Learn How to Pick the Right Bat for You

How to Slide Properly

Baserunning:
How To Execute A Straight-Leg Slide In Baseball

The proper sliding technique in baseball is vital to avoiding injuries and reaching base safely. Follow these simple steps from VideoJug to learn how to straight-leg slide in baseball.

Step 1: On Approach
To execute the straight-leg slide you want to start the slide about 10 feet from the bag.

Step 2: Dirt Form
Push off your rear foot and lift both your legs. With your body heading towards the bag feet first with the toe on the straight leg pointed right at the bag. Your bottom leg is bent underneath you.

Step 3: Foot The Bag
When you hit the bag with your straight foot you can easily pop up in case of an error and head towards the next base.

Taking The Right Approach to the Ball

It is very important to take a proper and consistent angle to the ball, the lower half of your body is what allows you to take this angle.  If the feet and hips are not working correctly, the hands and arms will not be able to take the proper path to the ball.

Also, mentally the hitter must not be thinking home run or have these types of thoughts in his mind.  These thoughts will throw off the proper swing rhythm and sequence of the swing.  The approach must be fundamentally sound from the ground up or somewhere along the line you will reach your ceiling and improvement will stop.  This is why it is so vital that these mechanics are learned as soon as possible, the more time that lapses, the more difficult it becomes to overcome.

SwingAway Ranked as a Top Product as NFCA Show

To see the SwingAway review, skip ahead to 13:40 in the video below.

Hitting with the Proper Grip on the SwingAway

Stop Striding to Where the Ball is Pitched!

Many coaches mistakenly tell their players to stride to where the ball is pitched.  This is not good advice.  In order to be consistent with your approach, you need to stride to the same spot every time.  If your timing is going to be correct, your stride food will be down by the time the ball is halfway to home plate.

This must happen in order to execute the proper swing.  If you follow poor advice and stride to where the ball is, you will be limiting yourself to that one area and you won’t be able to make adjustments.

Keep your stride short

The Stride should be no longer than 8 inches.  If your stride is too long:

• Your weight is going to go too far forward.
• Your hands will come forward prematurely
• Your head will have too much movement
• All of these will make it difficult for you to see the ball clearly, and your bat speed and power will be greatly diminished.

Learn How to Slap the Ball in Softball

Why Can’t You Have a Long Swing?

It is very important to take a proper and consistent angle to the ball, the lower half of your body is what allows you to take this angle.  If the feet and hips are not working correctly, the hands and arms will not be able to take the correct path to the ball.  Also mentally the hitter must not be thinking home run or have these types of thoughts in his mind.  These thought will throw off the proper swing rhythm and sequence of the swing.  The approach must be fundamentally sound from the ground up or somewhere along the line you will reach your ceiling and improvement will stop.  This is why it is so vital that these mechanics are learned as soon as possible, the more time that lapses, the more difficult it becomes to overcome.

A Long Swing can be the result of:

• Using too heavy a bat
• Having used an aluminum bat which has such a large sweet spot that gives the appearance of a good swing which can be deceptive until you face good pitching
• Trying to hit the ball too far and over swinging

Learn How to Keep It Simple at the Plate

If you are interested in buying the head games book, click here to purchase it on the SwingAway website:

At a major baseball convention,  a sports psychologist in attendance unknowingly paid HEAD GAMES a great compliment.  His critical comment to the company selling the book was, “yeah, I’ve read it, but  It’s written on an eighth grade level.”   Au contraire!  I’m thinking that if an eight year old can read it, understand it and attain baseball excellence, then it must be written on maybe a third grade level?  In order to scale the pinnacle of performance potentiality, simplicity is an absolute necessity.  If  you’ve just got to have a complicated methodology that doesn’t work,  then HEAD GAMES is not your answer.  E-mail me and I’ll give you the name of the other guy’s book which sold a total of one at the convention compared to many written on “the eight grade level.”  If you want something simple to use that works and works immediately from youth leagues through the major leagues, then make HEAD GAMES yours and maximum potential for success can be realized.  I talked with a major league pitcher this week that I worked with toward the end of last season.  His subsequent success was close to perfect after struggling all season.  Now, he can’t wait for the season to begin.  Barring injury, this WILL be his best season ever, and he’s had some really good ones.  His comment on the book:  “I have never liked to read, but I love THIS book.  I don’t want to put it down.  The techniques are so easy to use.”  To insure success, one must mentally embrace a simple approach that allows consistent play “in the zone.”

The HEAD GAMES methodology is exceedingly simple and fun to use.  This simplicity is an absolute requirement if an athlete aspires to attain the “seventh heaven” of Baseball Excellence.  If there are those who desire or have tried complex theories, which are doomed to failure, I recommend that they  get on board with hundreds of athletes who have discovered the awesome power of HEAD GAMES.  Accolades, testimonials & endorsements continue to pour in from across the world.  The success of HEAD GAMES has been and continues to be unprecedented and unparalleled. Ladies & Gentlemen, start your powerful “mental engines” by choosing the holistic philosophy of HEAD GAMES, and begin to enjoy life and success on and off the field.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -Walter Herbison - He consulted with Mississippi State Baseball from 1988-1992, the Atlanta Braves in 1990, LSU in 1991 and 2000, the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs organizations and many other amateur and professional teams. Nationally, he has consulted with many players individually — from youth leagues to Major Leagues.

BasballTips.com Review of the New SwingAway Backyard Batting Station

Post written by Coach JB (founder and owner of BaseballTips.com)- The Newly Released SwingAway Model For Home Training of All Age Players! The most affordable SwingAway ever Made.

The SwingAway Batting Station and Trainers have been around Big league and Little League Baseball for many years and have been owned by hundreds, perhaps even thousands of pro ballplayers for personal use and off season training. Now, John Flading, the SwingAway Company President, has engineered a home size & quality machine that makes this fine batting practice partner affordable to all serious players for use right in their own backyard, basement or garage… its even been designed to fold flat and store in a small area, and will lean right up against a wall.

The idea is have the ball reset every 3 seconds to maximize swing repetition in a safe and efficient manner. The SwingAway simulates a batting tee station but with more flexibility in the level of training. No picking up balls and no catch net is required, just set it up (it’s very quick), adjust the height of the ball and begin working up as tough or easy a workout that you design! You will learn to improve on hitting to all parts of the strike zone and improve hitting too all parts of the ball field… with power! No Player Is Too Young To Begin Improving…especially when it’s this much fun!

Work On Your Weak Points!
Every player does some things well and some…not so much. When you get in the cage or are at batting practice, you want to really rake…doing your best at what you do best. But, the reality is that in baseball, it isn’t about what you want…it’s about what you are going to get. Once, pitchers and other coaches figure out where you are weak…buddy, they are coming after you! Now’s your opportunity to work on that low & away pitch at the knees that gives you so much trouble, or perhaps the inside pitch or… whatever.

The bottom line is that you can get better at any and all aspects of your game… you will need a number of swings and then some… Now you can stop the frustration and start having a lot more fun…right in your own backyard.

All SwingAway models are built tough and perform as advertised…now there is another innovative model that makes these lessons much more affordable. And yes… it is a lot of fun too!

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