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Nate Barnett - EzineArticles.com Expert Author
Nate Barnett is a hitting, pitching, and mental skills coach residing in the Puget Sound area in Washington State. After finishing his professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate began coaching athletes on a small scale for a couple years. After two years of coaching high school baseball, he was hired as a hitting coach at a local university to improve the offensive output of the players. BMI Baseball, Nate's instructional and training ... [More]
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- The Correct Technique to Throwing a Curveball
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] There is no secret that most pitchers throw a curveball as one of their three pitches. And while this pitch is important to learn correctly, it is more important to understand proper pitching mechanics first. Only with a good understanding of how to throw a baseball right can one avoid unnecessary injury of the arm.
- Mental Training and Goal Setting
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Each year I work with teams of youth baseball players in teaching them the values of the mental game of baseball. Just as there are skills needed to develop the physical side of the sport, there are skills necessary to build the mental side of the game as well. Unfortunately, teaching the mental game is a bit more difficult to teach because the results aren't necessary visible as quickly.
- Baseball Instruction - What to Change If You Hit Lots of Ground Balls
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Because there are so many intricate moving parts within the baseball swing, it's tough to keep everything moving well, all of the time. Add the fact that the pitcher is trying to mess up everything you've learned in all your hours of baseball instruction and you've got some serious challenges. One of the most common questions I get as a hitting instructor is solving the problem of grounding out repetitively to the pull side (left side of the field as a righty, right side of the field as a lefty). There are multiple causes of this problem, but chances are that it's one of the below issues I'll cover.
- Youth Baseball Drills - It's Not Aerobics
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I was watching a little bit of a little league baseball practice last week and couldn't help but notice the speed in which the players were working on their baseball drills. It was like watching a video tape in fast forward. Kids were scrambling everywhere confused, harried coaches were issuing directives like it was a battle scenario and his "troops" were under fire. I couldn't believe it. There is a fine line between efficient practice and aerobic practice.
- The Baseball Swing Grip
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] The hands are the only physical connection you have with the bat as the baseball swing begins. While other parts of your body are responsible for generating the power in hitting a baseball, your hands and how they grip the bat play a large role in how fluid the bat passes through the hitting zone. Therefore, it stands to reason that some time and attention by paid into understand the quick and easy fundamentals of gripping the bat.
- Baseball Drills - Offensive Pressure Creates Opportunities
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] One of the best ways to force long innings (when you are on offense of course) and to win more games is to put added pressure on the defense. There are multiple ways of doing this, a couple of which are outlined here. Understanding the concerns of a defense and exploiting those concerns are valuable techniques any good coach will insert into his baseball drills.
- Baseball Instruction - Teaching Sportsmanship
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Sportsmanship is vital for prolonged success as an athlete. Success as an athlete is defined here as a lasting and positive impact on the sport participated in because of attitude and achievement. In this case, baseball. Sure, there have been players who have made an impact on the baseball world who were not necessarily good sports, however, it's a select few. The point I'll arrive at with this article is that athletes today cannot afford the same misconduct on (and off) the field as they once could. Technology has transformed our world.
- Hitting a Baseball - Which Stance is Best?
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] 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?
- Choosing the Right Bat For Your Baseball Swing
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] A question I get asked a lot, especially from younger players, is regarding the correct bat weight and length. The reason it's a difficult question to answer is because it's not cut and dry. However, here are a few things to consider as you select a bat that matches your baseball swing.
- Baseball Swing - The Best Way to Hit a Curveball
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Good curveballs are tough to hit, period. The best piece of advice I can give for becoming a good curveball hitter is to become a good fastball hitter. Let that sink in for a minute.
- Baseball Drills - The Art of Not Sliding Into First Base
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] The topic of whether to slide into first base or not always resurfaces every year it seems. Does it slow a runner down? Should coaches teach it in their baseball drills? Is there some sort of advantage?
