Being great with the glove and having a great arm are certainly important attributes for any great baseball player to have.  But let’s be honest, there is no greater feeling in the game than squaring up on a hanging breaking ball and crushing it into the gap, or even better, over the bleachers.  That feeling and the sound of bat hitting ball are addicting, and it’s what every player craves.

Here are five drills to utilize your time off to make yourself a better hitter.

 

 

  1. Timing Drill

You will want to do this drill outside, preferably in your backyard if able.

Grab your bat and some limited flight training balls and a practice base (or even your glove) to work as a stand-in for home plate.  If you are right handed, use your left hand to lob a ball up in the air, then grip the bat with both hands, and take a swing at the ball.

This drill helps you work on your timing, as the higher you throw the ball, the longer you have to hold back, or the softer you toss it, the faster with the bat you have to be.

We strongly recommend using limited flight training balls to cut down on pick-up time (thus giving you more time to get swings in), as well as cut down on possible property damage.

DURATION:  30 Minutes

REPETITION:  Daily

 

  1.  Stance Drill

This one can be done indoors or outdoors and requires a hitting tee, your, practice balls, and a hitting net.

Set up the tee so that the baseball is in the middle of your strike zone and set up a net about six to eight feet in front of you.  Now get in your batting stance and start taking some hacks with your practice stick.

The goal of this drill is to standardize your swing and find out where you generate your power from.  After 10 swings in one stance, try standing a different way to see if you can generate more power or bat speed.  Once you find the stance and swing that works best for you, keep swinging until it feels natural and habitual.

This is a great drill to help you understand your body as you swing, and help you create muscle memory so every time you step into the box, your body can take over with natural mechanics.

DURATION:  20 Minutes

REPETITION:  Daily

 

  1. Forearm Drill

Having good lower arm strength helps with bat control.  This drill helps build up that important forearm strength and is so simple it can be done while you are watching television.

Stand up straight and hold your bat out in front of you with the barrel of the bat pointing straight up.  Be sure to grip the bat the same way you would in the batter’s box.  Now slowly rotate the head of the bat all the way to your left and hold it there for three seconds.  Now slowly rotate the bat all the way to your right and hold for another three seconds.  Then return to the resting position of the bat pointing upward.  Repeat this ten more times.

To build up even more strength, get a baseball donut to add on extra weight.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:

Champro Bat Weight

 

DURATION:  5 Minutes

REPETITION:  Every Other Day

 

 

  1. Weighted Swings

Bat control is important, but so is bat speed.  This drill is done by just about every batter on the on deck circle and is easily done at home.

Grab your bat and a baseball bat weight or a weighted training bat if you have one.  Now find an open area and just start practicing your swing.  Take five swings at the top of the strike zone, then five in the middle, and then five more at the knees.  Varying your swing path helps you not only build up bat speed through one portion of the strike zone, but the entire zone, turning you into a very dangerous hitter. 

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:

Schutt Dirx 80oz Weighted Warm-Up Bat

 

 

DURATION:  5 Minutes

REPETITION:  Daily

 

  1. Soft Toss / Hitting Tee Swings

A mainstay at all levels of baseball, hitting into a soft toss net may be the best way to keep your swing in shape and is an excellent combination of all the drills listed above.  Set up a hitting net either outside or in your basement if able and set up a batting tee and a baseball a couple feet from the net.  Now just take some full-speed hacks, concentrating on driving the baseball into the center of the net each time.  This helps you nail down every aspect of your swing from the positioning of your hands and feet, to using your hips to drive the barrel of the bat all the way through the baseball. 

TOTAL TIME:  5 – 10 Minutes

REPETITION:  Daily

 

Nothing competes with the thrill of connecting with live pitching during a ballgame.  But do these drills regularly and you’ll surely be experiencing that thrill more often than not once your season resumes.

 

MORE WAYS TO TRAIN AT HOME