im a seventh gradrer in indiana and im 6 ft 164 pounds got two more years till varsity and i want to get bigger and beter what should i do
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Focus on developing your baseball skills. You already have size going for you. Do you see yourself as a pitcher or a position player? And, welcome aboard to the HSBBWeb!
quote:Originally posted by floridafan:
Focus on developing your baseball skills. You already have size going for you. Do you see yourself as a pitcher or a position player? And, welcome aboard to the HSBBWeb!
agreed, you've got good height. you will eventually grow into your frame. getting bigger and stronger is great, but make sure your getting bigger and stronger in ways that will help you in the game of baseball.
for example, being able to bench press 400 lbs. may make you bigger and stronger, but it may very well cause you to loose flexibility which is bad (especially for pitchers). My suggestion would be to contact a nearby college program and see if they would give you a copy of their baseball workout program. I'm sure they would be more than willing to help out.
chip @ www.getalooksports.com
Keep doing multiple sports. Have fun, work hard on fundamentals. Find a good summer team. In your 8th grade season get to know your HS coach and ask him if you can play on the HS summer team your 8th grade - 9th grade summer. Read the stuff here.
Good luck!
Good luck!
yes i pitch and play 1st basequote:Originally posted by floridafan:
Focus on developing your baseball skills. You already have size going for you. Do you see yourself as a pitcher or a position player? And, welcome aboard to the HSBBWeb!
i dont know if new castle indiana has a summer hs baseball teamquote:Originally posted by BOF:
Keep doing multiple sports. Have fun, work hard on fundamentals. Find a good summer team. In your 8th grade season get to know your HS coach and ask him if you can play on the HS summer team your 8th grade - 9th grade summer. Read the stuff here.
Good luck!
Do not misunderstand me when I say this. What is your love? Pitching or Hitting? You will get to continue to do both for a while longer, but at some point you will need to try to master one or the other.
If it is Pitching, then begin to focus on the skill sets and muscle development to further your success as a pitcher. If it is Hitting, then work on the areas that will make you into the best hitter you can be. And work on your defensive skills. Remember 1st Base is a corner spot and usually reserved for a power hitter.
Coaches will often times place pitchers in a spot like 1st to keep down the wear and tear on your arm between starts. If you choose hitting, you may wish to reevaluate your position at 1st. If you can run a 6.8 60 or better you may be better suited to a different position as a hitter.
Let us know more about what your goals are and how you see yourself.
If it is Pitching, then begin to focus on the skill sets and muscle development to further your success as a pitcher. If it is Hitting, then work on the areas that will make you into the best hitter you can be. And work on your defensive skills. Remember 1st Base is a corner spot and usually reserved for a power hitter.
Coaches will often times place pitchers in a spot like 1st to keep down the wear and tear on your arm between starts. If you choose hitting, you may wish to reevaluate your position at 1st. If you can run a 6.8 60 or better you may be better suited to a different position as a hitter.
Let us know more about what your goals are and how you see yourself.
Just keep working hard. Play long toss all the time and just stay active. You're still young so you have time, just enjoy yourself while you still can.
After realizing that you are 15 (I overlooked that a bit) I have to agree with Johnny Appleseed here. Work on all your baseball skills at this point. The weight and strength will come. Have fun, enjoy the whole game!
.
I'm big on the hard work...and the discipline...and the baseball and physical development. But here are four other skills....
First...Get smart. I am just as big on learning what the life of an athlete is like...and in that process how they act, get better and maybe most importantly how they think. Not only how they work hard, and compete, but how they adapt and adjust and overcome, and how they handle loss and success in a professional manner, how they are great teammates and develop leadership skills. This may all seem like a foreign language now, but I would begin to read sport biographies, everyone I could get my hands on. Learn the stories of athletes, what they faced and what they did. After those try books by athletes, or experts on how they overcame challenges, and suggestions they have on how to get better. Find good examples and model your actions after theirs.
Second...Have fun! Learn to see your life as an athlete as a really fun project/process, full of surprises and challenges, and fun with friends. It is hard and difficult and takes lots of time and effort...but it does not have to be a boring, dull job. I think it is very, very important to keep having fun and keep fresh.
Third...Don't Rush. You have a long, long road ahead of you. You don't have to rush or go to fast. It takes time. Believe in your effort to wear down your challenges a little at a time...like water wears down rocks.
Fourth....Grades. Keep your grades up. Learn to study and achieve in the classroom. I have seen more athletes sidelined by a lack of grades than most any other cause. Keep your grades up, it keeps your options open.
Get excited! Get started! Have fun! Best wishes!
44
.
I'm big on the hard work...and the discipline...and the baseball and physical development. But here are four other skills....
