Batting cages provide an excellent opportunity to develop hitting skills and focus on correcting of weaknesses in your batting form. And these are terrific for teaching the fundamentals of hitting a baseball or softball.
Improving Form
Repetitive work and specially designed drills in batting cages are used routinely by professional athletes to reinforce hand-eye coordination, reinforce skills and correct deviations in their swings. Like golf, form, timing and proper weight distribution are important elements in optimizing the swing, especially beneficial with a knowledgeable coach to observe and make corrections. Technique is the key to making solid contact regularly.
Batting Cage Drills
Liners: Count the line drives hit per ten swings to develop timing and alignment. Balls that hit the top of the cage may be deemed popups or fly balls and those driven directly into the ground will count as grounders. The mission is to improve the regularity of hitting the ball solidly.
Target Practice: Set mental targets during the session to practice your ability to pull, hit straightaway, or go to the opposite field. The ability to do this may be critical in a game situation when hitting behind a runner is essential. Also knowing how to “go with the pitch” and place the ball will discourage the opposition’s strategy to “shift” defensively to accommodate a predictable batting style.
One-Handed Hitting: Practicing a one-handed swing improves form and hand-eye coordination. Your tendency will be to wait until the last possible millisecond before commencing the swing. This maximizes you bat speed and power. In effect, this forces you to keep your weight on your rear foot until the swing is released which should be your objective.
It’s Fun!
No matter your age or vision of becoming a big-time player, a session in a batting cage can be fun and exhilarating!
