TIP: You may have heard that a batter should have a short swing rather than a long swing. This is true, but what does that mean? The long swing "casts" in a circular motion behind the back shoulder and and then outward before moving to the point of contact. This long swing takes more time, therefore the hitter must begin the swing sooner which leads to poor pitch recognition and more failure.

The short swing takes the bat directly to the contact position. From the stance, the hands (or knob of bat) are taken directly to a point "inside the ball." The bat never travels behind the back shoulder. The batter can now wait longer before beginning the swing, thus providing more time for pitch recognition and more success. Use the Hammer training bat to develop the proper "short" swing path to the ball and through the ball. With the Hammer, a long swing results in the ball not traveling toward the target. With the short swing, the ball travels directly toward the target. For older players, the Hammer should be used with one hand at a time. This builds forearm strength within the proper swing path. Players should take 25 swings at a time. Allow 5-10 seconds between each repetition, concentrating on the ball hitting the target with each swing. You can purchase a hammer training bat at our web site just go to www.swingaway.com and click on other products.