Fundamental Steps Every Hitter Should Know

The Hand Position

The Right Grip

Begin with the bat in your hands, only applying pressure with your fingers and not your palms.

The bat should be gripped loosely with some flexibility in your wrists.The bottom hand controls the bat and the top hand supports the bat. Line up your "door knocking knuckles."

[endif]--Note: Left Handed Batters, your left hand is the top hand and your right hand is the bottom hand. Right Handed Batters, your left hand is the bottom hand and your right hand is the top hand ![endif]--

Hand Position

Hold the bat three to four inches away from your chest. Raise your back elbow to shoulder length. Your front elbow should be in line with your hands. Shoulders should be tension free. Slow movement with your upper body can help with this.

Hitting Stance

Feet Position

Step inside the batter’s box with feet parallel to the home plate. Feet should be shoulder width apart. Touch the outside of home plate with that bat to get correct distance from the plate. Bend knees slightly with weight distributed evenly on the balls of your feet.

Note: Having the appropriate distance from the home plate allows the hitter to hit inside and outside pitches easily.

Head Position

[endif]--Face your head toward the mound. Watch the pitchers wind up and be ready for the pitch. ![endif]--

Note: Time your swing as the pitcher warms up before going up to bat. Additionally watch the pitchers grip and how she releases it to know what pitch could be coming your way.

How to Prepare Before Swinging

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Preparatory Movement

As the pitcher begins to release the ball, take a stride no longer than eight inches with the front foot. Your feet should still be parallel after your stride. As you take a stride your front hip, front knee, and front elbow turns in a little. Simultaneously, rock your hands to the rear no more than three inches. he step is known to put power behind your swing. he back knee stays firm but flexed. Have someone imitate a pitcher to practice this step. Place all weight on the back foot while both knees are flexed. Begin brining the knob of the bat to the position over the plate the ball is traveling.

Note: Preparatory movement should be completed just before the pitcher releases the ball.

Difference Between a Ball and Strike

If the pitch is too high or too low, hold your swing to let the ball go by. A high pitch is a ball over the soldiers. A low pitch is a ball below your knees. If the ball is a strike, continue to the next step. A strike is the area between the high and low positions.

When Making Contact

Upper Body Movement

Head is faced at the position where the ball meets the bat. Once the pitch is at the center of your body, both arms are bent at 90 degrees creating an "L Shape" with your arms. The bat and ball meet on a level plane. Use a firm and rigid chest. Aim for the center of the ball during contact. If you do not hit the center of the ball, the ball will be fouled off. Extend both arms after contact is made.

Lower Body Movement

Once the pitch is at the center of your body, rotate your hips toward the pitcher. Pivot the back foot. This step is referred to as "squishing the bug." You are pretending to squish a bug with your back foot, that is how exaggerated this step is. Keep a balanced position while maintaining body weight on the balls of your feet.

Note: On an inside pitch contact happens sooner, in front of your body. The hips open up early and the back elbow moves closer to your body so the hands can move in front of the body. On an outside pitch contact happens later, between the center of the body and back hip. The hands are ahead of the bat contact and hips do not move towards the pitcher until contact is made so the batter can wait on the ball.

How to Follow-Through

Full Body Movement

The bat follows the direction of the ball. Transfer 75 percent of your weight on the front foot. The other 25% is on the back foot. Your weight should be evenly distributed on the front foot while the back foot is still on the balls of your feet. Bring the bat over your front shoulder to fully finish the swing. Equally distribute your weight on both feet. At this point, your back ear, back shoulder, back hip, and back knee should all be in line with each other. Having a strong balanced follow through is important. It allows a quick recovery so you can begin running to first base. It is also an indicator the hitter made strong contact with the ball.