Step1
Before even entering the batter’s box, determine the width of your stance. A wide stance is recommended, as this will insure that your leg power contributes to the swing. So take your bat and put it on the floor.
Step2
Make the tip of your bat touch the inside middle of one shoe, and the knob touch the other. This will give you a nice wide stance that you can accurately duplicate over and over. After a while you’ll get used to the distance and won’t actually need to use the bat.
Step3
Okay, now pick up your bat while leaving your feet in place. Right now they are pointing directly in front of you, but twisting them outward to almost 45 degrees will increase balance once the swing is begun. So go ahead and twist them out.
Step4
Now that you’ve determined the width of your stance, get into the batter’s box and look at home plate. You will need to have a definite, consistent distance that you stand from the plate every time you hit. Slight variations in any part of these mechanics will only increase the complexity of the activity, and therefore cause inconsistency. To determine how far away to stand from home plate, start by grabbing hold of your bat with only your bottom hand, against the knob as usual. Leave your top hand off.
Step5
With your feet spread to the width determined earlier, hold the bat out horizontally toward the middle of the plate with your arm fully extended. Your bat should be perpendicular to your body, and parallel to the ground. Your hand should be belt-high.
Step6
Now, scoot forward or backward until the knob of the bat is directly over the inside edge of the plate. This marks the spot where you will stand every time, and these formulas will allow you to duplicate your positioning consistently.
Step7
Now, with your feet positioned properly, let’s address your posture. Bend the knees to comfort and arch your back so that your butt sticks out, and your neck and head are perpendicular to the ground. This is perfect posture.
Step8
Grip the bat with both hands, however is comfortable. As a rule of thumb, the middle knuckles of your top hand should line up with the big knuckles of your bottom hand. Take a look at most any professional baseball player, and you will notice this grip.
Step9
Now, to cock your bat and get ready for the swing, the arm of your bottom hand should be almost fully extended across your chest.
Step10
The elbow of your top hand should be up so that your bicep is horizontal to the ground.
Step11
The angle of the bat should be such that the tip is directly over your head. You are now ready to begin a swing.
Step12
You’ve now assumed your stance, and everything about it is formulized so that it can be easily repeated, time and again, thus simplifying a complicated process. Now before you begin your swing, be sure your head and eyes are looking directly forward, with your chin almost touching your front shoulder. During the whole swing, your head should never change position – if it does, your eyes will move and it will be more difficult to get a steady track on the ball.
Step13
Now watch the pitcher’s throwing hand. At the point of release, transfer almost all of your weight to your back leg. At this point you are cocked and ready to swing if it’s a good pitch.
Step14
Even after transferring your weight, your bat, hands and arms have not moved – they are still loaded. If you want to hit the ball, your trunk rotation is what will give your bat speed and power – the quicker the rotation, the quicker the bat. Your hips are what will initiate the rotation, so get ready to use them.
Step15
At exactly the same time and speed as your hips are rotating, your hands and your bat will be rotating as well. At the exact same time as your hips are fully rotated, your swing should be finished. This is critical to reap the full inertia created by the trunk rotation.
Step16
To begin the swing, concentrate on the front hip, as it’s the leader of the whole machine. Envision your hands, arms and bat being connected to it. The faster you can twist your hip, the faster your trunk will pull your hands and bat through.
Step17
Footwork during the trunk rotation is important. As the front hip triggers the rotation process, your back foot should be twisting exactly in unison with it. You will not be able to turn your hips if your back foot doesn’t twist with it. Imagine that your back foot is squashing a bug into the ground.
Step18
While your back foot is “squashing,” your front foot is not stepping forward at all, because of your wide stance. This is another simplifying technique.
Step19
Before we’re ready to connect with the ball, it’s important that your arms and hands and bat take the right course when being pulled through the swinging motion by the rotating trunk. If you’ll notice, the hands have a lot further to travel in this rotation than your hips. Therefore the path of the hands will have to be the shortest possible path in order for them to keep up speed and remain in perfect unison with the hips. To identify this path, simply look down at your bottom arm.
Step20
Notice that it’s almost fully extended across your chest. As you look at your forearm, you’re more or less looking at the path your top hand will take throughout the swing. Look in a mirror to insure that your top hand is following this course.
Step21
At this point, if all of the preceding mechanics have been employed correctly, your chances of connecting solidly with the ball will greatly increase, and your athletic ability can be drawn out to serve you. Just remember that the more inside the pitch is, the earlier you will have to hit it. If it’s outside, you must let the ball travel a little further before connecting with it. Focus on hitting inside balls to left field, and driving outside balls to right field.
Novice 
Comments
LubsyB said
on 3/9/2008 Very thorough article! Thanks for the tips.