What is your intent when you step foot in the batter’s box?
I found myself talking about intent with a player during lessons this week – this topic is critical. At times, players get caught up in mechanical adjustments in their swing so much so that they lose sight of what the end goal is: obliterating a baseball (or softball)! While swing mechanics are crucial, it is not merely accomplishing certain movements that we’re after. It’s how we use those movements to put serious juice into the ball. When you step into the box with the intent to do damage, your mind and body will organize itself to do just that. We are not baseball bat swingers – we are hitters!
“Hey, don’t swing so hard! Nice and easy! Don’t try and kill the ball!” – This is some of the worst advice I ever received as a player. Why would I not want to kill the ball?
“You’ll have way better balance and control if you swing nice and easy” – False. Go take a few practice swings as hard as you possibly can – you will be surprised and how well you can still stay balanced…especially after the first few swings.
Can swinging too hard be a problem? Yes. But, after giving over 6,000 hitting lessons to youth baseball and softball players over the last 3 years, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I told players that they swing too hard. An overwhelming majority of youth hitters would see improved results if they stepped outside of their comfort zone and increased their aggression.
COACHES: If you see players coming out of their shell and swinging the bat harder, encourage that! Even if they swing and miss, recognize that they are getting more comfortable in the box, and that they are starting to develop the true intent of crushing the ball.
What you think about – you bring about.
Jose Altuve, AL Batting Chamnp – 2014, 2016, 2017. Smallest player in the big leagues. He has the intent of inflicting serious damage to the baseball here. You can see it in his face, you can see it in his body!
