Hitting a baseball is one of the greatest challenges in the sport, even if the ball is tossed the same way over and over again by a ball-throwing machine. Your challenge is even greater when you're dealing with a human pitcher who can throw a curveball, fastball, or something completely different. However, by practicing some key concepts during your turn (at bat), you can drastically increase your chances of hitting and hitting the ball with power. However, knowing the concept alone is not enough. You have to keep practicing, practicing, and practicing until it becomes muscle memory.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparation Stage
Step 1. Stand in the batter's box
If you are right-handed, stand in the box on the left side of the home plate while facing the pitcher so that you are on the third base side of the home plate. On the other hand, if you are left-handed, stand to the right of the home plate, on the side of first base. Facing the home plate. Touch the far side of the home plate with the tip of the bat. Step back until your arms are fully straight.
- Feel free to experiment with standing on each side of the box. Some more right-handed hitters are already standing on the right side of the home plate, and vice versa for left-handed hitters.
- Do not stand too close or too far from the home plate. If you stand too far away, you'll have a hard time hitting the outside. On the other hand, if you're too close, you'll have a hard time hitting the inside.
- If you're a beginner, start by standing directly across from the plate. Once you've practiced enough in this position, experiment with standing closer to or further away from the plate, which will allow you to hit certain pitches more easily. For example, if you stand slightly behind the box, you will have more time to hit the fastball.
Step 2. Determine your dominant eye
Find any object (batting tee, teammate, etc.) that is approximately 6 meters away from you. Straighten your arms in front of you. With both eyes open, raise your thumbs so that they are blocking objects from view. Close one eye. If your view remains the same, open one eye and close the other. The eye that suddenly sees what your thumb is blocking is your dominant eye.
- Right-wing people often have a right eye dominant. Left-handed people usually have a left dominant eye.
- Determining the dominant eye will help you choose the best stance when at bat.
Step 3. Choose an attitude
Decide between neutral, open, and closed. Your decision is partly determined by the attitude that allows you to monitor the ball with your dominant eye. Also, consider how placing both feet in each position affects your swing. Whatever stance you choose, both knees should be slightly bent. Point your toes toward the plate with your feet shoulder-width apart or a few centimeters wider.
- Neutral attitude (also known as "balanced stance"): Both feet are planted at an equal distance from the home plate. This is the most popular stance because it allows the batsman to turn the head over the shoulder effortlessly so that it faces the pitcher and keeps both eyes on the ball.
- Open attitude: The nearest foot of the pitcher is moved slightly back so that the front of the body is slightly more "open" to the pitcher. This is the least popular stance because it takes you out of the hitting position and forces you to take an extra step to return to the position where the ball was thrown.
- Closed attitude: The foot closest to the pitcher is placed slightly forward. This stance allows you to reach more plates with the bat. However, you can get tired of having to turn your head to keep your eyes on the pitcher.
- If pointing your forefoot toward the home plate makes you uncomfortable, try adjusting it so that your toes are pointing at the pitcher at a 45-degree angle.
Step 4. Hold the bat properly
It's best to do your grip by arching the middle of your fingers instead of your palms. If you're on the right, grip the bat with your left finger 2.5-5 cm above the lower end of the bat. Then, place the fingers of the right hand on top of the left hand. Extend your arms in front of you as if you were just swinging. Make sure your left palm is facing down and your right palm is facing up. If you are left-handed, do the opposite.
- Make sure your hands are gripping the bat tightly, but also loose enough to keep the muscles relaxed.
- Adjust the grip so that the second knuckle on the fingers of both hands forms a perfect line.
Step 5. Lift the bat
Keep your shoulders in a straight line and facing the pitcher. Bend both elbows. Pull your back elbow up and back until it's at the same level as your back shoulder and pointing directly behind you. Keep both elbows about 15-20 cm away from your body. Adjust the bat so that it forms a 45-degree angle with your back shoulder.
- Do not rest the bat on your shoulders or hold it horizontally as this will weaken the swing.
- Holding the bat vertically can strengthen the swing, but may not be comfortable for beginners.
Part 2 of 3: Swinging the Bat
Step 1. Watch the ball
Turn your head to look at the pitcher over the front shoulder. Keep your head still and upright, and not tilted to one side. Focus both eyes on the ball from the moment it leaves the pitcher's hand, until the moment the bat hits the ball.
