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5 Baseball Training Aids
If you have ever played baseball, you will
know that practice makes perfect. Finding the perfect training
aid can make all the difference in your game. Here are some
of the more popular devices that you can use to help improve
your game.
First thing is to find a hitting
device that is right for
you. Most popular are different versions of tethered balls,
which prevent you from having to fetch and re-tee balls that
you have hit. Some versions are simply a ball on a bungee that
attaches to a pole. When hit, the ball wraps around the pole,
and then unwraps to send itself back at the batter for another
hit. A second option is a tethered ball that you hit into a
net. The ball is hit straight out, so that you can view the
flight path it would have taken, and then the tethers pull
it back into starting position. Both styles allow for adjustments
for players of different heights and areas of the strike zone.
Another good thing to have for training is a weighted
bat.
Weighted bats help build up your swinging muscles, which can
increase your bat speed and power. Using these bats can add
up to 30 feet. They usually come in a variety of weights and
lengths so that you can find the size that is perfect for you.
Look for a bat that requires you to do the work, not balanced
in such a way that it swings itself. That way you get the most
out of your practice workout. Hands, arms, and wrists will
benefit the most, though be careful to get a bat that is at
a weight you can handle to prevent injury.
Weighted
gloves can benefit players by building up both their
throwing strength and their hitting power. These gloves will
fit just like a batting glove, but add additional weight to
both hands, often incrementally. They can be worn during all
types of practice; whether it is while warming up, using a
batting cage, or during batting practice. Wearing the gloves
help strengthen all of the muscles needed in an entire swinging
motion. For throwing, it also helps strengthen the muscle groups
needed, and weighted gloves are perfect for stretches, warm
ups, and practices. It also helps to build up your arms stamina,
preventing future injuries. Do use caution when increasing
the amount of weights though, to avoid inuring yourself.
A pitching
machine can be a major help if you do not always
have someone around to throw pitches for you. These machines
use a variety of balls, from waffle to actual baseballs, depending
on the style of the machine. They also usually have variations
available in the pitching speed. That way you can have the
balls come at you one right after the other, or have a moment
in between each one, depending on your skill level.
If you are a pitcher, getting a training
ball may be of big
help to you. These are often weighted, giving your pitching
arm a more thorough workout. That way when you go back to throwing
a regular ball your muscles are built up and ready. Other training
balls will also include markings for the proper finger placement
for different styles of pitches, such as a fastball versus
a curveball.
Do keep in mind that practice equipment is good only for that
– if you use it for practice. They are not a guarantee of a
dramatically improved game. Only practice itself, along with
a trained coach or sports trainer to guide you, will be able
to do that. So go out and get working!
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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