Even the best baseball players can fall into bad batting habits. Eliminating bad habits is particularly important for younger players, as they'll be harder to address if they become ingrained in the child's playing style. Once bad habits have been identified, the following tactics can correct them. 

Common Bad Batting Habits & How to Eliminate Them

1. Swinging Too High & Finishing Low

Young kids who are new to baseball sometimes swing the bat too high when trying to make contact with the ball. The bat then swings lower than it should on the finish, leading to misses or ground balls. Instead, young players should be coached to swing upward at an angle. To illustrate this point, players must be taught to aim their swing toward the back fence. 

2. Swinging Too Early

It can be challenging to anticipate the correct timing on a swing, which leads to swinging too early. This problem usually occurs when players swing with their arms first, but it can be corrected by moving the lower body before the arms swing the bat. This helps increase the speed of the swing and improves timing, which is essential for hitting the ball as far as it can go. Slowing down pitches during batting practice can help correct timing issues. 

3. Not Finishing the Swing

Follow-through is important when it comes to batting. Some players stop the bat once it makes contact with the ball, decreasing its speed. To improve follow-through, have the player visualize a row of two imaginary balls directly behind the real one. Instruct them to continue swinging until they make it through all three. A lack of follow-through can also happen if the player looks in the direction the ball goes when contact is made. In this case, the player should stay focused on the point of contact for a beat longer before looking away.

A successful baseball career requires a sound foundation. That's exactly what The Hitting Zone provides players in O'Fallon, MO. Their hitting coaches are highly trained and experienced, and they're glad to pass along insights to players. They use state-of-the-art equipment, including HitTrax®, to capture performance data. Call (636) 272-1015 to reserve a batting cage, or like them on Facebook for more great hints and tips.