Load

As the pitcher begins her wind-up:

Shift an additional 10% of your weight onto the inside of your rear foot (60-40).
Push your hands straight back 4-6 inches to your "trigger" position (Some professional hitting instructors call this your "Magic Spot"). As you "trigger":
- Shoulders remain square to toe line (No turning)
- Keep hands at shoulder height. Don't lift your hands or allow them to drop.
- Hands should remain outside the toe line (i.e., Don't pull hands inside).
- Bat should remain perpendicular to toe line (or slightly behind the head) and at a 45-degree angle to the ground.
- Rear forearm stays level or angled slightly downward.
- Front arm will straighten until there is only a slight bend at the elbow. When your hands are at shoulder height, the forearm of the front arm should angle downward 20-30-degrees.
While pushing the hands and bat back to trigger position, keep your head still. Focus your eyes on the emblem on the pitcher's hat.

Quiz: What can this batter do to improve her TRIGGER position?

Batter's hands are too high. They should be at, or slightly below, shoulder height.
Bat has rotated behind batter's head. The bat barrel should be perpendicular to batter's toe line and at 45-degree angle to the ground.
It appears that batter may have pulled her hands inside her toe line. As the hands push back from SET-UP to TRIGGER position, they should remain outside the toe line.

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Nice weight shift and body position. Head should be turned a little more so that both eyes are square to the pitcher.

See the Pro Speed Baseball video for a discussion of the batter's "Magic spot".

Hands are a little high. Weight shift looks good.

Hands are in good position outside batter's toe line. However, there

is too much bend in her front elbow. When batter moved her hands

back to trigger position, she should have pushed them back a few

more inches until her left arm was almost straight.

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