I am hitting the ball as hard as I can, but I cannot hit a home run? Yes, we all have been through this pain. You are probably a victim of arm barring. Now, what is it, and How To Stop Arm Barring Baseball?
This is one of the most perplexing issues to debate regarding baseball or fastpitch swing.
Many talented players have difficulty with arm barring. They just do not seem to notice anything. Consequently, they are limited in their ability to strike the ball far.
I had this difficulty for a long time until a coach pointed it out. In this article, I will provide instructions on stopping arm barring when playing baseball.
What Is Arm Barring?
Arm barring is early arm extension. When you bat and a pitcher throws a pitch, you try to hit the ball with your arms extended. In this situation, to hit a good home run, your timing has to be perfect.
The early arm extension can create a very long swing, eventually slowing the batting rotation speed or torque. It leaves the midsection of the bat powerless and slow swing. Upon hitting, it makes the ball’s exit speed or velocity very slow.
When you bar your front arm too soon, it makes it exceedingly difficult to respond to changes in pitch locations and speed.
However, it puts your upper body to draw the bat through rather than relying on your arms and hands. Your arms are extended out from your body (throwing), which results in being stuck on inside pitches to the opposite field on outside pitches.
Your lead or bottom arm should direct your hands to the appropriate bat plane. This is accomplished by pushing with your hands rather than pulling with your shoulders. Remember that the most important part of striking is leading with your hands, not your arms or back.
Arm barring is an issue not just for baseball players but also for softball players.
Why Should You Care
To be a successful batter, you must get the maximum hits. However, if you strike the ball and it does not even make it to the crossline, there is something to concern about.
It is common for players and even coaches to be unaware of arm-barring issues. John, a teammate, had this problem with his arms being restrained.
I was completely unaware of the situation at the time. He is one of the few people I have ever met with a strong interest in baseball.
He was having issues with arm barring. No matter how hard he struck the ball, a home run was out of the question. As a result, he often becomes upset with himself and blames his luck.
Fixing arm barring is a complex task if you do careful planning and execution. Practice makes a man perfect- the most heard phrase. Your training experience, training for batspeed, and elbow position will help you get rid of arm barring.
Is Arm Barring Good or Bad?
The majority of people believe that arm bars are harmful. Is that the case?
The reality is that an arm bar is effective only when you master it. But, you say, “I have seen some poor arm bars; what do you think about that?”
The use of an arm bar is usually preferred. What? The so-called ‘bad arm bar’ you’ve already seen is bat drag. A professional player can convert arm barring to their advantage.
A bad “Arm Bar” occurs when the hands are placed too far apart from the shoulder. Yes, the arm is restrained by a bar, but that is not the issue.
A good arm bar occurs when the front/bottom arm is stretched in the stride/load/coil stage.
However, you can keep your hands on the outside of your shoulders.
Ken Griffey Jr., one of the greatest power hitters in baseball, is shown in the picture below. He showed that his front arm was getting longer early in his turn.
Even though this has been discussed as an extreme swing motion, which it certainly is, there is some confusion. Most batters find it challenging to respond to various pitch speeds and placements by limiting their front arm early.
When it comes to younger batters, the early extension of the arm is pretty common. It is primarily due to the lack of upper and core power.
Consequently, the hitter will attempt to initiate their swing by extending their arms and chest, leading to an armbar swing from the batter. This soon devolves into a one-plane swing, which is extremely dangerous for the novice batter.
What Are the Causes of Arm Barring
Arm barring is something most players don’t want. Arm barring leaves you with slow bat rotation while hitting, making the ball exit velocity slow. If you are experiencing arm barring issues, you may connect to one of the following reasons.
Early Arm Stretch (Barring Out)
When you see the ball is coming towards you, you typically swing the bat, which produces a significant amount of separation between your shoulder and the arm. Early arm stretch can result in a slower bat swing, which in turn results in a slower hit on the ball.
The Grip Is Being Released Too Soon
When you swing your bat, having a good grip on it is quite vital. If you let go of it before it’s ready, your arm will lock up, which will result in a slower impact on the ball.
Rotating The Bat Too Quickly
A batter who prematurely rotates the bat is doing themselves no favors. Because of this, arm barring will become more common. As a result, you will be unable to strike the ball with any force, or you may find that you are unable to hit the ball at all.
