Getting in the Right Mindset at the Plate

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 hope that they would follow the advice and testimonial of an athlete and businessman that I worked with, who has a PhD in chemistry.   This great guy was a  skeptic as to the power of the right brain in  performance, until he tried it, and the results were astounding, both as a pitcher and as an engineer.  Make this your best season ever.  Playing relaxed and focused guarantees right brain play and success.

ADJUSTMENT FROM THE PEN TO THE MOUND–Among others at major league spring training camp this year, I worked with a pitcher who had been having location problems.  I watched him at a distance while warming up; not a single pitch was above the knees–phenomenal location, with quality pitches.  He pitched his scheduled four innings, while making mostly excellent pitches, but he gave up two earned runs by getting several pitches up in the zone.  Other observers came to the conclusion that the problem was mechanical.  During dinner that evening I gave him the solution.  Going from an almost flat mound in the bullpen to a higher elevation requires an adjustment mentally and physically.  Unless the mind dictates to the body the necessity for a new release point, the body will usually take the path of least resistance and the ball will be up.   It’s just easier not to bend the back a little more to insure a lower release point.  We see this often by pitchers late in games after they tire.  Release point determines location, but only a consistent follow through will insure accurate and consistent location.  The body will do the bidding of the mind if given proper instruction.  The aforementioned pitcher’s  called me after after his next start and was elated.  He threw five innings, giving up no runs with only four hits.  He made the adjustment and kept the ball down consistently.  Mind over matter.  HEAD GAMES will also work for you!

Why Would a Coach Hate the SwingAway?

“Doc” Pollak, a NJ legend with a record of 1018 lifetime wins, talks about the hitting machine that causes him headaches, because it makes his job as a pitcher that much more difficult. However, as a hitter, Doc couldn’t love the Swing Away more.

How to Be Consistent in the Game

When a player is “hot,” it is imperative that he not pressure himself to maintain that pace.  If so, he starts trying too hard, thereby switching the mind to the left hemisphere, where trouble is certain.  Solution?  Leave your mind on automatic, and keep positive HEAD GAMES within your control.

Only a positive mind can keep one on the road to success.  Relative to sports, or anything else, the mind must be focused on the present, in order to maximize goals.  When focused on the task at hand, goals are secondary.  Goals, in order to not be detrimental to success, must be kept on the edge of the attention, and not allowed to interfere with the present.  When relaxed and  properly focused, the mind of the athlete shifts to the creative side.  This focus on the present, the action of the moment, is the solution to thinking too much.  Positive testimonials continue to pour in from across the globe with HEAD GAMESsuccess stories.

Learn How to See the Ball at the Right Time

So when does hitter first see the baseball? Where does hitter look for a Pitchers Release Point? How does hitter track and recognize FB/CB/CH? How many times does hitter actually see the 95+ FB? At release, at half way, at 30 feet?

Release point: that place by his body where the pitcher first exposes the ball as his hand moves forward to throw.. You identify it watching the pitcher as he warms up and/or pitches. See it better if you align your stance with it (not with the plate) – Remember, it can differ fron righty to lefty, overhand to buggywhip releases, and end positions on the rubber. Release points can vary by the width of the Rubber plus two armlengths, from rightys to leftys.

Visual Pickup: as he exposes the ball with the forward motion to release, pick up the white of the ball and follow it in, and that flash of white becomes the ball.

You’ll pick it up and follow it better and longer if your stride and motions are smooth. To check & drill for smoothness: pick a speck on the wall (release point), set up your stance with it, stride to it, see how steady the spot remains through the stride and early upperbody moves. If the spot doesn’t remain steady into the latter, you’ve got analyzing and work to do.

You can track the 95mph pitch unbroken, to well within 10 feet. (Ask a catcher)

Pitch recognition: different folks do it different ways. Most pick up seam/spin pattern as an early warning sign to react to. But it demands an early and clean visual pickup.

I believe that in a clean early visual pickup and good followup, you’re focused so well on the ball that you don’t sense the background, and all you see is ball. But if the pickup etc aren’t right, you’re forced to separate the ball from the background, you see it all, so the ball looks smaller.

Hitting with Full Extension

There are many coaches that teach contact occurs at extension.  Video has disproven this statement.  Making contact just before extension allows the hitter the ability to hit through the ball.  If all the mechanics are done correctly, you will have the proper extension.  With the proper extension the hitter will:

• Stay balanced after contact and through extension
• Keep his top hand palm up as long as possible through extension
• Have a “V” in his arms at maximum extension out front
• Keep his head position down through extension
• Think about driving the ball back through the middle

If you are not getting good extension generally it is due to a flaw in the swing.

Using Proper Breathing Techniques

A focus on breath connects and harmonizes the mind and body, while relaxing both.   This centering puts the mind in the zone or right hemisphere of the mind, which allows for greater performance efficiency.  When ready for play, then the centering or focusing is on the ball or on the target which keeps you in the zone.  One of the Head Games is RELAXATION  through abdominal breathing.  Begin by exhaling  to a slow count of four while forcing all air out of the lungs by sucking in the belly.

Then, breath in slowly to the count of three, allowing your belly to balloon out.  This completely fills the lungs and moves up to ten times more oxygen than the way most normally breath.  Use this powerful Head Game and it will serve you well on and off the field.

Having a Simple Approach at the Plate

I get numerous requests from those who want me to analyze mental performance methodologies with which they are experimenting with or plan to try.  In all cases, thus far, they require thinking during performance, which is diametrically opposed to the HEAD GAMES approach.

I am not familiar with everything that’s out there, but I do know that you need look no further than HEAD GAMES relative to successful MENTAL methods.  The techniques are unprecedented and unparallel and  are proven over and over by a multitude of testimonials.  Simplicity must be a prerequisite if success is to be expected.

Keeping the Front Side Closed During the Swing

Many well-meaning coaches give poor coaching advice.  For example, when a coach tells a hitter that he or she needs quicker hips, but does not explain the correct movement of the hips, this will lead to:

• A front side that pulls out too early or hips that might slide forward.
• The hitter pulling off the ball too soon; the hitter not staying square to the plate.
• The feet being late getting into the proper position which is very important when talking about having a consistent approach.

Sliding hips come from pushing off the back foot which can lead to a tilt in the hips and shoulders.  This in turn can cause a poor angle on the swing.

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.

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.

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