If you've never been in the batter's box looking at a 95 mph fastball then it's difficult to understand the complexities of the art of hitting a baseball; yes it is an art form. To the untrained eye it appears simple enough, but a pitcher/hitter duel is a physical and psychological game of cat and mouse that requires split second timing. Believe me, it can be very intense and it's the same scenario that's played out (on a different scale) from Major League Baseball right on down to beginners.

Even professionals have batting coaches and practice proper baseball swing mechanics on a daily basis. To be the best, you need good instruction and practice, practice, practice!!!

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT - WRONG! PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!!!!!

Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. Hard work and practice are the keys to success, however, the proper baseball swing mechanics are essential in your practice routine. Just taking daily batting practice will not make you a better hitter. Learning the fundamental grip, stance, load, swing and follow through, AND practicing those concepts will! If you don't have the proper technique then daily BP will only reinforce bad habits. It takes somewhere around one thousand motions to create muscle memory so you want to make sure you're doing it correctly!

Todays hitters incorporate the 'rotational' hitting philosophy with the conventional 'linear' style of hitting. This means 'hips first, then hands' keeping the body on a steady plane and adjusting the hands to meet the ball. It debunks the old myths of 'swing level' or 'keep the elbow up'.

HITTING OFF A TEE

The first youth baseball drills used the baseball 'tee'. This and 'soft toss' are still used to analyse and correct swing flaws. Even the pros still hit off tees. It's important for the hitting instructor to see the batter from all angles, front, rear and both sides. In this way you can completely see bat and body motion.

VIDEO TAPING AND PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS

Although it's no longer considered high tech, the use of video taping and slow motion analysis is critical and utilized by all of the best coaches. Stop action framing allows the coach to see all of the hands, bat, legs and shoulders simultaneously. You can then pinpoint and correct all of the swing flaws.

Baseball hitting tips are heard by players of all ages. Some good, some not so good. In our high tech age, there are so many sources to find good hitting instruction using a combination of new and old tools and techniques. Start players from a very early age with the correct form and keep working. You never know, you may go pro!!!