The baseball swing is a lot like the golf swing in that each player can personalize and perfect their own approach. While there are some standard techniques to be learned when you are just getting started, these fall away from importance as you come to realize what your natural inclinations are as a batter.
No Two Swings Are the Same
Do you prefer the open-leg stance to the closed front leg stance? What about your front foot – is it pointing towards the pitcher or directly horizontal. These are questions that no coach out there can be certain about. As a player you have to learn what style works best for you. No coach should ever tell you exactly the ‘right’ kind of baseball swing. The advice of a coach should come from watching you bat. It’s in the observation mode that a coach can see what your strengths and weaknesses are. Having an objective set of eyes judge your posture and form is helpful because it will guide you towards finding your own personal, unique batting technique.
Find Your Swing with these Tips in Mind
Granted it’s not an easy process to find a swing that works for you. In order to help you find your perfect swing, here are some tips to keep in mind:
If You Want to Hit Home Runs, You Need Leg Strength
Have you done everything you can physically to improve your swing? Sometimes it’s not technique that needs improvement – it’s strength. Start with the legs and work your way up to the core. Keeping your lower body in shape will give you the torque required to really turn on the ball and drive in 15-20 yards farther than you used to.
A Smooth Weight Transfer
Weight transfer is another similarity to the golf swing. In order to harness the power of your newfound lower body strength, you need to step into the ball and transfer weight from your back foot to your front foot. The more seamless a process this is, the better.
Don’t Let Your Arms Out
A common mistake made by amateur players is to let their elbows hang far too wide over the plate. It’s best to keep your elbow and shoulders tight and close to your ear. That way you can swing through the ball rather than catch it on an angle by swinging down on it.
Don’t Over swing
The second most common mistake is to swing with your arms rather than your hips and legs. Pushing with your forearms and wrists will cancel out most of the momentum generated by your lower body. Just let the bat flow with the force of your weight transfer and things will come a lot more easily for you.
Partly Mental, Partly Physical
Baseball is a very mentally-focused game. Dialing in on your focus and remaining confident in your technique will go a long way to improving your performance at your next league game. It’s important to be confident and never second-guess yourself when playing otherwise you are bound to strike out.