Major League Hitting Drills

Major League Hitting Drills
By guest author: Jack Perconte

Major league hitters have very advanced swing fundamentals, which explain how they made it to the major leagues. However, it is important to note that fundamentals are fundamentals. The drills that are designed for little league players are the same drills that major league players perform. There are numerous baseball hitting drills with the best drills being the ones that address the particular hitter's needs. Every hitter, from the major league player to the little league player, has a weak part of their swing. When this weakness is known, hitting drills can be geared towards addressing those areas. Working on correct fundamentals is a continual process for major league players as it is for youth ballplayers.

When I played major league baseball, the off season was the time where I was more concerned with getting in great shape by gaining quickness and strength. I was not as concerned with timing the ball as much as in season. With this in mind, preseason was spent performing drills on the batting tee and with soft toss drills. The important body parts that major league baseball players want to get in shape are their hands and core muscles, including the stomach and hips. With this in mind here are a few major league hitting drills that ballplayers practice to get their hands and hips in shape.

1. One arm drill - hitters will take swings using only one arm with a lighter bat or by choking up on their regular bat. This drill will force them to use the muscles in their fingers, hands, wrists and forearms so that they develop the strength and quickness necessary to hit major league pitching. It will also help them develop the correct swing fundamentals of each hand separately. It is recommended that players take more swings in this manner with their weaker arm.

2. Another popular major league hitting drill is the self-flip drill. With this drill, players will begin by holding the bat with their lead arm only and flip a ball up in the air with their rear hand. The ball should be flipped no higher than eye level and in the hitting zone, at which time the hitter grabs the bat with both hands and hits the ball. This drill develops quick, strong hands and requires a good fundamental swing to hit line drives.

3. Fast hips can be developed with the quick swing drill. Players will swing five times in a row forward and backward as fast as they can. Players should be sure to finish their swing to the middle of their back before they reverse the bat as fast as they can. This drill can also be done with a partner who flips five balls in a row to the hitter, releasing each ball when hitter returns to hitting position. This drill will also help overall balance, which is another key ingredient to a good baseball swing. (See following drill)

4. Balance beam drill - players stand on a balance beam and take swings at game speed, with the goal of completing the swing while staying on the beam. An example of this drill and of making a usable balance beam can be found in my book, "The Making of a Hitter."

As the season begins, major league baseball players tend to work on timing and vision drills. This is mostly done with correct batting practice habits with flip drills from the coach or regular pitched balls from a batting practice coach. Good hitters will always try to hit the ball where it is pitched in the strike zone and try to watch the ball hit the bat at contact. They will not swing at pitches outside the strike zone. Following are a few more major league hitting drills that also help hitters:

5. Back knee pickup drill - hitters swing and pick up their back knee, allowing it to rotate towards the pitcher with the swing. This drill develops hitters' front side and weight transfer as they will have to keep their front shoulder going towards the ball as their weight transfers. Both of these are necessary for good contact and power.

6. No stride drill - hitters take their regular swing without the initial stride. Many hitters get in trouble when they jump at the ball. This major league hitting drill will allow them to stay back and rotate instead of lunging at the ball. Doing this drill after the previous drill is a good idea.

It is important to note that using a batting tee for taking productive swings is a must for all serious ballplayers. The batting tee is an important device for major league hitting drills as well as for young baseball players. Coaches and hitters should consult instructional manuals or a good hitting coach so they know how to use a batting tee for the best results. All hitting drills can be done on a batting tee and will help groove a perfect baseball swing. Hitting balls solidly and on the line is always the hitter's goal, whether hitting in a game or with hitting drills.

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 Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

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

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Effective Baseball Hitting

Effective Baseball Hitting
By guest author: Chris Moheno

There is much more to baseball hitting than meets the eye. When it comes to this technique, it is imperative that body and mind work together in order to achieve the best hitting results.

When you love to play baseball, your goal will be to become a better hitter. Each individual will have their own opinion and give you their advice and hitting tips.

Take all of the advice on board and eliminate everything that does not fit your hitting style. Try different variations of hitting, stances, approaches and hitting drills.

If something in particular suits you, then keep it; if it doesn't, then eliminate it. There will always be something that can be improved. However, listed below is some of the best advice that you will ever wish to receive.

o When hitting, it is important to always remain calm. You will not be able to hit the ball successfully if you are nervous.

o Stand in a loose comfortable position parallel to the plate with your legs approximately shoulder width apart and your knees and hips well bent. Your body weight should be perfectly centered in the middle. Your hands should be placed approximately five inches away from your body and only a couple of inches above your shoulder height.

o Paint a picture in your head of a box shaped area for following the ball. When the pitcher goes through their motion, imagine a box surrounding his or her shoulder where the ball comes out. This will assist you in determining what he or she is going to pitch.

o Wait until the pitcher is in their windup with approximately 60% of your body weight on your back leg. When the pitcher separates their hands, which were previously together with one in their glove, you should take a light smooth stride of approximately 2 inches long.

o Now you need to be prepared for receiving the ball. As your front foot steps forward, you need to shift approximately 80% of your body weight onto your back foot. Your hands should be moving backwards very slightly whilst at the same time ensuring that you keep a 90 degree bend in your front elbow. Your front shoulder should be heading forward towards the plate with the backwards motion of your hands. This action is done very quickly and is known as the load.

o Never take your eyes off the ball when baseball training or when undergoing a real game. Once the ball is in the air, you have a fraction of a second to identify the pitch. You then need to pivot, twist your hips and bring your hands straight down with the knob of the bat going straight to the ball whilst transferring your body weight back to the center. The bat then needs to be extended whilst keeping it on a level downward plane. Once you make contact you flick your wrist and extend the bat pointing the end of it to the pitcher and finish with the bat on your shoulder.

o When baseball hitting you will experience inside pitches, outside pitches, and pitches down the middle. When hitting an inside pitch you should hit the ball out in front of your body. When hitting an outside pitch you should let the ball get back in the zone and hit it behind yourself or at your body. When hitting a pitch down the middle, you should hit it right on top of your body with good extension.

o You will sometimes identify a curve ball, which will look as though it is going to hit you. No matter what you do when baseball hitting, you should never buckle backwards. It is important to stand your ground and if anything, turn into it and stay low. This will assist you in hitting the ball with a great deal more consistency and power.

o Don't be afraid of fast pitchers. A fast pitch will simply result in the ball going further. If you see the ball coming towards your midsection, do not lift your hands and allow it to make contact with your ribs. What you need to do is press your arm into your side and allow the ball to hit you in your arm. Trust me; a ball hitting your arm is much better than hitting you in the ribs.

The final, and probably most important piece of information that you should always follow when it comes to baseball hitting, is that you must, at all times, wear protective gear and a helmet. Baseball is a fantastic sport, but not so great when you do not play by the rules and wear the appropriate protection. Pitchers can very often slip up, sometimes accidentally and sometimes on purpose, and a baseball is not one that you want to be hit with on several occasions when you are not correctly kitted out.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically.

His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game.

Discover more about baseball training secrets on baseballtrainingsecrets.

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

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