Hitting A Baseball - Which Stance Is Best?
- Date: 2008-11-02 - Word Count: 321
Share This!
There are a lot of professional baseball hitters setting up with an open stance today. If you're not totally sure what an open stance is, it's when the front foot is back further away from home plate as compared to the back foot. Sometimes the front foot will also be pointed slightly toward the pitcher.
I've seen and heard quite a bit of discussion within baseball circles about the positioning of the stance as far as what works and what doesn't in preparing a hitter. The question I will answer is: Does a particular style of stance give a hitter a better chance at hitting a baseball hard versus the other?
The quick answer is no it doesn't make a difference on how a hitter stands when determining his eventual success in hitting a baseball. Having said that, here are a couple thoughts of caution to pay attention to if you work with a hitter who chooses to stand with an open stance. 1. An open stance will take a little bit more time to move into the preparation or load position when a hitter shifts his weight to his back leg. Because of this extra time, the hitter must make sure his timing is right and he generates movement sooner than he would if he was in a regular stance position (with both feet parallel and facing home plate).
2. An open stance often times provides the hitter with a better and more clear view of the pitcher as the eyes of the hitter are facing the pitcher more equally. Because the front part of the hitter's body is opened slightly, he will need to make certain as he moves into the load position that he closes his front side off to the pitcher.
*** I realize that I'm using terminology (load position) that may not be familiar to you. There are other articles I've written on that topic if you find yourself confused.
I've seen and heard quite a bit of discussion within baseball circles about the positioning of the stance as far as what works and what doesn't in preparing a hitter. The question I will answer is: Does a particular style of stance give a hitter a better chance at hitting a baseball hard versus the other?
The quick answer is no it doesn't make a difference on how a hitter stands when determining his eventual success in hitting a baseball. Having said that, here are a couple thoughts of caution to pay attention to if you work with a hitter who chooses to stand with an open stance. 1. An open stance will take a little bit more time to move into the preparation or load position when a hitter shifts his weight to his back leg. Because of this extra time, the hitter must make sure his timing is right and he generates movement sooner than he would if he was in a regular stance position (with both feet parallel and facing home plate).
2. An open stance often times provides the hitter with a better and more clear view of the pitcher as the eyes of the hitter are facing the pitcher more equally. Because the front part of the hitter's body is opened slightly, he will need to make certain as he moves into the load position that he closes his front side off to the pitcher.
*** I realize that I'm using terminology (load position) that may not be familiar to you. There are other articles I've written on that topic if you find yourself confused.
Related Tags: pitching mechanics, pitching workouts, baseball hitting mechanics
Nate Barnett is owner of Your Sport Guru, a sports information website designed to improve your sport. Your Sports Guru contains information on baseball hitting mechanics, Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Canadiens Early Season Struggles
Inconsistency has reared its ugly head once again. After a shutout loss to the lowly New Jersey Devi - Mens Magazine in the Toronto Market
Magazines are wonderful things. They are able to explore their particular area of interest in more d - They Won the Lottery But Then Lost it All
We all dream about winning the lottery and every time we watch those balls spin we think about what - Manchester City Imploding
Life changed for Manchester City fans the minute their club was taken over by the ultra wealthy Oil - Different Types of Sports Water Bottle
If you are an athlete and there is a competition the next day, there are a lot of things to prepare. - Poker Supplies a Person Needs to Play
There are a lot of people all over the world that enjoy playing poker on a regular basis. There are - Data on NCAA Football 11 (XBox)
EA Sports has always been the pinnacle for sports video games. The Madden franchise for NFL football - World Golf Amateur Team Championship 2012
Golf is said to be the game of nobles. Over a period of time, the game has developed into a craze fo - Will "The Decision" Yield the Result? Lakers, Heat Seen as Likely Finalists
By far the biggest moment in the NBA offseason was the hour-long ESPN special in which LeBron James - The Evolution of the Game: Table Tennis
Table tennis was probably derived from the game "Royal Tennis," a popular diversion during medieval
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Rainbow, Brown And Brook Trout
Maine fishing has Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout. Trout are an important part of fishing tradition. - Gymnastics Floor Music
Over the last decade or two, gymnastics as a sport has undergone considerable changes in the way it - Texas Holdem Blinds - Understanding Blinds In Texas Hold'em Poker
Posting blinds is a very important aspect of the betting structure of Texas Hold'em poker. It keeps - Indoor Mobility Scooters
Mobility scooters exclusively provide assistance to physically disabled people, who don't necessaril - Texas Holdem Tournament - Learn How To Run A Texas Hold'em Tournament
Texas Hold'em is a popular game, so next time you consider hosting a social function at your house w - The Nfl Channel And The Controversy Surrounding It
If you watch TV, and especially if you are a loyal spectator of the NFL Channel, you might have hear - Texas Holdem - How To Become Better At Texas Hold'em Poker
If you know the rules, if you know the game, if you know the odds, chances are you'll do well at pok - Essential Boxing Equipment For Every Boxer
When you are training to become a boxer there are a few very important pieces of boxing equipment th - Some Advice On How To Stay Motivated To Run
Staying Motivated to Run Do you have a hard time staying motivated to run? There are a lot of thing - NCAA: Three Good Coaches
There are coaches in each and every type of sport out there, and many of them are good at what they