How To Hit A Baseball - Proper Stance

  Learning how to hit a baseball requires the proper batting stance and is the second thing you learn as a hitter. The first thing? Hitting is 90% mental toughness. Without clarity of purpose and skill the body will not react in a way capable of hitting a baseball. Now that’s said, we’ll learn the second thing to hitting.

There are basic mechanics, which we’ll explain in a minute, but the first thing about a batting stance is it  must be comfortable and Balanced  for you. These are the two building blocks we will start with, and I know there are Professional Baseball Players who will violate one or more of the things we’ll be looking at. Remember, they are the 1 in a million. We are looking at establishing good fundamental basics on which to build.

 After you reach the big leagues I don’t care if you stand on your head and bat, but let’s keep it basic for now.

  A lot of these steps will become automatic after you acquire more experience, but it is important we look at and identify every step individually to establish a good system and batting stance.

Balanced Batting Stance .. Feet Shoulder Width Apart ... Elbows Up .. Bat Still

How to Hit a Baseball

 The first thing you should do when entering the batters box is square yourself up to the plate. Most hitters, more or less, place their feet shoulder width apart with home plate located between the legs. This is not written in stone as some hitters prefer to move up or back in the box, but the majority straddle the plate. 

 No matter where you stand in the box…stand in the exact same spot every time you bat. You must establish a location to relate to the ball, you can not see the break or the rotation of the ball clearly if you’re seeing it from a different perspective every time you hit.

  From your position, extend your bat over the plate, making sure your bat reaches the outside of the plate when extended, if need be tap the plate with the bat to make sure you have coverage, if not move closer to the plate so you can hit the outside pitch.

  Standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, bend your knees and bring your chest over your feet. You don’t want to be too erect when hitting. Leaning slightly forward be sure your weight in on the balls of your feet, not on your heels, and you can feel your butt squarely under your hips.

Good Plate Coverage ... How to Hit a Baseball

  Your shoulders should be square to the plate, front shoulder and head facing the pitcher. OK. Now you have a well balanced and comfortable batting stance, you can reach the outside pitch and you have a clear view of the pitcher.

  Next is learning how to hold your bat. I know, you’re thinking how stupid do you think I am that I can’t hold a bat? Humor me.

  A lot of players grip the bat more with the palm of their hand than their fingers. There is no strength in the palms of your hands, only in the fingers. You want a strong grip on the bat for control.

  A little hint: Always check to make sure your  Knocking Knuckles  on both hands line up. This is the proper grip and if they aren’t lined up adjust them to where they are.

  Holding the bat your hands should be brought to shoulder level, slightly above or below is also acceptable as long as you can still wrap the bat barrel around the back of your head.

  Now let’s review. - How to Hit a Baseball

Diagram Of Correct Knuckle Alignment

How to Hit a Baseball

You now have a batting stance which is comfortable and

mechanically correct. You can reach all parts of the plate with the bat and you have a clear view of the pitcher and his release point. You’re holding your bat in a powerful grip. ( Be sure to use the lightest bat you can…the lighter the better for bat control )

 You have a perfect foundation on which to build additional hitting skills which we’ll explore.

To reverse direction.

Many people fail to consider the fact that the first step in hitting is to KNOW you can do it.

I don't mean "I know". I mean "I KNOW!" The deep in the gut, no doubt, only excited anticipation feeling you have when you're sure of yourself.

Without getting scientific or physiological, the mind is your most valuable asset when attempting just about anything, but especially an extremely difficult task.

  I teach my players several things to think about as they prepare to bat, which may sound distracting to the player at first, but as he masters the exercises he’ll automatically perform them in a split second.

How to Hit a Baseball - See Knuckle Alignment

  The first thing to do is visualize himself making contact with the pitch, watching the ball all the way to bat, seeing himself following through with his swing as the ball shoots off the sweet part of the bat. *** It may help if the player closes his eyes while doing this.

  This visualization accomplishes several important things. The mind’s eye actually seeing the accomplishment of this difficult task removes inherent doubt and fear of failure. The mind knows it can do it … because it just saw it.

  The visualization awakens the body’s starting mechanisms. The muscles required to hit become activated remembering what they are suppose to do in this situation. The eyes become focused and prepared to watch the flight of the ball, the churning stomach calms as the anxiety of waiting are about over. ----- How to Hit a Baseball

  If you feel this may seem silly, think about it. The body and mind are about to attempt to perform a very difficult task. They must be in sync or else a difficult task just became impossible.

  As you leave the on deck circle and start walking to the plate, take a deep breath and have your mind relax your body.

  Finally, as he steps into the batters box and begins his stance, take one last deep breath to focus.

Part of learning a batting stance has to do with Coming Out of the Batting Stance, in order to avoid being hit by a wild pitch.

 We all know that occasionally a batter will get hit by a pitch, a curve ball that didn’t curve, a fastball thrown too hard and goes astray, or back in the old days …a purpose pitch.

How to Hit a Baseball Back to Teaching Hitting

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