20 Great Hitting Tips

Hitting Tips   Hitting with two strikes can be difficult.  If you choke up you will be able to control the bat better and strike out less.  Good hitters choke up with two strikes.   Staying “Inside the ball” means to keep the bat as close to the body for as long as possible.  This will help you have more bat speed and hit the ball harder.   In order to hit with more power, try using your legs better.  Power hitters roll up onto their back toe at contact.  This will help you to use all the power in your legs and hit the ball harder and further more consistently.   Being in a proper, balanced stance is vital. While every hitter’s stance may vary, generally try to stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your hands held comfortably around your back shoulder.   Getting into a strong position of power is vital in order to make hard contact consistently.  When taking your stride, make sure that your hands are “clicking” back.  This will help you to be in a position to explode to contact.   Balance is one of the most important aspects of the swing.  Try to keep the majority of your body weight, in your stance, on the balls of your feet.  This will help you to have better balance and stability – which also gives you more power.   Once up at the plate in a game, seeing the ball should be the only aspect of hitting that you are thinking about.  If you focus on seeing the ball as well as possible you will make hard contact consistently.   Make sure to keep your head down at contact.  Wherever you make contact with the pitch is where you should hold your head.  Practice this technique by holding your head for prolonged periods of time at contact during batting practice.   The fence drill is one of the best drills for practicing a short swing.  Stand a couple feet away from a fence, take short swing and try to “miss” the fence by pulling your hands close to your body.  The longer you practice this drill, the closer you should be able to get to the fence without hitting it.   Bunting should be practiced on a daily basis.  The reason for this is because you actually are practicing hand eye coordination at the same time you are practicing your bunting technique.   Practice letting the ball get deep.  Hitters who consistently let the ball travel deep into the hitting zone are the ones who have the most consistent success.   Hitting with a wood bat in batting practice is one of the best drills you can do.  There is a smaller barrel on a wood bat which forces a hitter to have a shorter swing with better extension in order to hit the ball hard.   Video analysis is one of the best ways to see if a player is swinging improperly.  Players at the Major League level watch their swings daily on video to make sure that their mechanics remain perfect.  Watch your swing, make sure that you are staying short to the ball and keeping your head down.   Hitters of any age should have a good strength and conditioning training program.  Pushups and crunches should be performed by any player wanting to increase power, bat speed, and overall strength.   Stay relaxed at the plate.  Take deep breaths before you walk into the batter’s box and make sure that your muscles are relaxed instead of tense.  This will help your confidence at the plate.   Before each game you play, visualize in your mind that you are going to be successful and take good swings up at the plate.  This will help you to feel more comfortable when the actual game begins.   On deck, take swings like you would want to take in the game. Your at bat really begins well before you walk into the batter’s box.   Make sure that when you swing you are keeping your front foot at a 45 degree angle towards the plate.  Hitters who open that front foot too early lose power and bat speed.   Rolling your wrists right after contact will make for inconsistent contact with the ball.  To avoid this, practice hitting the ball and keeping your wrists locked until after extension.   In order to hit the ball hard to the opposite field: let the ball get deep into the hitting zone, stay short to contact, and keep your head down.   Your stride should be early and easy.  Taking your stride should feel almost like you are stepping on eggs trying not to crack them.  This will help you to be consistent in your at-bats.   One-handed drills are some of the best drills to establish the proper swing.  Choke up on the bat so that it feels light in your hand, and then take a regular swing with each hand.