How To Correct An Over Stride In Baseball

Having the proper swing in baseball is essential to hitting the ball consistently. One of the factors that hitters must address is the stride they take at the plate before hitting the baseball. Hitting coaches often teach hitters to take a short stride because a longer stride will impact the balance and the visual acuity of the hitter. A batter can still hit the ball with authority when taking a short stride at the plate.

Step 1

Load your swing when you get in the batter's box by putting the majority of your weight on your back leg. To hit the ball hard, you must get your weight and momentum moving forward as you swing. The easiest way to do this is by putting the majority of your weight on your back leg prior to the pitch. This is called loading the swing. As the pitch comes in, you shift your weight forward. You do not have to take a big stride. Just shift your weight forward as you swing the bat.

Step 2

Stand with your feet about shoulder weight apart in the batter's box. Take your stance and get comfortable in the box. To avoid taking a long stride that would get you off balance in the batter's box, extend your front foot six inches closer to the pitcher. At this point you won't have to take a long stride to hit the ball hard. This will facilitate your ability to shift your weight when you swing.

Step 3

Crouch comfortably when you take your stance in the batter's box. When you bend your knees in the batter's box, you are less likely to take a big stride. However, if you do not normally crouch when you take your stance, this will take some time to get used to. Take batting practice for at least two weeks while using a crouch before you use it in game competition. You should bend your knees about six inches when you are using a crouch in your stance.