SolveYourProblem Article Series: Baseball
Teach Me About Baseball

Great Baseball Hitting Tips - Improve Your Swing

Stepping up to bat and driving in a run or two is what every baseball player would like to do every time they step up to the plate. Of course, every time is a bit much to ask, but at least hitting the ball more times than not is a reasonable request.

The first task in order is to become more educated about what you are talking about here. Without embarking on a full-fledged physics lesson, let's review a few things about swinging a bat. Cupping the handle of the bat with your hands in a circle (circular hand path), combined with body rotation adds momentum to the bat speed. All of these elements mixed together produce the swing-hit aspect of hitting a baseball.

With that said, the first thing to consider when improving your swing, is the bat. Yes, sometimes it is the bat, and not the player that needs improving. Choosing a bat is really an individual thing. First, you need to decide on wooden or aluminum. Aluminum bats are lighter and they provide hitters with a bonus pop. Hence they can’t be used in professional baseball.

Young hitters should be able to hold the bat at shoulder length by the knob for about twenty seconds. That means that the bat is light enough and the player will not have to waste strength and energy keeping the bat steady. The bat needs to be held and tested before the player steps up to the plate.

Length and height ratio is important with aluminum bats. Little players must have a bat with a good length-ratio. College and high school players have a -3 length-ratio for safety purposes. Wooden bats can be carved into the ratio that is desired, which is one of their perks.

All right, now that you have the ideal bat, back to the physics. Mediocre hitters rely on one of two things. Torque (two opposing forces meeting from opposite directions), to carry the ball - or they depend too much on the circular hand path. Placing too much emphasis on either one will leave your swing lacking.

If you want to improve your swing, you must be balanced. The circular hand path and torque must be applied efficiently. The bat must be held at the angle above your head that will produce the most torque will be achieved. The way that you palm the bat must produce enough energy from in the circular hand path to pull and push the ball.

Another thing that will improve your swing and batting average is watching the opposition’s pitcher. While you await your turn at bat, watch the pitcher. What is he throwing out there? By reading what he does with other players you may get a feel for what you will be coming up against.

Practice makes perfect most of the time. But if the body is not in shape to be a hitting machine, it won’t be. Before you begin practicing hitting, make sure that you have built up enough strength. And that you have followed a conditioning regiment to prepare your arms and legs for the workout they are going to get from practice hitting.

It might seem strange, but most of the power behind hitting comes from the legs. Watch professional baseball players when they are at the plate. See how strategically placed and firm their legs are. That is because the swing begins in the hips and legs. The middle of the body moves the rotational speed up the body and into the arms. The midsection and legs are the key to advancing your swing.

Condition your body first. Then get your swing going. You can build muscle with simple exercises. Things like sprinting and rotator cuff workouts will help get you into shape. A healthy diet is also necessary. You can’t expect to be good player if your body is not properly nourished.

The good news is that you don’t have to buy all of the programs that claim to strength your swing. The other side of that coin is that you have to put in the effort. And you have to be patient. Developing your swing is a gradual process.

# # # # #

SolveYourProblem.com : 2008

> Home > Baseball: Main Page