A day at the batting cages is fun for all ages. Whether you're heading out for a few swings alone, taking a date, or practicing with the whole family, these 5 little but powerful tips will help you get the most out of your time in the cages. Most people waltz into the cages without even reading a single tip and end up wasting their time missing half the balls, but you've now got these 5 awesome tips that'll help you have a stellar time.
1. Safety first, wear a helmet
Be sure to follow all of the safety instructions for the batting cages. If it states that you should wear a helmet, be sure to grab one before you head inside. Making sure that you know and follow all of the rules will help you have a better time. In addition to wearing a helmet, make sure that you're wearing appropriate shoes that are closed toe. Wearing sandals or inappropriate shoes into the cage is just an accident waiting to happen.
2. Start the machine on a slow speed to get used to it
A great way to ensure that you're going to nail most of the balls tossed to you is to start the ball machine on a slow speed so you can get used to hitting off a machine. As you begin to get into a good rhythm, speed up the machine a little faster each time.
3. Start with softballs
If it's possible at the batting cages you're heading to, start practicing with softballs before moving on to baseballs. This is a great idea because softballs are bigger so they're easier to hit, and they're softer. Once you get a good feel for the cage, try to move on to baseballs - again, starting over with a slower speed on the ball machine.
4. Keep your eyes on the ball
Probably one of the best-known secrets in baseball, but it still rings as one of the truest pieces of advice for batting. Most people end up looking at the ball machine; looking at the area of the net they're aiming for; or closing their eyes. This is bad form that'll quickly discourage you're chances of hitting lots of home runs in the batting cages because you'll miss the ball.
5. Watch where the balls are ending up in the net
To get a better idea of how you're doing in the cages, check out where all of your balls are ending up in the net. The area might indicate whether you're hitting foul balls or not. Once you study this, you can make adjustments on your stance and swing to make sure that you're hitting most of the balls into the area you'd like. If you notice that a majority of balls that you're hitting are foul, you might want to slow down the speed to work on your stance and swing.
