Footwear Tips For Using A Baseball Balancing Trainer
For any baseball player, a T-shaped balancing trainer can be a valuable tool to use when you work on your hitting. While standing on this device, you can take swings with a tee or even face live pitching in an effort to get more comfortable with your swing and improve your fundamentals. It will take a period of adjustment before you get used to using your balancing trainer. The narrow space underfoot means that you'll constantly need to be cognizant of how you position your feet. When it comes to the footwear that you'll use for practicing with this tool, here are some footwear tips to keep in mind.
Wear Your Turf Shoes
You might be tempted to wear your metal baseball cleats for this drill, but doing so isn't a good idea. The rigid nature of the cleats beneath your feet can feel awkward when you're standing on the rigid balancing trainer. For example, an individual cleat that hangs over the edge of the trainer could catch against the frame of the device and affect how you move. A better idea is to wear turf shoes if you have them. These are athletic shoes that baseball players wear on turf and in their clubhouse. This type of footwear will allow you to comfortably stand on the trainer. If you don't have turf shoes, running shoes will suffice.
Lace Them Up Properly
It may be tempting to slip into your shoes and take a few swings on the balancing trainer. Before you do, you'll want to lace your shoes up properly. If you don't have your shoes laced up, they're not providing the support that you need. This can mean that when you take your swing, you could potentially roll over on one of your ankles and hurt yourself. It's important to take the practice sessions with your balancing trainer seriously, and this means lacing up your shoes just as you do before traditional batting practice.
Try Your Protective Device
A lot of baseball players wear different protective devices when they step into the batter's box. For example, you might wear an ankle guard that straps onto your lead foot to reduce the impact of a pitch hitting you — especially if you're nursing a sore ankle from a previous injury. It doesn't hurt to wear your protective device when you're working with your balancing trainer. This will help you to get used to the feeling of wearing the device even while you're practicing your swing.
To learn more about baseball balance trainers, contact a company in your area like Three Piece Tee.