Practice swinging as many baseball bats as possible before your turn comes. Practice until swinging the bat feels natural, without having to think about each step. This way, you can concentrate better on the ball instead of planning what to do next
Step 2. Cock and step
Imagine you are the trigger of a gun pointed at the pitcher. Now, imagine that you are being cocked to shoot when the ball approaches. Shift your weight onto your back leg until your knees and shoulders are parallel (this is called a "cock"). Now, raise the front foot to take a short step toward the pitcher (this is called the "step").
Keep your stride short so your body weight can easily transfer from your back foot to your front foot when you start swinging
Step 3. Keep the front leg steady
Place the front foot in place and hold it during the swing. Bend your knees slightly if keeping them straight is uncomfortable. Use this foot to prevent yourself from being thrown forward by the forward momentum generated by the swing.
- Do not move the front leg during the swing as this will slow down the swing.
- Unstable forelegs will also make it harder for you to keep your head still.
Step 4. Raise the back heel
When you start the swing, stand on your back toes. Make sure all swing momentum is directed directly at the ball.
Mainly the position of your feet in a triangle, with your head as the apex. The sides between the head and each leg should be fairly equal in length. Thus, your position is almost perfectly balanced
Step 5. Swing with your pelvis
Use your whole body to swing the bat, and not just your arms. When you start swinging, start with your back hips, then work your way up to your arms and palms. Keep your elbows bent and folded as close to your sides as possible.
- Pivot on your back toes as you swing so that you end up pointing at the pitcher.
- The closer you keep the bat close to your body, the more power is channeled into the swing.
Step 6. Hit the ball
When you swing the bat from the starting position, try to keep it parallel to the ground. At the same time, bring the bat to the level of the ball's trajectory. Adjust the motion so that you hit the ball at the exact moment when your hips and shoulders have swung forward until your upper torso is now facing the pitcher.
- Aim for the ball's "sweet spot", which is about 12.5-17.5 cm from the top end of the bat.
- Keeping the bat parallel to the ground and at the ball's level will ensure you're still hitting the ball even if it misses the bat's sweet spot.
Step 7. Swing through the ball
Try to hit the ball when the swing is at its strongest. Ensure this by swinging “through the ball” (also known as follow through). Instead of swinging the bat just far enough to hit the ball, wait until you actually hit it before adding additional force to the swing. Then, let the bat slow down as it crosses across your chest.
- The swing should start from the chin facing the front shoulder. Without turning your head, your chin should be facing your back shoulder at the end of the swing when following through.
- Think of it like a sprinter crossing the finish line. They don't slow down and stop right at the finish line, but instead sprint as hard as they can through it. These sprinters only reduce their speed until they stop after crossing the finish line.
Part 3 of 3: Practice
Step 1. Focus on balance first
Start by learning how to move smoothly from one movement to the next while maintaining full balance. For now, you don't have to think about how to hit the ball. Instead, follow a four-step drill to learn how to move during stance, cock, stride, and swing effectively. Start slowly so you can spot mistakes easily. As each step becomes more mastered, speed up the count so that it becomes more natural and fluid.
- First of all, get into the hitting stance.
- On the count of "one", do cocks.
- On the count of “two”, step forward.
- On the count of "three" train your eyes on the imaginary ball.
- On the count of "four" swing.
Step 2. Accelerate the pelvis
Remember that the swing should be guided by your back pelvis, and not your arms and palms. Holding the bat the wrong way during a four count drill will force all your concentration on the pelvis. Instead of using both hands to hold the bat against the handle, hold the bottom with one hand, and the top with the other.
Instead of pulling the bat to shoulder height awkwardly, pull it behind your back pelvis during stance, cock, and step
Step 3. Use a batting tee
Before facing a human pitcher, practice with a silent tee batting. Learn how to hit the ball with maximum power before thinking about how to hit a moving ball. Use this time to perfect your swing and follow-up moves.
Place the tees at various points on the plate to get used to hitting different types of pitches
Step 4. Practice with a light ball
Once you're confident in your hitting stance, start trying to deal with a moving ball. However, instead of going straight to the baseball, try using a lighter ball. Try using a tennis ball, baseball, or baseball practice ball as they don't go too fast due to their light mass. Train your eyes to follow this ball, which is not as difficult as a baseball.
