Get To It, Get Through It
Lots of good hitting instructors teach, “Short to the ball, long through it.” That is a sound theory. However, that quote needs explanation to the baseball novice. As a hitter, you want to be as quick as you can to contact, and then follow through fully to maximize power.
Baseball Practice Plans and Drills
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Baseball Zone’s practice plans are designed for coaches who want to run effective practices using fun drills and useful game scenarios. Our practice plans teach players about game-winning situations while getting them reps in an exciting and interesting way.
Baseball Thinking 101 - Fielding
Instinct is when anticipation meets opportunity. If you can anticipate the play before it occurs, your chance of being successful greatly increase. What exactly does this mean? Think ahead. Plays happen fast and knowing the situation ahead of time will allow you to execute the proper play.
Indoor Throwing and Arm Strengthening
For teams that are practicing indoors, it is important to continue to strengthen the players’ arms. If there is not enough room to throw long or you are faced with a poorly lit facility, you may have to be inventive. You can still utilize this indoor time to gain arm strength. You want to have your players’ arms game ready by your first game.
The Hitting Position - The Hands
The hitting position is the moment your stride foot lands and you are about to swing the bat. This is one the most key positions in hitting. For major leaguers, regardless of how they set up in their stance, they are all within inches of the same position at stride landing. If the most successful hitters in the world do this, you have to say there is a reason for it. It puts their body in the best position to maximize both power and speed. For this blogpost, I will focus on the hands because young hitters tend to struggle with this the most.
Hitting Quick Fixes - Hand Positioning
The quickest fixes you can make are the ones you can control, and that starts in your stance. Lots of times kids get into bad habits just by where they start their hands. If their hands are too low, they may have a big uppercut swing. If they start too high, they may chop down too much. If you find your hitters struggling with consistent hard contact, watch their hand placement in their stance. The biggest adjustment here is the kids have to remember where to place their hands. They can control that, but they need to practice it.
How To Plan A Baseball Practice
Practice design is not as intimidating as one would think. However, for the novice coach, it may be a daunting task. Baseball Zone’s Practice Planner makes it quick and easy. We have a bunch of great drills and formats already in there for you to choose from. Just point, click and print.
Here is a quick template that touches on the most important aspects of a practice for the younger kids:
Drills, Drills and More Drills
Drills are a great way to get the player to feel what you are trying to get them to feel. If done properly, they can benefit the players immensely. If done improperly, they are reinforcing bad habits.
“Practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent.”
Occupy Baseball, 99% vs. 1%
This time of year, many travel baseball teams here in the Midwest have secured inside training facilities on a weekly basis. Travel baseball is big business now. Players pay a pretty penny for coaches, training, leagues and tournaments. Training sessions for teams inside can last anywhere from an 1-2 hours. If your team is lucky enough (or has spent enough money), you will rent a field and some cages.
Fielding Footwork
While it’s safe to assume that the vast majority of major leaguers possess great arm strength, a closer look may reveal something you might not expect. Players seldom during a game “air it out.” Not every pitch or play requires a player to use 100% of his arm speed/strength. But when they have to, how do they do it?