Tips for Beginners to Hit the Ball Alone at a Batting Center

I like going to batting cages.
I've never played baseball myself, but I did enjoy watching it.
It's human nature to want to try something yourself after watching it.
Despite being a complete amateur, I kept going to the games and got hooked, eventually joining a local amateur baseball team.
And eventually, by inviting anyone and everyone, even those who had never been to a batting cage before, I somehow figured out the knack for hitting the ball.

This article will roughly explain some tips that will allow even complete beginners to hit the ball with a bat.

KeithJJ / Pixabay

How to choose a baseball bat

Choose a bat that is as light as possible.
Even a bat designed for young players would be fine.
A shorter club is a disadvantage in terms of distance and the range in which you can hit the ball,It's better to have something lighter than something heavy that you can't swing.
Trying to swing heavy objects by straining yourself can chafe your hands or injure your body, so be careful.
Also, if possible, prepare some work gloves.

How to choose the speed

When you go into a batting cage, you'll find machines with various speeds.
For beginners, a speed of around 80-100 km/h is recommended.
At speeds of 60 or 70 km/h, the ball comes in an arc, which can actually make it harder to hit.
Choose a trajectory that is as straight as possible and a speed that is not too fast.

Pre-hit stance and preparation

Now that you've chosen your speed, it's time to step up to the plate.
As for your position, try to stand as far back as possible.
However, the bat won't hit the wall behind you even if you swing it.

First, stand with your body parallel to the ground so that your toes are perpendicular to home plate.
Then, point your toes slightly inward (in a V-shape) and bend your knees slightly so that you can use them flexibly.

When setting up to hit, raise the grip of the bat to about shoulder height.
If you tilt the bat head slightly backward, I think the bat will come out more smoothly.
Also, be careful not to expose your chest in the direction the ball is coming from.
Imagine turning only your face sharply in the direction the ball is coming from, and looking at the ball over your shoulder.

How to swing a bat

So far, this has been the preparation.
For beginners, the most important thing is how to swing the bat.

In short, when you swing the bat, make sure your body doesn't lunge forward.
The ball will come to you even if you just wait patiently.
However, if you lunge forward, you'll both be accelerating, making it difficult to hit the target.
Try to hold back and not lean your body forward.

The next important thing is to avoid moving your gaze up and down.
When you swing the ball, if you move your body up and down, it's like you're changing the direction of the ball, even though it's going straight.
Stop shaking your head and focus on watching the moment the bat hits the ball.

And finally, before the ball comes out, pull the bat back to prepare to hit it.
If you pull the bat back when the ball comes, you won't have enough time to prepare.
To use an analogy, it's like drawing a bow; just before the ball comes out, you should be almost ready to draw the bowstring tightly.

Those were some tips for beginners to avoid swinging and missing at the batting cages.
When I took beginners along, the most common thing they all did was lunge forward.
Simply being mindful of these points can help you level up from "beginner" to "intermediate."

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