If strength needs to be improved, it is in the hands and wrists.Use your body… it will help as well.All players, big and small, can hit for distance when using their body.You can use your hips first, hands at the end, with a powerful action.  

It is imperative that the batter develops a quick pivot and quick hands.

Many young players never develop power because they are taught to just “meet the ball.” It’s a common phrase from baseball coaches. As a result, many hitters stop their hands during baseball hitting drills on contact and they never hit through the ball.

A hitter must be aggressive. Hitting is controlled aggression, while maintaining balance and control

Another problem young hitters have comes from watching baseball on TV.Baseball players will learn bad mechanics and let the top hand go too early.Finish your hitting stroke with both hands.Be careful not to let them go too soon.

Add to this the problem that many players are taught how to hit a baseball by getting their hands out over the plate on contact.Some times this is as a result of being taught incorrectly to get extension over the plate.Extension does not occur on contact, but rather after contact.When hitters try to extend on contact, it is like sawing wood, using too much arms and shoulders. This method will not power the ball.

In order to learn how to hit for power in baseball the hitter has to get his hands out in front of the body to contact the ball, with the top hand over the bat, and the bottom hand under the bat. The top hand is then like a hammer on contact.

Using the hands like this will increase bat speed at least 30-40% more than the arm swing. 

Baseball Hitting Tips:

1. A strong body
2. Quick hips
3. Especially quick hands, out front on contact
4. Hitting through the ball
5. Being aggressive 

Former Tulane Hall of Fame Baseball Coach, Joe Brockhoff, fully explains his baseball hitting tips with the Super 8 Hitting System, completely demonstrated with videos and hitting drills to help you hit with more power and raise your batting average.

“Get your back elbow and keep it up!”  was his main cry. 

“Get the back elbow “ is one of the most common statements used to instruct young hitters.How can this make a hitter better? Why do coaches around baseball teach this?

I asked, “Coach, is this how you teach and prepare for a baseball game?” 

He answered , “Yes, when they finish their practice.”

Then I asked, ”Coach, why do you tell your players to get the back elbow up?”

And he answered honestly, “I really don’t know why.  But everyone teaches it.So I teach it to.”

Let’s explore some baseball hitting mechanics.What happens when the back elbow is up as the hitter goes to the ball.Many students who come to me will have their elbow up, and we will immediately adjust the elbow so that it is not up, but approximately 45° from touching the backside. 

By raising the elbow to 90°, we change the grip on the top hand, making the knuckles over-rotated, and unless the hitter makes an adjustment, prior to contact, this grip will cause him to roll his hands, losing club head accuracy to the ball.

What about MLB players?Have you looked at one on TV and viewed them keeping their back elbow up?Professionals who begin with their back elbow up always make a stance adjustment as they make contact in the zone.

What should the back elbow be doing?It is there to support the top hand on the bat.If your elbow cannot do this if it is as high as the hand.It gives much better support to the grip and to the top hand by being under it—not equal to it.

When checking a hitter, as he approaches the ball, the elbow should be under the bat in the formation of a “V”—which we call a “Power-V”.This keeps the grip correct and the hands in a state of strength.

Youth Baseball Tips:  The role of the top elbow is to support the bat.You’ve lost support and your baseball mechanics fail when the elbow is up.We do not want this.

“Get the Back Elbow Up” is one of the worst things that you can tell your players.

Take a player swinging a bat for instance.As the bat is moving and arcing as it approaches the ball.This is flat out wrong.Hence, just swinging is not a good idea.There is virtually no chance to make maximum contact with the ball.

So, whether coaching youth baseball or older, here’s one of our baseball coaching tips:  A better idea to teach would be—no arcing or swinging the bat to make contact with the ball.To connect with the ball, the hitter should DRIVE in a straight line.

In simple words, we do not swing the bat to hit the baseball!Take the bat in a direct line and DRIVE it to generate power and connect with the ball.The bat swings after contact!When should you arc the bat? After contact.  So a better explanation of a pro-type action is that the batter doesn’t swing the bat, HE STROKES IT.

A hitter that uses this stroke, sends the baseball bat in a straight line when connecting with the ball, thus generating more power and contact.

This is what we call the “PRO STROKE”  It is outlined in 8 Hitting steps, which we call The Super 8 Hitting System.The 8 steps are: Stance, Coil, Stride, Drive, Contact, Extend, Extend Again, and Finish.

You can get a complete overview from our baseball training blog for our hitting system, complete with videos, articles, and photos. 

It is a common phrase used by fans, coaches, parents, and players.

The question is “Why is that so bad?”

Here is what happens when a player moves his bat away from his body in his hitting stance.As he finishes this, his hands will ultimately cut away from his body.When connecting with the ball, a hitter’s hands will be above the plate.Stay away from this.  

So why is that a problem?Here’s a question.If you were to arm wrestle someone, would you want to have your hands far apart from your frame?  Or would you want your hands close to the body for support?

If you had to throw the best punch you could, would you hold your hands away from the body?No, this is not good.You would keep your hands by your back shoulder.

If you had to push an automobile, would you want your hands at your side, or would you want them in front of you?Your body allows for thrust to your hands.But of course, keep your hands in front of your body.

Now, stand up like you’re at home plate with your bat out over the plate like it is in contact with the ball.Do you know what’s behind your grip?  Nothing!Your body gives your hands no support. 

You might say…”I’ve seen major leaguers start with their hands away from their bodies.Essentially, this will be good.”

And the answer to that is –“Major leaguers make an adjustment. Yes, they may start out with their hands far apart from their body, but they quickly get in the correct hitting position by bringing their hands to their shoulder.It’s hard to see.They have a lot of strength to pull this off.

Therefore, let us be clear.Always keep your hands in the shoulder area to allow a good foundation to make good contact with the ball.Keep your hands near your shoulder as you release your hips to take you to the ball. Your hands should now be in front where you want to be.

So if you want to learn how to hit a baseball,  remember this rule:  The only time separation of the hands from the body occurs is when they move forward to hit the ball.

These techniques are fully explained in the “Super 8 Hitting System”, completely demonstrated in a series of baseball hitting videos, which includes many baseball hitting drills. 

HITTING TIPS:

Get the bat off the shoulder in the hitting stance?   No.

Should you contact the ball over home plate?    No.