Youth Baseball Clinic - Baseball Tips on Hitting - The Most Common Hitting Problems at Any Level of Play!

Baseball Tips: Correcting the Most Common Hitting Problems at Any Level of Play!

By Guest Author: Larry Cicchiello

If you have what is referred to as a "quick hip," please forgive my bluntness but you will have no chance of being a successful baseball hitter. Only on an inside pitch, can you get away with opening the front hip a little bit early. A "quick hip" is when the front hip opens a fraction of a second early. It is a common hitting problem and a very serious one for many hitters at all levels of play. One of the most important baseball tips on hitting is to remember that the swing itself should force the front hip open. If the hip is a fraction of a second too quick, it forces your front side to open too early and this is a recipe for disaster for a baseball player at any level of play.

Three Major Problems Occur if You Have A Quick Hip:

1. You will not see the ball well. Your head will go along for the ride with your "quick hip" and you will be looking at the ball out of the corner of your eyes when the moment of truth arrives and you attempt to actually hit the ball.

2. Your power will be lost. You will be leaning toward third base if you are a right-handed hitter or toward first base if you are a left-handed hitter. That is not where the hitting is taking place. The hitting is taking place in front of you, not to the left or right of you.

3. Your plate coverage will be poor. The only pitch you'll be able to hit with any success at all is the inside pitch and low and away pitches will cause many baseball hitting problems for you.

I wonder how much young players who are struggling at the plate would improve considerably if they made this fairly simple adjustment at the plate.

Keeping the front hip and the entire front of your body closed is one of the most important baseball tips on hitting. How common is the baseball hitting problem of having a "quick hip"? You can check it out for yourself. When watching a game live in person or on TV at any level of play, observe the weaker hitters. (The ones who are batting .220, .230 or .240.) Keep an eye on their front hip. In almost all cases, it will be opening too early.

On the other side of the coin, you can also check out the better hitters. They will be keeping their front hip closed!

Larry is the successful author of several very user friendly eBooks and CD's 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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Fundamental Youth Baseball Coaching Tips!

Fundamental Youth Baseball Coaching Tips!
By guest author: Stephen K Reynolds

Getting young players to keep their attention span at a high level is always a challenge for the youth baseball coach.

My Suggestion is to incorporate a games type scenario into your practices.

Heres is a great game you can use to keep your players practicing at their peak.

1st run some ground ball drills maybe cross field throws and after a while stop the practice and tell the players you are going to make it a friendly competition!!

Here is the game: get 6 players on ea side defense is pitcher, catcher, 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and shortstop. Offense is 6 base runners, put them behind home plate and tell everyone you are going to hit ground balls at the defense and their objective is to get the runner out at 1st. Award a point when they get the runner out. After the play is over have the runner come back to home and get back in line.

Continue on with this drill go thru the defense 2-3 times and then switch sides.

Now continue on with this game. once you have done this again with the other team you can put a runner on 1st and run the same game but now they have the option of trying to get lead runner and then on to 1st possibly for the double play.

This is just 1 example of how to keep it interesting for your players. The main Secret for coaching youth baseball is to keep in exciting so you have the players focus the entire time you with them!!

Remember bottom line Keep it fun!

One of the reasons i am able to coach youth baseball is because I have home based business on the Internet which gives me the freedom to have a flexible Schedule.

If you would like more information about that contact me at

406-542-1723 or go to

[http://www.urticket.org]

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers & seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

(800)758-1282

406-542-1723

[http://www.urticket.org]

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

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Fundamentals of Throwing a Baseball

Fundamentals of Throwing a Baseball
By guest author: Lou Schneider

I know you are busy. Life is hectic. However, you want to make the most of teaching youth baseball skills to your team, child or youth organization. This article is designed to reduce the amount of time you must invest, to be a more effective coach, teacher, parent or administrator of youth baseball players. The following instruction will provide easy to use methods to teach youth baseball players the proper fundamentals when throwing a baseball.

These baseball throwing fundamentals are designed for parents, managers and coaches to instruct players on properly throwing the baseball to:

1. Improve your throwing accuracy
2. Maximize your throwing speed
3. Improve the speed of the glove to hand exchange
4. Reduce the risk of arm injuries

Holding the baseball

It all starts here! The key to baseball throwing fundamentals starts with holding the ball correctly. The correct way to hold a baseball is using what's called a 4-seam grip. Please note - Pitchers grips can and will vary, as ball movement may be desired to deceive hitters. This grip should be used by all other positions.

