Being able to hit a baseball flawlessly is one of the hardest things in the sport. A slight mistake can cost you a lot making you throw up your swing or finding it hard to throw. Such is why hitting drills are extremely important to baseball players, especially beginners.
There are several types of baseball hitting drills, each with its peculiar importance; in this post, we shall take a look at the top baseball hitting drills for beginners, but before then, let’s take a look at the importance of baseball hitting drills.
Importance of Baseball Hitting Drills
To an outsider, a baseball swing may seem a simple thing, but to those in the system, they know that there are tons of tricks that the swing may play for or against you, which is why you need to improve your hitting drills.
The importance of baseball hitting drills to beginners is many; it enables them to know their weak points and correct them. It also helps them develop power and the ability to hit baseball perfectly.
How can you hit baseball perfectly?
However, you need to understand the piece of your swing that you need to improve, then look for a drill that focuses on that area and repeatedly practice it till you overcome your deficiency. Remember to start small them increase more effort; you may find it hard at the beginning, but don’t give up, continue practicing as practice makes perfect.
Before we proceed, take a look at our previous articles related to baseball drills:
Top Baseball drills for men and youth
Top Four Baseball Hitting Drills for Beginners
Bat Path Drill
The bat path hitting drill is a well-known simple baseball drill for beginners. This drill keeps it easy and straightforward by dividing the swing progression into three steps. Below are the steps
The first progression
Get your stance beside the batter’s box, and start your swing immediately, stopping at the launch position. Here, your front heel has to be raised off the ground. Held your bat vertically in a way that the barrel will point straight up.
The second progression
Simultaneously let the bat and your heels fall together while separating and opening your hips. The primary importance of this drill is to develop a rhythm of the two movements, so repeat the first and the second progressions several times before moving to the last progression.
The third progression
After repeating the first two progressions, the next and last progression is to get the ball off the tee into the net. This progression will make you break up the different movements in the swing. Beginner hitters are advised to take time breaking the swing down and making ate they’re doing all the movements correctly. When you’ve your movements correctly done, complete the drill by driving the ball into the net.
Note: Whenever you feel you aren’t taking any of the moves correctly, slow down your tempo, and re-do the movement before finishing your swing.
The K Posture Drill
Another top baseball drill for beginners is the K posture drill; this is a popular drill for power. To practice this drill, you need a ball, a tee, a bat, and a slant board. The K posture drill involves coiling the lower body, full turns, and timing.
To practice this drill, place your slant board at an angle of about 45 degrees – this will make you have a proper load position. Place your back leg at the back of the top of the board, making sure the load on the swing is exerted on the back leg. The hitter will stand in a K-like posture which helps produce an incredible amount of energy.
Please take a quick move and attack the baseball driving it to the net while releasing all the tension built on the load.
The One-Handed Drill
If you are looking for a drill that will leave your hand path with zero defects, then the one-handed drill is the perfect answer for you.
Many believe that if you can drill yourself to hit a ball consistently with one hand (either the left hand or the right hand), you can handle the ball with your two hands.
To do this drill, you need a batting tee and a bat. Start by gripping the bat with one of your hands, place the other hand across your body by your side.
To cut it short, perform this drill by taking as expected of a swing as you can at your ball while staying quick to the ball. Take 10 to 15 swings with each hand, then switch to the other hand and repeat the process.
While many baseball beginners shin away from one-handed drills because of their difficulty, it helps you develop enormous forearm strength.
The Walkup Drill
This is a drill explicitly designed for hitters to maximize the power output of their swing. Consistent practice of this drill trains your body to exert this full force whenever you are performing a swing without you having to perform the walk-up.
To do this drill, you need a batting tee, a space to walk up to, and a net.
See your ball on the tee and stand five feet away from the tee, then take a step with your other foot and then swing.
Repeat this drill 5 to 10 times until you feel that all your build-up strength is exerted into the baseball. The walk-up drill is a perfect hitting drill for both beginners and elite players.
Conclusion
The aforementioned youth hitting drills are the best you will ever practice as a beginner. These drills will play a significant role in preparing you for your upcoming competitions; they work perfectly, primarily if you practice them daily. They will also help you develop power, strength, and the ability to drive balls to the net sharply.
As said earlier, you’ve to know your weak point before choosing a drill, select a drill that suits your deficiency and work on it, start it simple, then increase the difficulty with time.
