Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Batting Tips On Baseball Stances

By Jeff Wise


An important batting tip that every baseball player should know about is stances in the batter's box. To be a successful hitter, you have to be comfortable batting and that is why it's so important to have the right stance.

Before working on stances, it's a good idea to be familiar with the basic hitting fundamentals, like bending your knees, holding your bat properly and facing the pitcher. Master these first before worrying about stance. Then all that will come naturally as you focus on the stance that's best for you.

If you feel like you've mastered the basic fundamentals, it's time to move on to the stances. There are three types. The most common is called the middle-of-the-box stance. In this stance your feet are shoulder width apart and even, giving you optimum balance. You should line your feet with the pitcher's mound and stand in the middle of the box.

Since the middle-of-the-box stance provides the best balance, it helps with fastballs, curveballs and bunts. While this is probably the most used stance, it's not the best for everyone. Those who don't succeed well with it may choose another stance.

Another stance is known as the open stance. It protects the hitter from inside pitches. It is the same as the first stance except that the front foot points more towards second base.

The closed stance is also similar except that your front foot points in the direction of the third base. This stance is helpful for pitches on the outside part of the plate. Some hitters have trouble reaching those pitches so they use this stance to help.

There's no rule that you can only use one stance at all times, so practice them all and see what feels best to you. You may use different stances in different circumstances. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable in the batter's box so that you can hit better. If you are tense or uncomfortable, you will not have as much batting success.




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