- Baseball Instruction - The Not So Secret Bunt Defense
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Sacrifice bunts are not supposed to be a secret. But somewhere in the entanglement of some (not all) baseball instruction, the sacrifice bunt became as top secret as the development of the Atomic Bomb. Well... not quite, but you get the idea. What evidence do I have for this you say?
- Hitting a Baseball - Using the Gaps
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] How do you tell if a hitter is creating the correct energy and movement at bat? One simple way (there are obviously more technical ways) is to observe where most of the balls are traveling while hitting a baseball. If a hitter is directing balls into the gaps (regardless if they are ground balls or fly balls) he's on the right track. On the flip side, if a lot of balls are being sliced down the opposite field line or hooked to the pull side, some mechanical alterations are necessary. Two common causes are found here:
- Baseball Instruction - How's That Mental Game?
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] So many times the only skills worked on in practice have to do with improving the physical part of the game. It's necessary, but how much of baseball instruction is spent on the mental side of the game?
- Failing During Baseball Drills
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I'm sure you have heard the words, "practice makes perfect". Or, "perfect practice makes perfect". And while I enjoy the Utopian view that someday I'll get to coach the perfect team, or the perfect player, it's just not going to happen. Especially not in a sport where failure is a common and frequent occurrence. It is vital that our athletes understand failure and be taught how to employ a strategy to use failure as a positive and not as a negative. It takes some rewiring in the minds of athletes, but it's well worth the time spent.
- The Baseball Swing - Rotational Hitting Explained
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] It seems like baseball instruction in the area of hitting mechanics is splitting into two different camps. Rotational hitting vs. Linear hitting. If you're new to the baseball world, or are just unfamiliar with the new exciting terminology, let me offer some explanation.
- Baseball Drills - Do It!
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Have you ever gone to the dentist (I certainly hope so) and sat in the chair and had the question, "So, have you been flossing?" If you're like me and don't want to admit you haven't been flossing as much as you should, your answer is probably much like mine. "Ya, doing pretty well with that." All the while avoiding eye contact.
- Baseball Instruction - Hitting Your Cut Off Man
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] The next time you are at a youth baseball game, count the amount of times the throw comes in from the outfield and travels far over the head of an infielder to its destination. Next, count how many runners advance to the next base. The number will astonish you. Using the cut off man is a simple procedure but strangely fails to end up in much baseball instruction. First, let me share with you the importance of this skill, and secondly, how to teach it.
- Good to Great Athletes - Where Many Hang Up
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] During a conversation with a youth baseball coach the other day, he was telling me about his team and how they were struggling to get better. This team had over a 70% plus winning percentage the past two years. The kids are used to winning. And there in lies the potential problem that prevents so many talented players and teams from becoming truly great players or teams.
- Hitting a Baseball - Finding the Root Cause of a Mechanics Problem
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] There is nothing more frustrating for a hitter than having a mechanical problem with the baseball swing and not knowing what the issue is or how to find a solution. While I don't have the ability here (nor do you have the patience to sort through it) to discuss all of the root causes to the countless mechanical failures of a baseball swing, I will give you one for today. Of course, you will need to consult with your hitting instructor for more depth and practical baseball drills to help solve the problem I discuss.
- Youth Baseball Drills - Bullet Proofing That Devilish First and Third Scenario
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] One of the trickiest defensive situations for younger teams is the runners on first and third situation. You know the scenario. The guy on first base leaves early, or walks off first base in the attempt to draw a throw from the pitcher and remain in a pickle just long enough for the runner on third base to score. It's annoying when it works while you're on defense, but absolutely brilliant where you're on offense. I'll show you how your squad can bullet proof this scenario.
- The Work Habit You Need on the Mound
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I do a lot of pitching instruction with various youth baseball teams. Once I am done with each lesson with the players I always give them their "homework". When they hear this they immediately cringe since the idea of homework in baseball doesn't bring a lot of excitement for most. Then I tell them how long it takes daily to fix their pitching mechanics and their smiles come back. Five minutes per day of doing some concentrated pitching drills makes all the difference in creating muscle memory.
