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1.
Introduction 10
Fast Track,
Shortcut Option 13
2. The
Preliminaries 14
Choosing a Bat
14
Hyperlite
Versus Thicker Wall 16
Big Barrel
Versus Regular 17
Loud Versus
Quiet 18
Metal of the
Month 18
Sting Stoppers
19
Wood Versus
Metal 19
3. Getting
Started 21
The “Set-Up”—
Foundation for Success 23
Foot Placement
24
Grip 26
Grip Pressure
27
Body Alignment
28
“Squared-Up”
Position of the Hands and Elbows
28
“But That’s
Not What My Favorite Pro Does”
29
Try Knowing
What You’re Looking At 29
Common “Square
Up” Disasters 31
Starting
“Close” 34
Bat Angle 35
Balance 35
Head Position
36
Getting That
Special Best Look 37
4. Master
Secret No. 1: Learning to Really
Watch the Ball 38
Pulling Your
“Head” 38
“Peaking” 39
The Challenge
40
First-Aid Ball
Watching 101 41
“Out in Front,
Where It’s At” 42
Practicing
Head to the Bat 43
5. The Swing
to the Ball 52
Learning the
Power Chop-Swing 53
Do Not Pass
“Go”— Before Passing This Test
58
Swing
Instruction For the Youngest 59
6. Master
Secret No. 2: Level Swing 60
A
Side-to-Side, Inside-Out Cut 60
The “N” in the
“WIN” System: No Uphill Swings
61
No Uphill
Swings 62
Never Try to
Lift the Ball 63
Missing Under
Phenomenon: Top Half Remedy 63
How To
Miss-Hit the Ball Better 64
Level Swing
Drills 65
Finishing Long
Drills 66
Uppercutting
66
How to
Identify an Uppercut 68
7. Master
Secret No. 3: The Secrets of
Timing 71
The “I” in the
“WIN” System: “In Front” Contact
71
Out in Front
Batting Practice 71
Learning the
Hammer and Hammer Rehearsal 72
Hammer Tee
Drill — Ideal Positions for
Various Pitches 76
“Hammer”
Training Tools: The Tire 76
Tennis Racket
Trainer — “Flat-Handed” Hammer
76
8. The Secrets
of Power 78
Bat Head Speed
— “Throwing the Bat Head” and
“Quick Twitch” 78
Quick Twitch
79
Where’s the
Beef? 80
Learning an
Explosive Turn “Spotlight Drill”
81
The Mechanics
of the Weight Shift 81
Rotational
Hitting Versus Weight Sliding 84
Harnessing
Power — “Leading With the Knob”
84
The Barrier
Drill 86
“Sweeping is
for Brooms” 87
Coiling and
Wrapping: Extra Power 87
Hitch Breaker
88
“Wrapping” the
Bat 89 |
9. The Stride
91
Stride
Mechanics — Over-Striding 91
Coiling,
Cocking, and Your Stride 92
Coil,
Separate, and Launch 93
“Dead Hands”
94
Timing Out the
Coiling/ Stride 95
Step Every
Pitch 95
Eliminating
Overstriding, “Stepping in the
Bucket,” etc. 97
The Latest:
the “Back-Step” 98
10. The Best
Ways to Train Your Hitting 100
Physical
Strength Training 101
Dry Swings 101
The Sand Bat
102
Medicine Ball
Muscle 102
The “Speed
Stick” Bat Speed Trainer 102
The Batting
Tee 103
Soft Toss 104
Pepper 105
The Sock Ball
Drill 106
Wiffles 106
Your Local
Batting Cage 106
Give Them a
“Hand” 107
Sharp-Shooting
Golf Wiffle Balls 108
Full Contact
Indoor Hitting — Without Guilt
108
Home Practice
Area 108
11. Advanced Hitting Skills 109
Advanced
Hitting-the- Ball Stuff 109
Hitting
Offspeed 110
Hitting Inside
110
“Don’t Tense
Up, Stay Loose.” 113
Getting a Good
Pitch to Hit 113
Becoming a
Smart Hitter 114
Two-Strike
Hitting 116
Advanced
Hitting Aspiring to Greatness —
the Razor’s Edge 117
Secrets for
“Raising the Bar” 118
12. Winning
the Mental Game 120
Sole Swing
Thought 120
Positive
Thinking in the On- Deck
Circle/Visualization 121
Coping with
Failure 122
Fearful
Batters 123
Setting Goals
and Incentives 124
13.
Troubleshooting 126
Pulling the
Head and Not Seeing the Ball 126
Uppercutting
127
Swinging Late
— Rear Foot Block 128
“Dead Hands”
128
The Little
Kids’ Swing Syndrome — Weight
Shift Slide Style Hitting 128
14.
Conclusions 131
Master Skills
and Drills Outline 132
A Step-by-Step
Fail-Proof Plan 132
15. Teaching
Wizardry for Coaches—Keeping
Their Attention 134
Teaching Tips:
The Terrific Ten 135
Coaches
Appendix 1 136
Vital Coaching
Phrases: “Say the Magic Words”
136
Coaches
Appendix 2 137
Conducting a
Quality Batting Practice 137
Station One:
Swing Building 138
Activity/Advice 138
Station Two:
Player , Plus Coach Tee, Toss,
and Darts 138
Station Three:
Live-Arm (Preferably) or Machine
Batting Practice 139
Creating and
Maintaining Focus 139
Bibliography 141
Index 142
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