How to hit a baseball like a super hero

What if you had the mental toughness and confidence of Captain America?

What about the strength and quickness of Thor – The God of Thunder , or the intimidation and muscle power of the HULK!!!!

Hitting a baseball would be pretty fun right? Unless you hate summer blockbusters or you live in California and refuse to pay $12 for a movie ticket, you have probably already seen “The Avengers” and have already thought how cool it would be to have SUPER human abilities while at the plate!!

Well, I can’t show you how to turn into an Avenger but I can show you how to really make hitting fun while taking a leadership role on the team, while taking control of each at-bat……..like a HERO!

The Problem: There is so much information about what it means to be a good hitter, that the real message has been forgotten and even worse, the answer to what it takes to become a great hitter seems only possible for the naturally talented.

Not true…..here is what you gotta do!

“Test different hitting mechanics until you have a swing that works for you by using a batting cage as your laboratory!” 

If you have ever seen “playboy billionaire genius” Tony Stark at work as Iron Man, you know that he takes his craft seriously. He eat, sleeps, breaths technology and problem solving. His desire to make technological breakthroughs isn’t that far off from making breakthroughs in your skills as a hitter.

Similar to Tony Stark participating in hours and hours of research and trial and error, as a hitter it will take hours and hours of practicing in the batting cage and just as many hours of experience competing at game speeds!

So how can you tap into your inner Iron Man before you’re next at-bat?

Take your hitting lessons more seriously and decide that no matter how long it takes, how many mistakes you have to make, or failed attempts you have to experience, you will never stop striving to become a better hitter who dominates his opponents and hits the ball with authority.

Do this long enough and who knows, “Iron Man” may be your new nick-name come next season!

BOOM!

 “Learn to be aggressive and HULK SMASH!!!!!!”

Being a great hitter has a lot to do with learning how to utilize the “Art of being aggressive”. You can call it “selectively aggressive”  but I like to call it “ looking for one pitch and one pitch only and when you get it you’re not gonna miss it and when you make contact you’re going to hit it so hard that the pitcher will consider retiring!!!”

We all want to hit the ball with amazing power to impress the scouts and hit home-runs to well…….impress the girls;)

The truth is, especially when you are in a slump, you do need to get a little angry. Like the HULK, you have to be willing to say in your head while digging into the batter’s box, “ I’m getting angry…….you won’t like me when I’m angry”!!!!!!!!

When you can apply emotion to an at-bat that is positively reinforcing, it gives you an edge. It lights a fire under your butt, and gives you that extra UMPHHH that you just may need during a hitter’s drought.

As far as hitting the ball harder and farther….well you can find out just how to do that here!

Just make sure to not let anger control you. Anger is like fire…..it can keep you warm and cook your food but if you let it get out of control, it can burn everything you own!

So if you wan’t to have the intimidation factor of the Hulk this summer ball season remember these few things.

• Know what pitch you hit best and look for that pitch only, early in the count
• Be determined to not miss that pitch when you get it.
• Learn how to increase bat-speed
• Get angry if you have to
• and when you get your pitch…….HULK SMASH!

 “Know that you were BORN to swing a bat! It’s your destiny!”

What about the incredible power of THOR? Who wouldn’t want to be able to have the UNBEATABLE confidence of a GOD at the plate??!!!!

You know what? I’m gonna go out and say it!!! The baseball community is making “Mental Toughness” and “Hitters Confidence” more complicated than it needs to be! Take the characteristics of Thor and you’ll never need to read another BORING book about sports psychology again!

THOR:

• knows he has the ability to defeat his enemy becuase he has prepared himself
• he believes in destiny and chooses to use that truth to protect the weak and helpless
• he is not afraid of failure…he continues until the job is done
• he loves what he does….so he has no problem doing the little things to make sure his skill of using his hammer stays sharp!

Mental toughness comes from knowing you’re good. If you’re not sure…..get sure by putting in the hours. It’s the only way!

Do that and people will be wondering where the thunder is coming from during your next batting practice session!

“Be a leader and contribute to your team”

Now c’mon. I don’t care who you are. We all wish we had the leadership skills and courage of Captain America!

Good news……We can!!!!! How?  It’s easy?

As a hitter, taking on the role of the leader of “The Avengers” comes down to knowing what it takes to win. Being able to predict what the game situation calls for is what a “Captain America” type hitter does.

Does the situation call for a sacrifice bunt?……..Done deal.

As sacrifice fly?………..I’ll handle it!

What about a late inning hit & run? Let’s get it done.

Becoming this kind of leader is all about doing the little things on a consistent bases, so that it has a intangible yet extraordinarily positive impact on an offensive team.

Here were my favorite ways of contributing to my team during my at-bats:

• Taking pitches until I have two strikes so that my team-mates could see the pitcher’s repitoire
• Sacrifice bunting
• Predicting what the pitcher will throw in a given situation by paying attention to little details
• Crowding  the plate and taking one for the team
• Running hard to first-base…..every…single…..time!

One more thing. Being a leader isn’t about being vocal. it’s about leading by example. Doing the little things day after day. Game after game.

“It’s your turn!”

Your team needs you. Baseball coaches, scouts, and fans are looking for the special player to take control and lead the team to victory. Who better than you right?

If you wan’t to become a better hitter then choose to.

Today.

Get clear on what you wan’t to experience as a ball player and dedicate yourself to achieving that goal.

It’s not too late and it’s never too early to become the hitter that really makes a difference on a team!

Are you ready to become a HERO?!