Be Sure to Avoid these Common Pre-Season Baseball Practice Mistakes

Baseball Practice Errors that Do not Go into theScore book

Serious baseball players cannot wait to play ball again. There is nothing more exciting than that first day back throwing a ball and swinging a bat for baseball players. However, players must be careful of these early baseball practice mistakes. Of course, that enthusiasm makes it tough to avoid these mistakes, so adult supervision is necessary.

The first of the year has many youth baseball players anxious to begin preparing for the upcoming season. High school baseball tryouts approach, as well as tryouts and/or pre-season practice for youth ball players. Adults love seeing that anxiousness and desire in youth, but it is important that all - players, parents, and coaches - are aware of some negative tendencies that desire brings about. Young players often want to be game ready immediately, leading them to over use or over challenge actions that lead to injury or bad habits.

Most Common over Use Baseball Practice Mistakes

The most common over use mistake involves too much swinging of the bat or throwing of the ball. Players should have a written program that gradually increases the number of days per week of training as well as the number of swings and throws per session. Of course, it is OK to take a limited number of baseball swings at 100%, but throws should only begin at about 70% of full speed and at limited distances for the first couple of weeks.

* Ball players, who are in good physical condition due to off season conditioning, are much less vulnerable to overuse injuries.

First week training suggestion Fifty to seventy five swings are a good number to begin with, but quality always is more important than quantity. With that in mind, performing swings and drills with a batting tee and short flip work is best to begin training. The most obvious reason to limit baseball swings is the tendency to develop blisters. Severe blisters may set training back a week or two, when not careful.

Beginning with fifty to sixty throws at about 70% is best, three to four times per week. Adding five to ten throws, five to ten feet of distance, and 10% of throwing speed weekly is best.

* Players in cold weather climates, who cannot get to an indoor facility, may have to perform simulated throwing repetitions without ball release and that works, too.

Most Common Early Season, Over Challenge Baseball Practice Mistakes

The most obvious mistake, implied above, is throwing too hard too soon. Nothing leads to arm injury more than this, along with incorrect throwing mechanics. Early season sore arm from over throwing sets training back for weeks, and possibly may affect the whole season. Observing the above throwing guidelines is essential.

The second most common pre-season mistake involves facing fast pitching too early in training. It takes time for players to adjust their eyes and swings to speed, and over challenging speeds too early leads to hitting mechanical or timing flaws. Players should begin with slower speeds initially for batting practice and increase speeds weekly.

* I have seen many hitters lose timing in this way early in the year, only never to fully recover. It is easier to speed the bat up then to slow it down, so to speak.

It bears repeating that parents and coaches must step in to make sure players do not fall into these early season baseball practice mistakes; otherwise, a long season for all may occur.