Baseball is a sport loved by young and old alike. It’s America’s pastime after all, and good times can be had across the generations. So what are some tips for this great sport? How can you get the most out of it? Start with these top tips that’ll have you playing like a pro.
There is a lot of sprinting in baseball. Whether you need to steal a base or run to home plate, sprinting is essential. To help increase the speed of your sprinting, run short drills. Time yourself running from home plate to first base. When you begin, power off to gain the maximum speed.
Shift the weight of your body to your back foot to increase the power behind your batting stance. If you hit from the right side, the weight will be placed on the right foot with your thigh muscle tightening on that side. When you swing, extra power will come from your rear foot.
When hitting make sure that your legs are in the right place. Proper athletic balance is important. Your legs need to be a bit wider than shoulder-width from each other. Flex your knees so that your weight is centered on the insides of your feet. Your knees need to be slightly bent toward one another.
Always wear protective equipment when playing baseball. Just like any sport, injuries happen in baseball. Especially when batting, you need to protect your head. That means you need to wear a helmet whenever you enter the batter’s box. One poor pitch can mean a fastball hitting you in the noggin. That’s at minimum a ringing headache with the potential for a concussion or worse. Be safe.
Do you have any children or grandchildren that are interested in playing baseball? As in other areas of life, we want to do all we can to help our kids experience success. To develop a quick swing, the hands, wrists and forearms have to be strong. You don’t have to buy expensive equipment to help kids develop better muscle strength. Give your child a tennis ball to squeeze on while watching TV. The tennis ball provides enough resistance to strengthen the hand, wrist and forearm.
If you are a first base coach, you have certain responsibilities. Basically, you must encourage the batter to hustle down the first baseline on all infield hits. You also have to remind the runners as to how many outs there are. You must instruct the runner when it is time ti take an extra base, round first base or hold up. You also have to tell runners how far they should go on pop flies.
To be a better player in the outfield, you have to be moving. If you stand in the same position too long, your legs can get tight and you will not be able to run when a ball is headed your way. The best way to stay moving is to take a few steps between pitches.
Learn how to stride properly in baseball. Right-handed batters should use the left leg for added momentum. Left-handed players will use the right leg in the same way. As the pitch nears, stride forward about twelve inches to create the momentum you need. Younger people should keep their stride forward below a foot, and for adult players, a foot is ideal.
With these great baseball tips, you are now ready to go play ball like a champ. Teach them to your kids. In fact pass around your knowledge to the neighborhood. Your friends and family alike will definitely benefit from all that you’ve learned here. It’s a ton of fun, and passing on the knowledge is all part of what makes this sport so great.
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