| If you watched the College World Series on ESPN | | | | and "long stride approach" they often cannot hit |
| SPORTS TV last June, I am sure that you saw, | | | | the fastball velocity of many pitchers in the game |
| as I did, player after player, use the no-stride | | | | today. |
| technique. The abundance of players using the | | | | The optimum width of the feet would be slightly |
| "No-Stride" technique at the College World Series | | | | wider than shoulder width. The weight should be |
| in Omaha shows how many baseball coaches | | | | on the "balls" of the feet and off the heels. The |
| today teach the "wider stance and no stride | | | | front foot or stride foot should be "placed softly |
| approach" to hitting. Here I cover the basics of | | | | as if it is on a carton of eggs". This softness |
| teaching and coaching the "No-Stride" hitting | | | | allows the foot to be lifted and placed back down |
| method. | | | | easily. The back foot or pivot foot is also |
| The "No-stride" technique is simply the process of | | | | important during the swing. The back foot should |
| swinging the baseball bat without taking a big step | | | | not "move or leak forward" but should turn up |
| or stride forward during the swing. The front foot | | | | "shoe laces to pitcher" when the front foot |
| is the stride foot. The back foot is called the pivot | | | | settles into place during the swing. |
| foot. The "No-stride" technique allows the batter | | | | COACHING POINT: I recommended an "even |
| to swing and keep the head still, the weight back, | | | | toed" stance meaning that the toes of each foot |
| and the eyes on the ball. | | | | are even when the stance is assumed. A closed |
| When using the "No-Stride" approach, the batting | | | | stance is one with the back foot farther away |
| stance should be wide enough to insure a solid | | | | from the plate than the front foot. An open |
| base and wide enough so that the batter can use | | | | stance is one with the front foot farther away |
| a "soft or short" stride technique. It is best that | | | | from the plate than the back foot. |
| the batter simply lifts the front foot up less than | | | | COACHING POINT: You may actually use a simple |
| an inch and puts in back down in the same place. | | | | demonstration to illustrate how a long stride |
| There is little or no movement forward by the | | | | causes the head to drop and the eyes to move. |
| front foot. | | | | Have a batter assume a narrow stance. As you |
| A wider base and shorter stride allow the batter | | | | face the batter, hold your hand palm down |
| to keep the head still and prevents the head from | | | | exactly even with the eyes. Have the batter take |
| dropping during the swing. When a batter | | | | a long stride while you hold your hand perfectly |
| assumes a narrow stance with the feet close | | | | still at the level where the eyes were when the |
| together, the batter must take a long stride | | | | stride began. A long stride will cause the head to |
| during the swing. This long stride causes the head | | | | drop and the eyes to drop also. This movement |
| and eyes to "fall or drop" during the swing. This is | | | | of the head and eyes makes it more difficult for |
| the reason that many coaches teach the no | | | | the batter to "see and hit" the ball as it travels |
| stride technique. Of course, another reason is the | | | | through the strike zone. |
| fact that when a batters uses a "close stance" | | | | |