Balance Platform - Hitting with Balance and Power

Explanation: Here is how platform is built: First, find or cut to length a 1" (3/4) thick by 12" wide by 4 foot long piece of shelving wood. Second, cut a 4X4 square post into three 12" long blocks. Attach the post blocks (which raise your platform off the ground) at both ends and in the middle of the shelving wood by drilling wood screws through the top of the shelf into the post blocks. The 12" block length is to match the 12" width of the shelf. Then, you can cut a piece of turf or carpet the same dimension as your platform and either nail or screw it on so that it is attached very tightly. The platform can be up to five feet long if you prefer.

Now that your platform is built, your hitters can do Tee, Soft Toss, and Front-Toss drills while learning how to properly engage their lower half. If they do not stay balanced throughout their swing, they will simply step off. 

Some coaching points we emphasize are:

• Proper pivot, drive, and rotation of the back foot (pushing off the ball of the foot and getting their heel to the sky.)
• Proper hip rotation on inside, middle, and outside pitches.
• Proper weight transfer/rotation from the load to hitting with a firm frontside while staying balanced with a long extension (Have players hold their finish for a second count every time they take a swing on the platform to ensure balance.)
• Work on keeping head and eyes quiet with very limited movement.
• Helps hitters to stride the same whether you prefer a no stride/heel lift or short glide step. (It prevents striding into the plate or "In the bucket")