mash the bug: A term used with young hitter’s to remind them to pivot on their back foot as if they were mashing a bug.
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mechanical couple: A mechanical principle defined as two opposing parallel forces causing rotation about a fixed axis. When applied to a bat, (push, pull action of the hands) tremendous bat head velocity can be developed. See extension.
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motion: A term used interchangeably with movement.

muscle memory: A term used to describe a learned movement pattern or habit. By performing the same movement pattern repeatedly, more effective nerve muscle connections are made. These new connections repeat more efficiently each time used. Research from motor (movement) learning specialists indicate that repeating the same action 3,000 to 5,000 times, or performing a task approximately 30 minutes for a period of 21 days is necessary to create muscle memory. After developing muscle memory, the new action is automatic and can be performed without conscious thought.

off-speed pitch: A grouping of pitches, excluding the fast ball, that are used to deceive hitters by disrupting their rhythm and timing. These pitches are slower and change planes.

number knuckles: A method of teaching young hitters how to properly grip a bat by assigning numerical values to joints in the fingers. The joints made by the finger and the hand is (#1), the middle knuckles (door knocking knuckles) are (#2), and the end joints of the fingers are numbered (#3). Aligning the middle knuckles, #2’s, or thereabouts, puts the bat out in the fingers and gets it out of the palms. Granted, you see different grips from professional hitters, but this method seems to help hitters who don’t have professional abilities.
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on your heels: A phrase that describes the position of a hitters weight being back on the heels as opposed to the balls of the feet. This makes it more difficult to pivot on the ball of the back foot, thus reducing back hip action. Hitter’s will compensate for failure to pivot by opening the front shoulder, attempting to drag the barrel through contact.

opposite field: See backside hitting.

palm up, palm down: A phrase that describes the position of the hands at contact. The bottom hand is palm down, pulling back on the knob, while the top hand is palm up, pushing the barrel through contact. See mechanical couple and extension.
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pivot: A term used to describe a rotational movement around a point.

pivot on back foot: A term used to describe the rotation on the ball of the back foot as the heel lifts off the ground and moves to a point above the ball of the foot. This pushing action against the ground causes the ground to push back with the same force (Newton's Third Law of Motion). That force moves up through the back hip, assisting in trunk rotation.
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plate coverage: A term used to describe the hitter’s ability to effectively reach any pitches in the strike zone with the barrel of the bat during a swing.
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power base: A term used to describe the position of a hitter after his striding foot has contacted the ground, while keeping his hands and weight back. The hitter’s front side is loaded and ready to make an aggressive move toward the ball.
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premature extension: see barred arm.

pull: A term used to describe the direction of a batted ball to the same side of the field he takes his stance upon. Example: a right-handed hitter pulls the ball when he hits it anywhere from the left-center gap to the left field line.

quiet eyes: A term used in conjunction with keeping the head still so the eyes can function properly in picking up, identifying, and tracking the ball.
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reach: A term some hitting instructors use to describe the stride. “Reach” conveys the thought of staying back with the hands and weight, and to “reach” with your big toe on your stride foot.
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release point: The position where the ball is released from the pitcher’s hand. The release point will vary from pitcher to pitcher, and may even vary within the same pitcher on different type pitches. A good hitter or coach can tell what pitch is coming if pitchers use different release points for different pitches. As the pitcher’s motion begins, the hitter moves his eyes to the release point to pick up the ball out of the pitcher’s hand. See fine centering.
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rotational: A term used to describe a angular motion in which body parts move at the same angle around a line in space (axis of rotation).

rotational method: A major hitting method that involves the rotating of body parts about the longitudinal axis of the body in order to develop bat speed. This method transfers energy from the ground up through a system of levers, integrating linear aspects (weight shift) as well as the rotational action of the hips and trunk to conserve angular momentum. This tremendous force that is gathered can be applied out through the chest, arms, hands, and bat head as extension occurs through contact. See extension.
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rhythm: A term to describe an underlying motion in a hitter that is used in the used for several purposes. Rhythm is used as a timing mechanism to overcome inertia that leads a hitter into a load. It is also used to help a hitter avoid pre-swing tension.
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separation: A term used to describe the two separate actions that occur in the swing: (1) the stride, and (2) the weight shift. As a hitters rhythm takes him into his load, his striding foot reaches forward landing big toe first. This occurs simultaneously with the loading of the front side, hands, and bat head. The hitter is now in the power base position ready to go forward. This step must be separate from the weight transfer, because it establishes a post on the front side to receive the weight. As weight begins to move forward, the front heel goes down simultaneously with the back heel lifting to pivot, while the bottom hand pulls the knob. The back knee rotates inward to a position ready to push the back hip from the back foot pivot. Separation must occur for an effective weight transfer against a firm front side already in place. Failure to have the striding foot in place would result in a lunge.
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short front arm: A term that is used to similar to maintaining an angle in the front arm, avoiding barring out or premature extension. Some hitters shorten their front arm (keep their front elbow bent) on an inside pitch in order to keep their hands inside the ball. This shortens the swing arc so they can get the bat head to the inside pitch quicker, since it has to be contacted further out front.
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shoulder to shoulder: A term that describes the position of the head starting inside the front shoulder and finishing inside the back shoulder remaining relatively unchanged in position during the swing.
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shoulder, high front: A phrase that describes the position of the front shoulder in relation to the back shoulder while a hitter is taking his stance. Beginning with the front shoulder high normally results in a lifting or uppercut type swing plane.
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stance: A term used to describe the placement of the hitters feet in the batters box. Stance also could mean the initial starting position of the swing.
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stance, close your: A phrase used instructing a hitter to move his front foot closer to the plate, which would close his front side to the pitcher (show more of his back to the pitcher).
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