If you’re a batter, you know how important it is to hit the ball right. You shouldn’t just hit the ball right; you have to hit it hard. Learning how to hit a baseball farther means that you’re attempting to hit the ball as far as it can go in the field.
There’s nothing wrong with contact hitting, but it’s not enough. While being a contact hitter and a fast runner is sure to put loads of pressure on the defense; you have to learn how to hit a ball harder and farther to hit more home runs. The power in your hit can make or break your baseball career, so it’s best to be safe rather than sorry.
With that being said, here are some tips that’ll help you learn how to hit a baseball farther.
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1. Use The Power In Your Legs
If you’re only standing upright waiting for the ball to come to you so you can hit it, chances are it won’t go very far. You should take up a wide stance and ensure that your legs are slightly bent. Be ready to rotate your core and your hips appropriately while you take your shot.
While your upper body is important since it holds your arms, the lower body is just as vital, and you have to use it. Your hips and legs should be as active during the swing as your arms, shoulder, and chest. When you take a wide stance with bent legs, you will drop the bat fast.
However, doing all this isn’t child’s play. You’ll need to summon all the balance you have, work on your flexibility, and learn to discharge motion while in that position. It should be easy for you to move while still maintaining the position. Try not to swing around while holding forte but stand your ground.
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2. Build Your Legs More
You’ll have to start concentrating on your legs a lot more. To get into the fast motion from the stance you had taken above; you will need to strengthen your legs. But even more important than strengthening both legs is strengthening your front leg.
Your front leg is what you’ll need to stabilize your body from shifting weight and allow it to rotate. Remember, if you have a strong front leg, the faster you can keep yourself stable and the stronger you are with your weight shift. Here’s how you strengthen your front foot:
– Take the initial stance with your feet slightly bent and your stance wide.
– To get into position, swing a bat around or push your body weight towards the pitch as it approaches.
– Once your front foot is firm on the ground, you will feel the leg get stiff.
– The previous stance will cause you to have a powerful rotation that allows you to swing your bat with all the power you have.
Ensure that your front knee is steady. If it wavers, you won’t hit the ball with as much power as you should.
3. How To Hit A Baseball Farther Will Depend On Your Core
Once you have the lower half of your body in check and it’s strong, it’s time to work on your center. Your core is the next essential part of your body for you to work on. While you search for “how to hit baseball farther workouts,” pay attention to the latest exercises in sports science that are proven to help you strengthen your core.
Your core includes your lower back, obliques, and abs. While your legs shift the rest of your body weight towards the pitch, you’ll need your hips and your core to put all the pressure you have into the ball. Think about the swing of your bat as a force that you have to summon from the lower part of your body right into your hands and, ultimately, the bat.
Remember, anything you do to ensure your core is strong will go a long way. You will need your core to help you control your rotation and hit with all the power you have. Exercises you can do to help you strengthen your core include heavy resistance training or medicine ball routines.
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4. Keep Your Bat Ready
If you want to learn how to hit a baseball farther, you have to get used to having an excellent grip on your bat. You don’t need to let your bat swing loosely at your feet. You have to ensure that you’re ready to give it a good swing.
You have to ensure that you’re right in the hitting zone to make sure that you have the best chances of making great contact with the baseball. If you try to hit it anywhere else other than the hitting zone, chances are that your contact with the ball will always be inconsistent. You have to view the bat as an extension of you, so it should have the same movement that your body takes.
To do this, you have to try and be as athletic as you can and maintain a solid movement pattern.
5. Ditch The Smaller Bats
While you want to ensure that your baseball bat has the same rhythm as the rest of your body, you have to ensure that it’s just as solid. You may gain some great bat speed with your stance and rotation, but your bat won’t hit the baseball with much force if it’s light. Your bat weight will determine the ball’s acceleration, so you should ensure that you use the biggest one your hands can handle.
But, ensure you don’t get a bigger bat than you can handle. It should feel comfortable in your hands, and you should be able to control its movement. A powerful bat will guarantee you a powerful swing.
One of the biggest benefits of a larger bat is the bigger barrel. This spot ensures that you have maximum hitting power that the handle or the end of the bat can’t provide.
6. Concentrate
Your concentration is the most important thing you’ll need to reign in if you want to learn how to hit a baseball farther. There’s no shortcut to it. If you’re going to get the baseball onto the sweet spot on your bat, you have to project all your attention to it as it comes towards you.
Most people who want to learn how to hit a baseball harder and farther think that the trick is pushing their forearms ahead and moving their bodies away from the ball. We’re afraid that’s not right. While it may look like you’re taking the correct posture, you’re only adding more distance to your swing and reducing the chances of making impact contact with the ball.
To make the best possible contact with the ball, ensure you devote all your concentration to the ball and pull in your shoulders for the swing until you hit the ball. The only way you’ll hit home runs is to ensure the ball makes solid contact with your bat so summon all the concentration you have.
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7. Power Is NOT Everything
Not all the pitches you make contact with will be met with power. This seems contrary to what we’ve previously been talking about, right? Well, it shouldn’t be confusing.
When you have someone on base, or you have two strikes, you’re more likely to hit a low. The trick is to emphasize hitting pitches that are closer to the strike zone. It would help if you also kept in mind that some pitches will come to you that you can go ahead and strike with all the power you have.
Once you get to hitting doubles or home runs, they’ll be made possible by a pitcher throwing a pitch you can destroy or a well-trained swing. If you only concentrate on hitting pitches with all the strength you have, you’re likely to overcompensate many of the pitches.
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8. Match The Pitchers Heat
You will often encounter a pitcher who feels cocky and tries to trick you with their speed. When this happens, you have to be ready to take advantage of the velocity. While your first reaction may be to coil back, the best thing you should do is to double down and make some lemonade with the lemons served to you.
A baseball that has more power is easier to hit and will generate more power to hit farther. So, what do you do to ensure you have the full advantage?
– Make sure the ball is in the zone. If it’s outside, don’t swing at it.
– Get your front foot down fast enough. This will help you react as fast as you can.
– Study the pitcher’s fastball. This will help you learn his rhythm and swing your bat in accordance.
– Ensure your swing is short.
Conclusion
Even though you aren’t blessed with pure swings like the baseball greats that have come ahead of you, you can learn how to utilize the power of the zone. In learning how to hit a baseball farther, workouts have to be your best friend. The more athletic you are, the better your swing will be.
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