Baseball Fundamentals: "Ready Position" for Beginners

"Ready Position" is what used to be called posture when we were growing up - it's the way you hold your body to show the world you're poised and ready for what's coming. But, as a baseball fundamental, "ready position" is anything but standing up straight!!

This is why "Ready Position" is so important: it is, perhaps, the only position that every ballplayer will assume in every game. And, except for pitchers and catchers, on every play. "Ready Position" is, in fact, so fundamental to baseball at this level that it ought to be practiced on every pitch of every practice - including batting practice, when taken as a team.

Players should drop into "ready position" at the peak of every wind-up, as the pitcher's glove and throwing hand come above his/her head. As a coach, call out "Ready Position" with every pitch you throw for the first week or so of practice. If you can, learn to balance on one leg mid wind-up, stop, and turn to inspect your fielders. Here's what you should see:

• Feet shoulder width or slightly wider apart
• Players' weight slightly forward on their toes
• "Soft Bend" in the knees - about 30-45% - enough to force the rump to stick out a bit.
• Hips-n-Rump forced out backward, as if reaching for a chair that you can't see.
• Back is strong and straight, leaning forward at the waist so that the
• Shoulders are squarely above, or slightly in front of, the knees.
• Glove hand is mid-torso and in front of the belt buckle ("Back to Middle" is an oft' heard phrase!) and held steady just at, or above, the knees
• Throwing hand is poised next to the glove, ready to catch-n-cover a hit ball
• Head is up, eyes on the batter.

This moment, the "Ready Position" inspection, is a perfect time to make minor corrections - always to two or three players (you'll have plenty to work with, believe me!). It is also a perfect time to heap praise on the performance and progress of your kids. Make the moment count! Build, in your ballplayers' minds and hearts, the feeling that being in ready position is good fundamental baseball. Reinforce is over and over again, until it is a reflex - literally, second nature - to your players.

"Ready Position" prepares the ballplayer to see and react to any situation that may come with the next pitch, including any hit ball. Safety is paramount. And the "Ready Position" will set a youngster's body and mind on every pitch!