- Baseball Drills - Hitting Problems? Check the Lower Half First
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] There are countless baseball drills one can do to work on hitting mistakes and inconsistencies. However, the tricky part is trying to understand where the problem stems from in the first place. This article offers ideas on where a player or coach may begin in order to solve some basic hitting problems.
- Understanding the Baseball Swing
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] If I asked you to give a five minute lecture on hitting mechanics start to finish, could you do it? If the answer is yes, then you've undoubtedly done some research on the baseball swing. If the answer is no, then there is some work to be done, and you'll want to read this article especially if you're in a role where you provide any type of baseball instruction.
- Baseball Drills - The Value of Learning Multiple Positions
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] It seems to me that when the topic of trying a new position is brought up to many young athletes, they cringe in disgust. Playing multiple positions well is out of the question in their minds. They have their one or two positions and that's it, period. If you work with some athletes of that mindset, the following article might be worth sharing.
- Baseball Instruction - Is it Just Your Imagination?
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Have you even been up to bat or on the mound and wanted to hide? Just maybe crawl under the plate, or peel back the pitching rubber and slip underneath for a bit and let someone else deal with the situation? This article addresses how to manage the thoughts that pass through the mind quickly during any given performance.
- Baseball Drills - Staying Motivated While You Practice
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Baseball drills can sometimes become monotonous, even to the experienced player. This article provides a couple ways to motivate yourself or your players through their training in order to achieve their potential.
- Mental Pitching Workouts - Pitch Like a Kung Fu Master
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] The ability to relax, focus, and create mental discipline is necessary to master pitching at any level. This article simply sheds some much needed light on the area of mental discipline during pitching workouts. This is a good article to incorporate into some of your baseball drills at practice or pass on to some of your pitcher buddies.
- When a Thrower Becomes a Pitcher
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I'm sure you've heard before about the best pitch a pitcher can throw. You know, the pitch all coaches love to see out of their starters and relievers. A strike. I'm sure I don't need to explain all of the advantages of throwing strikes. But, I would like to help clarify the difference between a thrower and a pitcher, since I see too many of the latter.
- Hey Pitchers, How's Your Tempo?
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I was out catching some playoff action last night at a high school baseball game. When I watch games, I enjoy paying attention to how each individual approaches his game; it's fun to see the patterns developed within each player.
- Mandatory Pitch Counts in High School?
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I was recently given an article from a local newspaper dated, March 26, 2008. The feature article in the sports section that day was titled, Too much, too soon? The article examined a local high school pitcher, who in 2001 ruined his arm after throwing well over 400 pitches in a five game stretch early in the season. He sued the school district claiming that his coach was "negligent in letting him throw so many pitches in such a short period."
- The Baseball Swing - A Couple Fallacies
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Do you know why you teach what you teach to your hitters? If I stopped you right now and asked you to tell me three advantages of any part of what you're teaching, could you do it? If not, it's time to kick into gear your learning habit.
- How to Play Baseball - Teaching Younger Hitters a Good Baseball Swing
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Teaching younger athletes the art of hitting can sometimes be challenging. However, the joy and excitement seen on their faces when they learn how to hit is far worth the time and effort spent learning some new youth baseball drills.
- Baseball Instruction - How to Add 50 Points to Your Batting Average Sitting on the Couch
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] "Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical". I'm sure that you've heard that Yogi quote hundreds of times. While many of us believe that success in baseball relies heavily on the mastery of the mental game, but few truly know what to do in order to build the mental skill set. This article is designed to shed some light on the matter.
- Baseball Instruction - He Told You What About Your Swing?
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Baseball instruction is everywhere (at least where I live). Graphs, charts, philosophies, gimmicks, facilities, machines, etc. Sometimes I feel my head my explode from baseball overanalyticalitis (new word). So where does one turn? How do you sift through the information and find what works for you? I have some help for you.
