaps it is a low, outside strike. Maybe they have difficulty with anything off speed, or pitches on the inner half of the plate. In all reality, the strike zone, from the knees to the letters, ranging from the inner half to the outer half of the plate, is a fairly large area to cover with a 32-34 inch bat. Great hitters understand this, and they discipline themselves to lay off pitches they know they struggle with early in the count.

Successful hitters understand their strengths as well. They understand the pitch they hit the hardest and most consistently. Good hitting coaches ask their players to evaluate their best pitch to handle, as well as the pitch that gives them the most trouble. Once hitters know the pitches that they like and dislike, they are well on their way towards developing a successful hitting plan.

Every hitter must have some type of plan before they enter the batters box. This plan starts with an understanding of strengths and weaknesses. If the fastball at the knees is their best pitch, make sure they are looking for it early in the count. More importantly, coach your hitters to sit on that pitch when the count is 2 and 0 or 3 and 1 (referred to as hitters counts, because in these situations the pitcher can ill afford to throw a ball). Countless high school hitters have become stars simply by banging out hits on 2 and 0 or 3 and 1 counts. The reason for this is they know the pitcher has to throw a strike in this situation, and usually for a young, developing pitcher the fastball gives them the best chance to hit the zone. Along the same lines, convey to your hitters that if the count is 2 and 0 or 3 and 1, never swing at a pitch that is in a location they cannot hit hard. This is when it is important for them to really understand their weaknesses.

Remember, because of the strike zone's size, there are strikes that might not be good pitches to hit. Good hitters lay off these pitches early in the count. Good hitters also understand the importance of working the count in their favor and taking an aggressive swing at their pitch. Hitters who are on the offensive always have a better chance of succeeding than those who are on the defensive.

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

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

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Increase Bat Speed Using Your Body's Natural Energy

By Rob Bucher

Looking for a way to increase your bat speed and hit for more power and catch up with the missiles pitchers are firing at you?

In a few short moments I will share with you the proven ways to have a quick bat.

Once you learn them and understand the physics of the swing you will be able to maximize the kinetic chain.

Most hitters except for the best in the game have poor hitting mechanics.

They don't use their entire body's force to whip the bat through hitting zone with lightening speed and the reason is they have been taught to throw their hands at the ball.

Not only is the movement fundamental wrong, but it zaps power and speed from the swing.

You should be turning into the ball with your hands closer to your body. It produces centrifugal force and speeds up the bat and allows the hitter longer time to react to the pitch.

In order to use the kinetic chain to improve bat speed you need to have a proper load and proper release.

Start out with your weight evenly distributed on your feet. As the pitch is delivered, stride forward and push your hands and weight back while turning your front shoulder in about an inch.



www.QuickSwingTrainer.com


This loading techniques allows you to stretch your body out like a rubber band.

As you begin your swing...allow your lower body to pull the upper body into the pitch while transferring your weight to your front leg.

Accomplish this movement and you will get to the hitting zone faster and with more power.

Ready to have a quicker bat and more power? Click here - Rotational Hitting Mechanics. Because your current mechanics make your swing look like molasses in December.

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

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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!