How to Develop a Short & Quick Swing

In baseball, a short, quick and compact swing is often desired by coaches at all levels of play. The shorter and more compact the swing, the more time a hitter has to view the baseball and decide whether to swing or not. Such a swing increases the batter's reaction time to the ball. Teaching a short compact swing should start as soon as the player begins playing the game. To develop a short, quick swing there are many drills players can complete to achieve their goals. The drills develop muscle memory over time so players will take the swing from practice into the game.

Things You'll Need

  • Bats
  • Tire
  • Tees
  • Wiffle balls
  • Balls
  • Batting cage or hitting nets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Practice driving the knob of the bat toward the ball when starting the swing. This creates a short, downward-motion swing.

    • 2

      Complete the "chopping the wood" drill. Driving the knob of the bat downward toward the ball is a very similar motion to swinging an ax to chop down a tree. To create this drill, a car tire can be connected to a fence or tree. The player can focus on "chopping the wood," to reinforce driving the knob of the bat downward.

    • 3

      Use a batting tee. Using the tee gives the batter the chance to make contact with the ball without having to worry about hitting a live, moving pitch. The focus should be on driving the bat downward toward the ball. Move the tee around the plate to simulate different pitch positions. Have the player pull the ball when the tee is set up on the inside corner and hit the ball to the opposite field when the tee is on the outside corner.

    • 4

      Practice using one hand on the bat at a time. Using one hand on the bat requires the player to use correct form to be successful. Start with the bottom hand, which for right-handed hitters is the left hand. Soft-toss pitches to the player from a short distance away. Wiffle balls are safe and work well with this exercise. Switch to the top hand of the bat and repeat the soft-toss exercise.

    • 5

      Complete a drop-ball drill with the player. Stand in the opposite batter's box and hold a ball above the plate and above your head. The player takes his normal stance. Drop the ball. The player must use a short, quick and compact swing to hit it. The lower the position the ball is dropped from the faster the hitter must react.

    • 6

      Practice self-toss with wiffle balls. The player takes a wiffle ball with her top hand and tosses it up in front of herself. The height of the toss should not exceed eye-level. The player must get her hand back on the bat, swing and make contact with the ball. This drill can be completed without a coach.