Baseball is almost back!!
With pitchers and catchers reporting it is time to get back in the swing of things.
Unfortunately for us in the northeast, it is not easy to find a warm, dry place to practice outside in the middle of February.
A place you can practice your swing at home is in your basement, garage, or any open room. All you need is a net set up to catch the ball that can be either made or bought.
The key for a good baseball swing is to have your head down, quick wrists, and to incorporate your lower body into your swing because that is where all your power comes from.
Two ways you can practice your swing inside are through tee work and soft toss, if you have a parent or friend. If you have a tee at home this is something you can do by yourself and you do not need many baseballs. Soft toss is where a person sits to the side facing the batter just ahead of his or her front foot so the hitter can make contact out in front of the plate, just like at bat. You can have a plate as a reference point but it is not necessary. Whether you are doing soft toss or tee work remember to reset yourself after every swing and DO NOT RUSH.
Some common swing mistakes made by beginners that are easily fixed:
1. Make sure the hitters front foot steps toward the pitcher and not down the third baseball line. This will prevent hitter from missing from missing the outside pitch.
2. Keep the hitters back elbow up because that will prevent an upper-cut swing, which leads to pop ups. The natural movement of the swing will bring the elbow down.
Remember that any sport activity, whether it be a baseball swing, basketball shot, or hockey shot can take thousands of repetitions to master. So keep practicing!!