I'll take you through the proper way to hold and throw a baseball. I'm constantly amazed at how few players properly hold and throw a baseball. This technique will make your son throw with more velocity, more accurately, and reduced injury risk. You should only use your index and middle fingers and your thumb. Your index and middle fingers should be on top of the ball crossing the widest seams. Your thumb will support the weight of the ball on the bottom of the grip. Don't squeeze the ball, but hold it tight enough so you won't drop it. Leave a little space between the ball and your hand.

Advantages of using this grip:

1. Better accuracy, as the ball is less likely to tail away from your target.
2. Ball will travel further with less effort, as it takes a more direct route to the target.
3. Ball will get to the target faster, as it takes a more direct route.

Releasing the Baseball

The last motion before you release the baseball should be a wrist flicking motion toward your target that creates a backspin on the baseball. Even though it's the last motion in the process, it should be taught and practiced before the rest of the motion as it should be reinforced as the others parts are learned. This motion, combined with the 4-seam grip, will ensure you maximize the above referenced advantages of this technique.

Bringing it all Together with the Proper Upper/Lower Body Movements We'll cover 4 steps in this section to complete the baseball throwing fundamentals technique:

1. Ready Position

Begin by holding the ball in your throwing hand using the 4-seam grip to begin.

Your glove side shoulder and arm should face your target. At this time, your feet should be shoulder width apart and square with your body.

2. Weight Transfer

Your weight should shift to your rear leg (throwing arm side leg). Once your weight has shifted to your back foot, your throwing arm will extend away from your target (4-seam hold, fingers on top, thumb on bottom) while your glove arm extends toward the target. Take a small step toward your target as your arms extend. This will begin the transition of your weight from back to front. Proper weight transition will give you better leverage, thus more power behind your throw. This increases the velocity of your throw.

3. The Throw

Simultaneously:

-Pivot your waist/hips to square with your target
-Pull your glove away from the target
-Move your arm toward the target (elbow will be above the shoulder).

4. Follow Through

Simultaneously release the ball to its target, continue your throwing arm down (towards the ground) and across your body and follow with your throwing arm leg moving forward toward the target.

Lou Schneider
http://youth-baseball-made-easy.com/
Dedicated to providing coaches and parents the tools to teach baseball fundamentals and drills to youth players. Please visit the website for more detailed instruction including illustrations.

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

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Uploaded by warehamgatementv On the 1st day of summer, there is no better place to be then the ballpark. Area youngsters grabbed their gloves & bats, and headed over to the Wareham Gatemen's Youth Baseball Clinics. The 1st session started this week, but the clinics continue throughout the summer. It's not too late to sign up & learn from the best ballplayers in the Cape League & in college baseball. Gatemen like Brent Suter (Harvard), Derek Dennis (Michigan), Andy Flett (Louisville), Josh Turley (Baylor), & Joe Flynn (Franklin Pierce) are teaching the youngsters the fundamentals this session...and these kids may be learning from future pro's! Team Broadcaster Lisa Pride has the inside scoop for you from Gatemen Camp. For more information about the Instruction Clinic & the Advanced Clinic...go to www.gatemen.org or pick up your registration form at the next Gatemen ballgame.

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Intricate And Advanced Hitting Skills

Intricate And Advanced Hitting Skills
By Jim Bain


At times there seems to be such a tremendous amount of information pertaining to how to play baseball we become literally overwhelmed and shut down. We don't seem to know which drill or exercise to perform in what order.

I've found that sometimes just throwing a few drills, tips or advise out and letting the player choose which to take first lends to getting back on track and that's exactly what I have done here by offering various hitting drills from which you may choose.

1. Batting Gloves It seems somewhat out of place listing batting gloves as a way to hit as it really has nothing to do with mechanics. However, the use of batting gloves have become so popular it's worth a mention.

When buying batting gloves, only buy gloves that do not wrinkle. They will be more expensive, but ironically batting gloves were first used to keep players from developing blisters due to extended batting practices. Now ill fitting or wrinkling gloves are producing the blisters they were intended to prevent.

2. Batters Box We are constantly drilled to keep our head still as we swing in order to maintain eye / bat contact with the ball, but we never stop and think about always standing in the exact same spot in the batters box. If we constantly change where we stand in the batters box, it changes the perception of the oncoming ball and produces muscle confusion, which will prevent us from ever being able to consistently hit a breaking ball.

Unless you're changing your batting location in the box permanently, take your stance in the exact same spot every bat, every game. If the catcher's squeezing you, crowd back...he'll move.

