BOTH SETS OF ROCKERS ARE USED FOR HITTING TO

WORK DYNAMIC BALANCE

BALANCED AND ATHLETIC STANCE  

With the vertical (LONG) rockers installed, the hitter takes his place on the BASEBALLANCE with his feet spread at or just wider than shoulder width apart. Once position is established and he raises his hands to his starting point, the hitter should feel the constant, involuntary adjustments to keep the weight distributed at his bodies midline. At this point, the hitter should have voluntarily or involuntarily flexed his knees to establish a more athletic base, making the act of maintaining balance less difficult.

The guide lines indicating the center of the platform and the rectangular boxes can be used to steer the hitter toward a starting position that accentuates dynamic balance.

THE LOAD                                                                                                  

Loading and hitting are acts of timing and rhythm. From the balanced position, the hitter should shift or allow his body weight to move from the midline to a point inside of the back knee. To exaggerate and isolate the act of loading, the rockers allow the backside of the BASEBALLANCE to rest on the ground. The hitter basically feels weightless on the front side and appreciates the energy he has stored in the backside, ready to use such stored energy in his movement toward the ball. The hitter should also recognize that his hands have also moved to a load position without consciously or specifically moving them. To emphasize the fluidity of this load and the eventual subtleness of the act, the hitter is encouraged to balance and load, balance and load, balance and load, to establish rhythm and encourage muscle memory.

MOVEMENT TOWARD CONTACT

From the loaded position, with the backside of the BASEBALLANCE on or near the ground, the hitter works to move toward contact and hitting off of a firm front leg. The BASEBALLANCE, which will flow freely toward the ground on the front side, is designed in a manner through which the hitter recognizes that if it contacts or nears the ground prior to contact with the ball, he has not effectively maximized the use of the stored energy. The hitter should be instructed to move the weight from the back toward contact with rotation of the hips, essentially showing his belt buckle to the pitcher and rotating the back foot in a manner that eventually has his back heel toward the catcher and off the ground, while the toe contacts the ground. This act should move the BASEBALLANCE back to a balanced position in preparation for contact and a transfer of the stored energy to/through the baseball by way of the bat. Performed effectively and efficiently, the rotation of the hips with the emphasis on a firm front leg can bring the BASEBALLANCE back to balanced. After contact, the follow through or the finish can push the front of the BASEBALLANCE to the ground as the hitters bellybutton moves out over the front foot and he allows his bat to travel to it’s finish position. If the BASEBALLANCE contacts the ground prior to contact or if the player feels rocking toward the front, he knows he did not efficiently control movement.

STRAIGHT LINE HITTING

While using the cross rockers with the platform, the hitter works to transfer his weight toward contact in the manner described above, without allowing his front  or lead side to move down the line or be pushed too aggressively or out of control over the plate. The acts frequently referred to as "stepping in the bucket" or "diving over the plate" are accented and highlighted. In additon, subtle acts of balance as the hitter tries to stay in the middle of the BASEBALLANCE through contact and the finish.

FORCED HITTING OVER THE BALLS OF THE FEET

As in the picture in the top right hand corner of this page, the hitter uses the innerside of the BASEBALLANCE with the cross rockers installed. This act forces the hitter off the heels and promotes hitting from the balls of his feet. It enables the hitter to feel the act of pivoting on the proper, most productive part of his foot to maximize hip rotation and get through the ball with absolute dynamic balance.