Happy Memorial Day from SwingAway

Making The Decision to Swing

Emotions on the Field

Emotions can have either a positive or a negative affect on your performance.  Let’s break down 3 components of emotion and how they not only affect you either in a positive or a negative manner but also how they interact with each other.

• Desire
• Fear
• Anger

Desire is present in every athlete.  It is motivating and relentless, it never gives up.  Desire positively affects athletes through motivation; it is the reason an athlete does not give up, despite any odds against him/her.  However, that same desire becomes a negative when it results in trying to do too much, or giving too much effort.

Fear can have a positive affect by improving your concentration, but it can also have a negative affect if you become too cautious, over-aggressive, or just “freeze-up”.

Anger can overpower all other emotions.  You can be very afraid of something, but if your anger is strong enough, you will forget your fear.  Anger can also motivate you and improve your focus.

Softball Tips : About Softball Batting Techniques

Nutritional Review

1.    To enhance sports performance be sure to follow the nutritional guidelines below.
2.    The resistance trained athlete requires:

• 15-20% Protein
• 50-60% Carbohydrate
• 25-35% Fat

3.    In order to calculate the daily percentages of protein, carbohydrates and fats first calculate your daily caloric requirement:

• RMR X 10
• Exercise level: for a resistance trained athlete it is 450
• Determine your activity level
• Add these three steps to determine your calorie requirement

4.    To determine your protein need:

• Multiply your total calories by (20%)
• Divide by 4 to determine grams of protein

5.    To determine your carbohydrate need:

• Multiply your total calories by (60%)
• Divide by 4 to determine your grams of carbohydrate

6.    To determine your fat need:

• Multiply your total calories by (25-35%)
• Divide by 9 to determine your grams of fat needed

Video: Softball Tips – About Softball Batting Techniques

Extension

If you make contact at extension there will be a loss of power.  There are many coaches that teach contact is made at extension.  However video has disproven that statement.  Making contact just before extension allows the hitter the ability to hit through the ball.

If you do all the mechanical techniques correctly, you will have the proper extension.  If you are not getting good extension generally it is due to a flaw in the swing.

• Extension should be just after contact and not at or before contact.
• You should see a “V” in your arms at maximum extension out front.
• Don’t drop the barrel of the bat below your hands from the backside, you still need to have a short, compact, swing.

Positive Communication Will Enhance Performance

The University of  California, L. A., in an extensive study,  came to the following conclusions regarding believability of communication:

1. Tone of voice & facial expressions account for 38%.

2. Body language, 55%.

3. The words, only 7%.  (Facial expressions are also body language, so the 55% should be even higher.)

It is only when all three are synchronized, or in harmony, will a person believe the words.   This study is another confirmation that regardless of the verbal message, if the body language conflicts, the person will believe the non verbal.  So, managers, coaches and parents, please be careful in the way you communicate with their athletes so as not to adversely affect performance.  Keep your total language positive, for maximum benefit on and off the field.

How to Hit the Ball to the Opposite Field

Prepare for Greatness

Sports giants are people willing to pay the price for excellence.  Brooks Robinson took 200 ground balls a day from the time he was 12 year old until the end of his career.

Nolan Ryan is legendary for his dedication to his conditioning and his personal work habits.  In addition to having strong work habits, it is important to note the fact that dedication and effort is channeled toward specific performance goals.  On a day to day basis, the great athletes work on the things that are necessary to achieve their outcome goals.

Some may regard the hard work involved in developing the principles outlined in this book as a huge sacrifice, but a highly committed player doesn’t look at it as a sacrifice, but rather as a choice that involves sacrifice.  As a player, you need to decide what price you are willing to pay to become the best that you are capable of becoming- on and off the field.