Follow Through We're always hearing the Coaches yell "Follow Through" to their pitchers. Maybe we ought to start doing the same to hitters. We say we want to Hit the ball, but actually that's not quite correct. What we should be saying is we want to Hit Through the ball.

When finished swinging a hitter's bat should be high over and behind his head. Just as there is a beginning to a swing there is an ending and swinging through the ball is where the power originates. Have you ever seen a golfer stop his swing immediately after he hit's the ball? Be sure to finish your swing.

Bringing the Knob Thru the Zone You've probably heard the saying "Throw the Bat head thru the zone." What they are referring to is bringing the barrel of the bat, the sweet spot, in front of your hands. This offers a quick bat and power when good contact is made.

I'd like to offer a different theory. In order to maintain better bat control, which means more hits, but not necessarily of the power type, we lead with our hands. Another way of saying this is we lead with the knob of the bat.

In order to do this we control the bat with our top hand (on the bat). When we bring the bat thru the strike zone the top hand must be palm up. This guides and controls the bat towards the ball. Using this technique will make you a better hitter as far as contact.

Jim Bain - Former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth. Visit his exciting info packed website: http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com

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

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Baseball Tips on Hitting - How to Overcome Two Very Common Baseball Hitting Problems!

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"Correcting Common Baseball Hitting Problems"
By Larry Cicchiello

Tension Is A Hitter's Worst Enemy!

I've heard this expression dozens of times and could not agree more. No, let's make that hundreds of times. If you have tension in your swing, it is next to impossible to hit the ball effectively. On the other hand, relaxing is a great asset to have.

An outstanding baseball coach I know has his hitters take a deep breath before every pitch and go into relax mode. Please note that I said outstanding coach and not good or very good. It is often referred to as "the calm before the storm." Hitting a baseball well on a consistent basis is NOT an easy chore. If you have tension before and during the swing, it makes it an almost impossible chore. A smooth and gracious swing is what you want to strive for and tension will make it very difficult.

Like I've mentioned before, sometimes a slight waggle at the plate will help you to relax. Or you can wiggle your fingers on the bat while waiting for the pitch. It's very difficult to have your body tense up if your body is moving. Learning how to relax at the plate should be very helpful to you!

You Must Be Short To The Ball!

1. You must go from point "A" where you are loaded up, to point "B" where you are making contact, in a straight line. The very beginning of the swing is NOT level at all. It is a DOWNWARD movement when going from A to B and NOT a horizontal movement. Way too many players level out their swing at the start. The reason it is such a common problem is because they have heard the words "level swing" hollered out to them since they were eight years old. I wish I had a dime for every time I've heard a coach, parent or teammate holler those two words out. Only at the point of contact should the swing level out and NOT before that. You can not lose a valuable fraction of a second if it takes a fast ball a fraction of a second to get to the catcher's mitt. Look at it as simple math.

2. Another possibility for your swing to be "long and looping" may be that you are dropping your hands at the beginning of the swing. This can cause you to be "long" to the ball and cause your bat to have a slight drag.

3. You may be pushing your hands out too far away from your body and that will create a longer swing. Remember the expression, "hands back and bat forward."

4. You must keep your front shoulder closed. If you open the front shoulder too early, it will cause your bat to drag through the hitting zone. This is often referred to as "casting" the bat and not swinging the bat. "Casting" is what you do when you go fishing and not when you swing at a baseball.

Let's face it. There are hundreds of baseball tips on hitting. Having a tension free swing, being "short to the ball" and keeping the front shoulder closed should be right near the top of your list! They are three things that are absolutely critical for successful baseball hitting.

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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Baseball Hitting Tips

By Joe Brockhoff

Here are some of the many questions:

How long should it be?

What direction should it go?

Would it be best to eliminate it?

One thing is for sure: The stride, done poorly, will often do more harm than good. Here are some of those issues: Over-striding, stepping the bucket, and not getting the foot down in time.

One might think, let's just eliminate the stride. Or let's just put the front foot out, with only a little weight, and keep the rest of the weight back.

In all of our years of studying baseball hitting tips for research and development of the Super 8 Hitting System, we looked for answers to those questions.

I am a hitting purest, meaning that if the activity is not necessary, then we don't do it. In other words, economy of action, doing only the absolutes with no wasted motion is the way to go. So should we eliminate the stride? Many coaches teach this in their clinics and camps using many baseball hitting drills.

