It is always said that every hitter has their own different style. Another common phrase is it’s not where you start, but where you finish. Both of those statements are true. But there are some starting points that can’t be overcome and will inhibit the hitter’s swing before it even starts. If you look closely at major league hitters, the vast majority of them possess the same basic fundamentals at each and every key point in their swing. Their stance is no different.

The objective in your stance is to put your body in a strong athletic starting position. Comfort and style are key elements, but it still comes down to functionality and success. While there are no hard and fast rules to adhere to in the stance, there are distinct positions that can put your body in a better spot to succeed.

When teaching the proper stance, always start from the ground up and try not to get the hitter in any extreme position. Feet too wide or too narrow. Body too crouched or too upright. Hands too close to body or too far away. Bat too flat or too upright. Stance too closed or too open, etc.

The perfect stance is the finding the middle ground in every phase of the set-up. What we are trying to accomplish is being able to handle every pitch in the strike zone and more importantly being able to consistently handle pitches over the middle of the plate really well. Any deviation in the stance from the norm can cause the hitter to be susceptible to one or more pitches and that’s a problem.

Consistency is the name of the game. Get the hitter to consistently take the same proper athletic stance every time. Practice it. Do not let the hitter hit until he is properly set in the box. You will be amazed at how a good, consistent starting position can affect how good and consistent the hitter is.

For more information, check out:
Hitting Guidelines: Set-Up [1] - An step-by-step article about the hows and whys of a powerful stance.
The Hitting Stance Video [2]