Frequently Asked Questions
Learn. Understand. Practice.
The Kaizen Batter Method
Tim gets a lot of questions about the Kaizen Batter method and how to best put it into practice. Because understanding the method is just as important as practicing it, Tim welcomes your questions if you do not see them answered here.
This mental instruction automatically causes each significant body area to work in unison to create the most bat speed. You will “feel” the difference in your leg power just by giving yourself this mental instruction.
Knowing (mental imagery) where the ball needs to be and what it looks like before the pitch is thrown will raise your batting average by almost 30 points. The ball almost always will be thrown at your knees. When the ball is seen correctly, all that is in sight is the top.
A back swing and a forward swing. The back swing starts as soon as the pitcher turns to throw. The first move (the back swing) gets the bat moving from a state of inertia. Remember, making a decision to swing based on a visual signal takes the nervous system about .200 milliseconds to process the command to make the body move. Waiting to get the bat started right when the ball is in front of you is too late.
To be successful at hitting a baseball in a game requires the brain to have a mental picture stored (of what the pitch HAS to look like) before the actual execution to swing occurs. When the brain sees the “intended” pitch, it speeds swings up by almost 50%.
A short stride (6 to 8 inches) makes it easier to turn in to help you “stay in front of the ball.”
Just like tennis has a special grip, just like golf has a special grip—so does baseball. Hold your bat horizontal to the ground about a foot in front of you. Grip the knob end with your left hand so you cannot see any fingers. Next, bring your right hand up from underneath the bat so you can see all five fingers. That is the best grip position. Don’t hold on too tightly. Just a mild squeeze. Now place the bat in a perpendicular position (hands and arms held high) right behind your back shoulder. Make sure the top of the bat is pointing straight up towards the sky. The bat will feel the lightest while in the stance position.
The goal is to hit the ball out if the infield. Position players are often so good that almost any ground ball will be fielded well, resulting in an out.
To go from good to great requires practice to excel in any profession. Batting practice is the essence of the Kaizen Batter method of hitting baseballs. Notice I said “hitting” baseballs not “swinging at baseballs! Kaizen means to take apart and make better in Japanese. Take the 5-cycle method and REPEAT it with each new swing of the bat. Analyze it. Improve one part of the cycle at a time. TRY AGAIN. Eventually, if you practice at least three to four times a week using this method, you will see success in about three months because you have been improving with each swing of the bat. You will see the ball sooner, react quicker, stay in front of the ball longer, and hit the ball a lot more often. I am telling you, this is the most exciting way to learn how to hit a baseball. Because it really works if you are willing to do the work! This method offers you the best chance of playing baseball past high school than any other instructional video out there.
This is where game planning is so important. You will get at least three “at bats” in a game. All you need is one hit out of those three “at bats” (.333 batting average) and you can eventually play college and professional baseball. Before you walk to the batter’s box, you should already have a mental picture in your mind of when in the count you are going to swing and what the pitch needs to look like. For example: Do you expect a curve ball on the second pitch and will you be ready to “hit” it if that is what happens? There is so little time to react to a well-pitched ball, so all your movements need to be pre-planned in advance of a game. If the game does not go well, go back to batting practice. Soon you will be playing like a seasoned athlete knowing what is going to happen before it happens. No more stress. No more see the ball, hit the ball. No more guessing. You will know what to do so well that your confidence will turn you into a seasoned and confident athlete.