My belief is that while no stride is ten times better than a bad stride, a good stride is better than no stride. Against a good velocity pitcher, a hitter must have quick hips. He must be able to turn quickly, clearing his hips and getting his hands out in front for contact. The stride is an asset for this. It provides a continuation from linear to rotation for the fast ball and for transfer of weight through the ball.

Here is the timing factor:

Fast Ball: Stride - Stroke
Off Speed: Stride - Pause - Stroke

Think of the top that young people used to play with. With all of the electronic games of today, the old "top" has been sort of put away on the proverbial shelf. But the top used to be a favorite toy for youngsters. It's a rounded object with a pin on the bottom. They would wind the string around it, toss it forward holding onto the end of the string.

When the pin of the top hit the ground, the top would change from linear direction to rotational. It would spin, and spin until it lost its momentum and flopped over.

If the top were merely dropped straight down vertically, this would create a very loose rotation, if any, and it would almost immediately drop over on its side.

So what's the point? Like the linear action of the top gives it the force that it needs for strong rotation, so does the linear action of the stride provide a good rotation of the hips toward the ball.

Former Tulane Hall of Fame Baseball Coach, Joe Brockhoff, fully explains his baseball hitting drills with the Super 8 Hitting System, completely demonstrated with videos and hitting tips to help you hit with more power and raise your batting average. http://www.LearnBaseballHitting.com.

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

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Baseball Hitting - The 3 Basic Elements of the Major League Baseball Swing

BatAction Hitting Machine by Nedco Sports

By Nick Dixon

The Major League baseball swing is a thing of beauty. The dream of millions of little league baseball players is to become a major league baseball player. Hitting a major league home run is a fantasy baseball dream of every youth baseball player. How do the major league baseball players hit with such power? What makes their swing so powerful, productive, and perfect?

The smoothness, compactness, and timing of the professional baseball swing make it one of the most graceful things to watch in all of sports. Professional players practice and practice the fundamentals of the perfect baseball swing. If you watch it in slow motion, you will see that there are 3 common elements of the swing that that most major league baseball players have in common. Baseball batting practice repetition makes the Major League Baseball Swing consistent with the same 3 basic elements exhibited with every swing of the bat.

Great hitters always have the following swing qualities:

1. Solid and Stiff Front Leg

2. Rotational Swing allowing them to Stay Over Stack

3. Maximum Extension of the Hands and Barrel

Here I will discuss each of these 3 elements of the Major League baseball swing:

1. STIFF FRONT LEG
The power hitters in major league baseball use a stiff front leg to give them leverage for their power. When you study their swing, the front leg is firm and at an angle that allows them to stop all body movement forward. The front foot is the anchor that prevents lunging and hip travel forward. Maximum power is generated when the arms are extended and the hips rotate. If the front leg bends power is lost.

Coaching Point: A stiff and firm front leg requires the hitter to have the timing and patience to allow the baseball to get inside the front foot before attacking the baseball. Maximum power is generated when the lower body, hips, and torso spin to generate bat speed. The tendency to lunge at the ball must be avoided.

2. STAYING BALANCED AND OVER STACK
This is a term that refers to the spinning motion of a batters body and the process of keeping the head and torso perfect aligned over the back leg during the swing. The head does not move, travel or lunge forward during the swing. The perfect swing is a rotational motion with the body staying back and spinning over the back hip.

Coaching Point: Head travel is a no-no. If the head is moving forward then the batter has too much forward movement. The body must stop all forward movement and spin like a top. This rotational hitting motion generates maximum bat speed and power. A great tool for teaching and training young and advanced hitters this skill is the STAY BACK TEE and HandsBackHitter Trainer by Swing Buster. This innovative tool is a great baseball training aid that forces the batter to keep the correct front leg position during the swing. The STAY BACK BATTING TEE will teach the batter to have a stiff front leg and to stay over stack through the swing.

3. GETTING MAXIMUM EXTENSION THROUGH THE BALL
What this means is that when the bat makes contact with the ball, the hitters drive the hands and barrel of the bat through forward as long as they can to prolong the bat to ball contact. They power-drive the moving the hands forward on a level plane as long as possible. This down and through motion of the hands is like the landing of an airplane. The bat travels quickly and compactly to the ball on what is commonly called an A to C swing. But, once contact is made with the ball great hitters have the ability to drive the hands and barrel forward on a level plane to generate and maintain bat barrel to ball contact. The longer the barrel stays in contact with the ball, the more force will be exerted on the ball.

Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

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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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