HITTING Site Map Bad Advice Skills & Instructions BASIC ADVANCED BASICS In General The Bat Grip Stance Load & Stride Swing Special Situations Bunting Illustrated Step by Step   ADVANCED Stance versus Swing Bat Angle  Bat Selection  Aluminum or wood Bat Size Bat Sizes and Age Getting Ready HITTING APPROACH  KNOW YOURSELF How do you step in the box? KNOW YOUR OPPONENT STRATEGY KNOW THE SITUATION BE A TOUGH OUT GRIP LOOSEN UP PICK IT UP LIKE AN AX KEEP LOOSE STANCE  DIG IN WEIGHT AND HANDS LOCATION IN THE BOX DEPTH Proper Hitting Goals On-Deck Preparation Stance versus Swing Bat Angle COIL STRIDE COMMON PROBLEM Keep the Front Toe Closed During the Stride Perfecting the Stride Hitting Off Your Front Leg "Squishing the Bug" Flat-Snap Hitting Finishing the Swing Seeing the Ball Plate Coverage and Forward Extension  Poor Timing Correcting a Weak Swing Lunging and Over Striding Lunging forward during stride Over Striding Staying Closed Before the Swing  Stepping Out on the Pitch The Level Swing Bunting The K Factor (The Strike factor) Trouble Shooting Your Hitting         Report Broken Links

Square Stance   Step into the batter’s box with your body facing home plate. Place your back foot parallel to the back of the box and plant your feet shoulder width apart. Balance your weight over the balls of your feet, keep both eyes on the pitcher and grip the bat. Bring the bat back to ready yourself for the pitch.   "Batting stances vary widely, and all players develop their own styles. Combine these basic elements with what feels comfortable for you."   Step 1   Step into the batter's box  Place your back foot parallel to the back of the box 90° to the plate  Place your front foot a shoulder's length from your back foot  Point your front shoulder toward the pitcher  Stand balanced on the balls of your feet     Step 2   Grip the bat with your hands  Place your non-dominant hand on the bat just over the knob  Put your other hand just above your non-dominant hand  Hold the bat between your palm and your fingers      Step 3    Bring your hands and the bat up  Hands are just behind your back shoulder  Hold the bat over your shoulder at a comfortable angle  Keep your elbows up  Stand relaxed, alert, and ready to swing      Skills Drills Adjustment drill   Start with the basic stance, then adjust it to what feels most comfortable to you as you get some experience in the batter's box. Develop a feel for what works for you.  Accuracy and timing drill   Practice getting into the stance over and over again. Focus on accuracy and timing. When you hear the words "Batter up!" you want to look smooth, like a pro.    Outside Pitches   If you have trouble hitting pitches on the outside part of the plate, keep your front shoulder "closed" by turning it toward the plate Inside Pitches   If you have trouble hitting pitches on the inside part of the plate, practice until you develop a stance that gives you quick hands, a good back-foot pivot and the ability to hit the ball in front of your stride foot.  Watch the Pitcher  If you are unable to see the pitcher with both eyes, open your stance by turning your shoulders more toward the field.           Click the button above to go back to the web page or web site you were at before coming to this page [Official Little League Rules & Regulations]   [Parents]   [Players/Kids] Learn How to: [Hit]  [Pitching]  [Infield]  [Outfield]  [Catcher]  [Baserunning]  [Coach] [Baseball Humor]  [Baseball Terminology]  [Site Map] [Sign Our Guestbook] [Privacy Statement/Disclaimer]  [Terms] Do you like what you see, got a gripe, would you like to see something added to this site? Contact us at jontanderson@juno.com