BECOMING YOUR OWN HITTING COACH

BEGINNING THE PROCESS

The best way to become a good hitter is to learn to be your own coach. Serious hitters must have a clear understanding of general hitting mechanics and, more important, of themselves as hitters.

"A good hitter is always his own best coach." Tony Gwynn

A great example of self-coaching is future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, chief hitting instructor at the San Diego School of Baseball. Even though he always concentrates on seeing the ball clearly, he continues to videotape himself daily, evaluating his mechanics and self-correcting his swing. He primarily watches for breakdowns in his weight transfer, overall balance, and how still he keeps his head during his swing.

START WITH A GOOD GRIP ON THE BAT

Place the bat down in front of you with the handle at the base of your fingers (fig. 1-1). Simply close your hands around the bat in a comfortable manner-don't worry about which knuckles line up with which (fig. 1-2). Never try to hit with the bat placed back in your palm (fig. 1-3).

1-1. To get the proper grip, place the bat at the base of your fingers and close your hands.	1-2. How the knuckles line up is a matter of personal preference. The key is to be comfortable.
1-3. Never place the bat back in your hand. You won't be able to control it if you put it in the fatty part of your hand.

Successful hitters use a wide variety of stances, ranging from slightly closed to open to straight away. Some hitters hold their hands high, some at shoulder level, and some at the letters or below before beginning their swings.