- Mental Baseball Drills - Failing Like a Champion
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] There is no question that the mental part of baseball is vital in order to excel as an athlete. Dealing with failure remains a constant challenge for athletes of all ages. Learn how to utilize failure as a positive to fuel better performances as an athlete.
- Baseball Drills - The Hitting Tee and a Cup of Coffee
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] The hitting tee is one of the most common pieces of equipment for those serious about working on their baseball drills. It's also the most underused piece of equipment. To spice up your tee work, read this article.
- Baseball Drills - How to Become a Basepath Ninja
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] You don't have to be the quickest runner in the park to swipe a few bases when you want. This article will provide you a couple baseball drills you can utilize to take advantage of the pitcher.
- Baseball Swing Mechanics Tip - A Different Two-Strike Approach
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I might have a slightly different approach for hitting a baseball with two strikes than most coaches, especially at the younger level. The short of it is that I work with hitters in being offensive producers, since that is their job in the first place when they step into the box. Having said this, a hitter obviously gets three chances to produce something valuable for his team each and every at bat.
- Baseball Drills - Steal All You Want Off Lefties
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Good base runners and base stealers begin looking for cues to help them advance to the next base way before they set foot on the base paths. Many players sit and watch for patterns within the game, particularly from the pitcher and infielders. This ability to pick up patterns in behavior when runners are on base can be a massive advantage to any base runner. If you're really serious about getting that extra bag, you'll incorporate this thinking and work into your baseball drills.
- Baseball Instruction For Branding Yourself
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] This is not your typical form of baseball instruction. There will be no information on the detail mechanics of some part of your game. None on developing that sweet baseball swing to aid you in hitting a baseball better. Instead, I want to write a little bit on the importance of developing your own unique brand as a baseball player.
- Youth Baseball Drills - Pitching in the Tunnel
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Many times young pitchers tend to open the front side of their body much too soon when delivering a pitch. In order to fix this problem I use a nifty tunnel analogy. Picture it this way. Let's say you're driving a Mac Truck down the freeway and you encounter a tunnel. It's an easy fit for you with clearance on all sides unless you change your direction and run into the side of the tunnel!
- Baseball Swing - How to Hit Slow Pitching
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] I was asked to come work with a youth baseball team recently which was struggling with hitting slow pitching. The coach told me prior to the practice that frustration within his lineup was at an all time high, and confidence was at an all time low. They simply didn't have the necessary tools to approach slower pitching and have success. It was my job in a two hour practice to equip the hitters with some baseball drills and a hitting approach that would improve their chances for success against slower pitching. I've outlined the approach taken below.
- Baseball Drills - Infield Crispness is Key
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] A crisp infield during a game is inspiring and motivating for all on the team. It's also uninspiring for the other team if they don't match the same level of snap, zip, and crispness. A team of infielders who posses this skills developed through intentional baseball drills will set the tempo of a game. On the flip side, a sluggish and sloppy infield will not create confidence for the rest of the team and should be avoided like the plague. Here are two ways to develop the all important crispness factor for infielders.
- Baseball Swing Parasites and How to Debug Your Game - Part 3 - Self-Doubt
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] The first two articles dealt with parasites of the physical part of hitting a baseball. This final article discusses the mental baseball parasite of self-doubt and how it can debilitate your game. Since what goes on in your head while up at the plate can play a large role on how your body performs, it only seems fitting that we dissect this mental parasite thoroughly.
- Baseball Swing Parasites and How to Debug Your Game - Part 2
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] When working on youth baseball drills that focus on the baseball swing, it's important to understand the various common "parasites" that many baseball players are susceptible to. The second focal problem I'll examine in this article is the issue of hitters beginning their baseball swing with their upper body.
- Baseball Swing Parasites and How to Debug Your Game - Part 1
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Baseball swing parasites are those unseen and sometimes unknown things that affect your performance at the plate in a negative fashion. Without taking care of the parasites, your baseball swing will begin to decay, wither, and become quite vulnerable to good pitchers. This is true especially as you get older and the pitching gets progressively better. I will be writing a few articles on three very common parasites that can damage your baseball swing. The reason for splitting the articles up is simply length and retention.
