How To Stop Lunging At The Baseball?

As a baseball coach, one of the most common questions I get asked is “How do I stop lunging at the baseball?” In this blog post, I’ll share with you the 3 main reasons why players lunge at the baseball and how you can correct it.

The Problem

Lunging at the baseball is a problem that many hitters have. It prevents them from being able to properly swing the bat and make contact with the ball. There are a few things that you can do to stop lunging at the baseball, and we will go over them in this article.

Why do we lunge?

One of the most common mistakes young hitters make is lunging at the baseball. It’s a natural tendency, especially when we’re anxious or feeling pressure to perform. When we lunge, our weight shifts too far forward and we lose our balance. This makes it difficult to adjust to an outside pitch and far easier to get fooled by an off-speed pitch.

Lunging also causes us to swing horizontally rather than through the ball, which reduces our power. And when we lunge, our head often moves ahead of our body, making it difficult to keep our eyes focused on the ball through the entire swing.

What are the consequences?

Lunging at the baseball is a problem because it can lead to poor results. You may not make solid contact with the ball, and you may also increase your chances of getting hit by a pitch. Additionally, lunging can put extra strain on your shoulder and elbow, which could lead to injuries.

The Solution

Lunging at the baseball is a problem that a lot of hitters have. When you lunge, you are out in front of the baseball, which makes it difficult to make contact. The solution is to use a short, quick swing. This will keep you inside the baseball, and help you make contact more often.

Proper weight transfer

The number one thing that hitters need to do is produce a properly executed weight transfer. I see so many hitters that either start their swing with their weight already on their front foot, or they try to stride and pull the trigger too early. If you are able to produce a good weight transfer, your timing will be vastly improved and you’ll be able to drive the ball with more power. The reason for this is because a good weight transfer will allow you to wait on the ball longer, giving you a better chance to see it deep into the hitting zone.

Use your lower body

If you want to hit for power, you need to use your lower body. When you swing, your legs and hips should start the movement, followed by your upper body. Your arms should be relaxed, and your hands should only grip the bat tightly enough to control it. As you swing, your hips and shoulders should rotate so that your body is facing the pitcher at the point of contact. Follow through with your swing so that your bat ends up above your head.

Stay inside the baseball

If you find yourself lunging at the baseball, it’s likely because you’re trying to hit the ball too far. Instead of swinging for the fences, focus on making contact with the ball and staying inside it. This will help you keep your weight back and your swing more compact, which will increase your batting average and power numbers.

Common Mistakes

Lunging at the baseball is a common mistake hitters make. It’s often the result of anticipating the pitch and swinging too early. This tendency can be corrected with a few simple adjustments.

Over striding

One of the most common mistakes hitters make is over striding. Over striding occurs when a hitter takes a stride so long that his back foot lands too far in front of his front foot, causing him to lunge at the pitch. This not only makes it difficult to hit the ball squarely, but also puts the hitter off balance and makes him susceptible to injury.

Hitting with your body

One of the most common mistakes hitters make is hitting with their body. Hitting with your body results in lunging at the ball, which prevents you from making solid contact. Instead of using your body to generate power, use your hands and wrists to snap the bat through the zone. This will allow you to keep your weight back and produce a more compact swing, resulting in more consistent hard contact.

Hitting off your front foot

Hitting off your front foot is probably the most common mechanical mistake young hitters make. It’s also one of the easiest to correct. Essentially, if you’re hitting off your front foot, you’re getting out in front of the pitch, and you’re either swinging and missing or you’re hitting weak ground balls.

There are a couple of reasons why young hitters do this. First, they’re anxious to hit the ball, so they start their swings too early. Second, they want to hit the ball hard, so they swing as hard as they can, which also causes them to get out in front of the pitch. Third, they may be trying to pull the ball too much, and when you try to pull the ball, you tend to get out in front of it.

To correct this problem, have your young hitter focus on two things: staying back and keeping his weight back. He should start his swing only when the pitcher releases the ball, and he should keep his weight back until he makes contact with the ball. If he does those two things, he will be hitting from his rear foot, which is where he should be hitting from.