First...Get smart. I am just as big on learning what the life of an athlete is like...and in that process how they act, get better and maybe most importantly how they think. Not only how they work hard, and compete, but how they adapt and adjust and overcome, and how they handle loss and success in a professional manner, how they are great teammates and develop leadership skills. This may all seem like a foreign language now, but I would begin to read sport biographies, everyone I could get my hands on. Learn the stories of athletes, what they faced and what they did. After those try books by athletes, or experts on how they overcame challenges, and suggestions they have on how to get better. Find good examples and model your actions after theirs.
Second...Have fun! Learn to see your life as an athlete as a really fun project/process, full of surprises and challenges, and fun with friends. It is hard and difficult and takes lots of time and effort...but it does not have to be a boring, dull job. I think it is very, very important to keep having fun and keep fresh.
Third...Don't Rush. You have a long, long road ahead of you. You don't have to rush or go to fast. It takes time. Believe in your effort to wear down your challenges a little at a time...like water wears down rocks.
Fourth....Grades. Keep your grades up. Learn to study and achieve in the classroom. I have seen more athletes sidelined by a lack of grades than most any other cause. Keep your grades up, it keeps your options open.
Get excited! Get started! Have fun! Best wishes!
44.
Hard Work,Hard Work,Hard Work. Dont ever settle,and dont let someone out work you.This means stay consistent with workouts,running,long toss,and such.Value each day because you truly never know when your last day will be.
Sounds cliche,but work on your weakness.If you arent a great hitter,spend time in the cages.Tape Yourself,and see what you are doing wrong.Are you dipping your back shoulder?Dropping the hands?Not loading?Things like that matter. Likewise for pitching.If you arent fast,work on getting faster by doing sprints,stadiums,and agilities. I wouldn`t worry about strength just yet. You are a big guy,and have time to grow into your body.When the time does come, be dedicated to the weight room.You dont have to be the biggest guy in the room,but you certainly want to look the part.By that I mean you want to look strong and in shape.There will come a day where you go to a big prospect camp and have to pass the look test with college coaches.
best of luck man!
Sounds cliche,but work on your weakness.If you arent a great hitter,spend time in the cages.Tape Yourself,and see what you are doing wrong.Are you dipping your back shoulder?Dropping the hands?Not loading?Things like that matter. Likewise for pitching.If you arent fast,work on getting faster by doing sprints,stadiums,and agilities. I wouldn`t worry about strength just yet. You are a big guy,and have time to grow into your body.When the time does come, be dedicated to the weight room.You dont have to be the biggest guy in the room,but you certainly want to look the part.By that I mean you want to look strong and in shape.There will come a day where you go to a big prospect camp and have to pass the look test with college coaches.
best of luck man!
Observer44,
great post. have you ever considered writing a book? I am not joking, you could be a great motivational speaker, writer.
great post. have you ever considered writing a book? I am not joking, you could be a great motivational speaker, writer.
hitting im not much of a pitcher anymore that is
quote:Originally posted by floridafan:
Do not misunderstand me when I say this. What is your love? Pitching or Hitting? You will get to continue to do both for a while longer, but at some point you will need to try to master one or the other.
If it is Pitching, then begin to focus on the skill sets and muscle development to further your success as a pitcher. If it is Hitting, then work on the areas that will make you into the best hitter you can be. And work on your defensive skills. Remember 1st Base is a corner spot and usually reserved for a power hitter.
Coaches will often times place pitchers in a spot like 1st to keep down the wear and tear on your arm between starts. If you choose hitting, you may wish to reevaluate your position at 1st. If you can run a 6.8 60 or better you may be better suited to a different position as a hitter.
Let us know more about what your goals are and how you see yourself.
Are you able to post a video clip of your swing? And, are you living in an area that has "quality" hitting instructors?
When working out with weights be carefull not to bulk up escecially your pectoral muscles and biceps. Too much development in these areas may slow down you bat speed. Instead, focus on foreams, wrists, core and legs.
Be aware that as you move forward in working on your swing there are a couple schools of thought that some folks are entrenched in. The approaches most commonly refered to are Linear mechanics and rotational mechanics. I personally believe that a high level swing includes elements of both. I believe that "quick hands" are not the result of a "quick core". I believe that batspeed and power are generated by quick hands and a powerful core and lower half (legs), working in concert with each other. I will PM you a link to a very good drill.
When working out with weights be carefull not to bulk up escecially your pectoral muscles and biceps. Too much development in these areas may slow down you bat speed. Instead, focus on foreams, wrists, core and legs.
Be aware that as you move forward in working on your swing there are a couple schools of thought that some folks are entrenched in. The approaches most commonly refered to are Linear mechanics and rotational mechanics. I personally believe that a high level swing includes elements of both. I believe that "quick hands" are not the result of a "quick core". I believe that batspeed and power are generated by quick hands and a powerful core and lower half (legs), working in concert with each other. I will PM you a link to a very good drill.