Release of the Wrist at an Early Stage
When you are hitting, DO NOT let your wrist release at an early stage. This is one of the most common reasons for arm barring. Wearing wrist tape can help you overcome this problem.
These aren’t always the only possible explanations. Try changing your bat or bat grip tapes. Experiment as much as you can. These training experience will help you a lot in the long run. These are some of the best bat in 2022.
How to Stop Arm Barring
If you discover that arm barring is the cause that is limiting your home runs, you should get rid of it as soon as possible. It can be difficult but never impossible.
Listed below are a few of the science-based training you can use to alleviate the issue of arm barring.
Figure 4-
Inside-Out Tee Drill
A tee with a ball in the center of the hitting zone is the best place to begin practicing your shots. Continually refine your technique by moving the tee further down all the way as you get more confident with your arms extended.
In the next session, experiment with waffles and soft tosses to obtain a feel for the motion of hitting moving balls in that particular location. If you make a bogey, you must return to the tee.
Practicing with a tee makes your hitting better and bat swing faster. Check out these 10 best tee ball bats in 2023 to improve your hitting game.
Load Drill
The bottom hand is typically overloaded with strength when players “wrap.” It is called a “wrap” when the batter pushes down too hard on the bat, sending the bat’s end toward the pitcher.
Focus on bringing your top hand around and loading it. Leave a little slack in your bottom hand’s grip on the bat and bring your hands back to “load” instead.
If you want to be sure you’re not “wrapping,” do this in front of a mirror or have a parent or coach observe you.
Front Toss
Instruct the batter to smash the ball up the center of the opposing field and deliver pitches to the middle/inner side of the plate.
Fence Drill
Instruct the batter to stand a bat length away from the bat as well as swing the bat to avoid striking it.
No Bat drill
Arm barring is often a tense action that occurs as soon as the ball reaches the court. Then abruptly step up into hitting stance with no load whatsoever, then execute the closest to a swing movement as you can without a bat.
You will be forced to perform a swing motion, which will benefit both your lower body and your overall performance.
Chucker
A chucker may give the necessary input to prevent arm-barring, terrible body connection, and long swings. The chucker supports you in understanding how to swing using your shoulders, connecting to your body, and keeping the front arm bent as long as possible while using the chucker technique.
You can also set a pitching machine and continue hitting practice to stop arm barring.
When you are training, you may find that you go off course rather often. Following a practice plan can help you if this is the case. Here you can get the The Best Baseball Practice Plan Prepared By Real Coach.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Far Was Mike Trout’s Home Run?
Some even go so far as to call Mike Trout the greatest player in baseball. His throwing arm used to be considered his most significant relative weakness. One of the few weaknesses in Mike Trout’s otherwise impeccable skill set was his lackluster arm strength.
Mike Trout is capable of hitting home runs of 490 feet.
2. What Should My Bat Angle Be?
With a standard dynamic range of -20 to -30 degrees, most players should aim for an average Vertical Bat Angle of -25 degrees. An upward shoulder angle is also important.
Significant elements in flexion include axial rotation and a posterior tilt. The glenohumeral joint is responsible for 120 degrees of mobility, while the scapula is responsible for the remaining 60 degrees, for a total of 180 degrees of motion in the arm.
3. What Makes a Great Baseball Swing?
The basic idea is to work on the lower body before moving on to the upper. When swinging a baseball bat, the rear elbow should draw back against the forward momentum of the swinging leg.
This tug of war is the best way to increase our swing velocity. As the bottom half of the body pivots forward, the top half holds out for as long as it can before collapsing with a mighty BOOM.
Conclusion
Although many people believe that arm barring is especially harmful, it can also benefit you. When it comes to rookie players, I urge you to refrain from arm barring since it is potentially dangerous.
Throughout this essay, I have discussed what arm barring is, how to stop it, and how to improve your batting approach overall. These are the suggestions I have utilized throughout my professional life. I hope they have the same effect on you.
Meta Description
Arm barring is when you make your bottom arm or lead arm as straight as a bar. These professional tips will help you avoid arm barring and hit the baseball with full strength.
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Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.