- Mental Baseball Instruction - Becoming a Mentally Tough Baseball Player
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] The assumption here is that you have either found the title of this article amusing to some extent, or you are looking for information on how to become more mentally tough as an athlete. Maybe both, which would be a bonus for you. Now, a little group participation... I want you to stop reading for a minute after you read the following question. Don't read past until you have an answer.
- Baseball Instruction - How to Find Good Information
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] There is no shortage of information on baseball instruction within the millions of pages on the internet. Before the web days, baseball instructional information itself was greatly more valuable than that same information today. Why? Because the supply has increased dramatically. I can do a search for "baseball instruction" on Google and today I get 440,000 pages that contain pages that may have the information I'm looking for.
- How to Communicate to the Coach About Playing Time
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Playing time is an interesting thing in youth baseball. Somebody is never happy. Players get frustrated if they are not getting field time. Parents become agitated if they are paying money for their son to be on a team but yet he is sitting on the bench more than he is playing. However, when all is said and done, there will always be hitters who sit on the bench.
- Eliminating Minutia in the Baseball Swing
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] It seems like the more you learn and know about the mechanics of a baseball swing, the more you think you have to learn and know about the baseball swing. Confused? It's simple. Many times baseball instruction, and specifically the area of hitting mechanics can be taught to the extent that one loses focus on what is really important and necessary to produce a good baseball swing.
- Baseball Drills - Creating Bat Lag Vs Bat Drag
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Baseball terminology should be a class taught in college. Maybe I'm more aware of all of the different terms because it's a game I'm most familiar with, or maybe there is just an extraordinary amount of verbiage to learn. Nevertheless, I'd like to discuss a couple important hitting terms that should be understood as you're working on your various baseball drills. The difference between bat lag and bat drag are immense. And because of the similar sound, they ofter get mixed up.
- Baseball Swing - Three Core Movements
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] When I teach hitting (or pitching for that matter) there are a few important core movements that if accomplished will lead to a greater chance that other movements further in the baseball swing process will be successful. Keep in mind that there are quite a few significant movements within the complete baseball swing. Please don't think the below is an exhaustive list.
- Play Baseball the Way It's Meant to Be Played
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] During my professional baseball experience, I had the fortunate chance to play with a player by the name of Willie Bloomquist. Willie is currently in his 10th season as a professional baseball player. In the minor leagues I watched Willie go about his game with great diligence and focus. It wasn't that other players I played with were horribly less focused, it's just that Willie did something different than most. Aside from pitching, he could play every position well at the professional level.
- How to Bust Out of a Slump
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Recently I had a conversation with an athlete about his performance. He was dealing with a scenario where as a sophomore, a freshman was starting at 2B over him. Obviously this in itself was frustrating, but to make it worse, his offensive game was slipping rapidly without the consistent play every day. He asked me what he could change in his swing that would earn him playing time over the freshman.
- Why Goofy Pitchers Win
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Every team has a couple goofy pitchers, and if you watch closely it doesn't take a long time to figure out which ones. I haven't solved the mystery as to why there are more goofy pitchers compared to hitters, must have to do with all of the emotional stress pitching can cause or something. I've seen some jump over the third and first base lines every time they enter or exit the field as well as brush their teeth between every inning. But it's not just the superstitions, a lot of ball players are superstitious. It has to do with a certain amount of carefreeness combined with a dosage of competitiveness that has a way to produce success on the mound.
- Hitting a Baseball Using the Yoda Secret
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Luke Skywalker took training from Yoda in the epic series, Star Wars (like I had to mention what movie Yoda was from). To put it bluntly, Luke was horrible at it for the first while! He didn't see many results. What Luke chose to do that many baseball players don't do is continue to figure things out until they work. This article addresses the lesser trained part of the game of baseball, the mental side and applies it to the art of hitting a baseball.
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