Keep the Front Toe Closed During the Stride

Many coaches and parents instruct hitters to point their front toe at the pitcher when striding. Pointing the toe when striding at the pitcher will cause their hips to open before the start of the swing. Opening the hips early (before the swing actually starts) reduces the power of the swing. Premature opening of the hips can also make it difficult to hit an outside pitch. Instead, the toe should be pointing somewhere between closed (in the direction of the plate) and a 45 degree angle (in the direction half-way between the plate and the pitcher). This will allow the hips to explode open when the swing begins. Keeping the front toe closed is one of Charlie Lau's "Ten Absolutes of Good Hitting."