There is nothing more fulfilling for a baseball player than knowing how to hold a baseball bat and hit a baseball well. On the other side of things, nothing is more disappointing than being in a batting slump.
When not hitting a baseball ball well, people tend to try things like using different bat styles or standing back in the batter box.
Many struggling hitters tend to overlook the way their hand is positioned when holding a baseball bat. No matter the changes the baseball bat you use goes through, you will struggle to hit a baseball if it’s not properly gripped.
What is the proper way of holding a baseball bat?
The proper way of holding a baseball bat is the first characteristic of becoming good at baseball. That is why most experienced hitting coaches can have an entire session on teaching students how to hold a baseball bat.
They know how it is hitting and getting on base regularly. So something as easy as an irregular hand positioning could add to your struggle when batting.
Therefore, I have given some tips and information in this article to handle a baseball bat properly.
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Gripping a Baseball Bat
Gripping a baseball bat is the most important part of holding a bat, and having the proper grip is also important. There are different ways of gripping a baseball bat, and knowing the correct grip is important for anyone that loves the game.
But remember that there are no wrong ways to hold a bat and depends entirely on the individual, whether it is right or wrong.
Types of Gripping
There are two main types of gripping: the box grip and door-knocking knuckle grip.
Box grip
The box grip appears like a box when holding the bat, with both your knuckles forming the sides. It is a common style used by baseball players because most of them are the most natural style used.
Baseball feels natural holding the bat in this style from players in the major league to those in the little league, even regular fans. This style is often seen in pro baseball players’ images or videos, mainly from the power hitters.
It helps generate the maximum power from your swing, and power is very useful if you want to become a batter.
It produces power, encouraging more torque through the swings and keeping your rear elbow up. Also, it is very hard to move your wrist before and during contact.
Keep in mind that power is everything in baseball, and you can choose a different style of grip that is best for you.
Door Knocking Knuckles Grip
The reason behind the name the door-knocking knuckles is because your door-knocking knuckles are lined up straight on the bat handle leading to it name the door-knocking knuckles.
This grip is almost unknown and has been growing in popularity lately. Many debates have come about this being the best way to hold a baseball bat.
Even if there is no exact right way to hold a baseball bat, the door-knocking knuckles grip is a very good way to hold a baseball bat if you are a contact hitter.
Door Knocking knuckles Grip is a very comfortable way of holding a baseball bat because they keep handling close to your fingertips, giving the batter a higher level of bat control.
Hence, it is favorable to contact hitters. Believe it or not, a little bit of bat control could make a difference between a line drive up the middle or a ground ball to second base.
No matter what you hear from other people on the right way to handle a baseball bat, you should choose the one that suits you best. You could try the box grip or door-knocking knuckles grip and see which one is best for you.
Advantages of a Proper Bat Grip
You may be wondering what a proper handgrip connects with swinging a baseball bat well. Here are some things that proper bat handling affects:
- Makes your whole body feel more relaxed.
- Increases your swing speed and helps bring your bat through the strike zone quickly.
- Helps your bat be in a proper position at contact.
- Bat movement: when your hands are positioned properly on your bat, you will quickly hit balls up and down in the strike zone.
- Helps your hands make adjustments in the best possible position if fooled on the pitch.
So you see, a proper handgrip is very important to your performance when batting than people give it credit.
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How to Hold a Baseball Bat? – Step-by-Step Guide
Here are some common opinions most professional hitting instructors suggest it to be done.
- Position the handle in your bottom hand and position its end on the ground in front of your front foot. It will help set a slight angle on your bat that will help you get a little extra whip with your wrist.
- Your bottom hand index finger should be bent around the bat but separate from the three bottom fingers around the handle. Your knuckle should point up the barrel.
- Hold it in your fingers and try keeping it out of the palm of your hand as much as you can.
- Take your top hand and grab it the same way with the handle in your fingers.
- Keep it light in your fingers as much as possible. Your grip automatically tightens until the bat grip is at its strongest as the swing progresses.
Conclusion
Now that you have learned how to handle a baseball bat properly, you need to practice using the best one that suits you to become natural, and over time it becomes automatic.
Once this is done, you will find out you will be hitting pitch balls in all the strike zone areas.
For more inquiry on anything relating to baseball, you can check out;
What are the Best Baseball Bat manufacturers? ‘
