Isaac Hess
Baseball Coach & Instructor
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Co-authored Articles (32)
How to Improve Your Reflexes and Reaction Speed
Get faster reflexes with these simple exercises Having good reflexes aids performance in sports, exercise, and everyday physical activities like crossing the street or driving. We’ve put together a list of mental and p...
How to
Play Baseball
Baseball is one of America's most beloved and iconic sports out there. For those new to the game, the rules can seem confusing and complicated. But once you understand how to set up the field, how to play offense, and ho...
How to
Test Your Grip Strength
Grip strength is a measure of how strong the muscles in your hands, wrist, and forearms are. Together, these muscle groups can help you hold on to something and keep it stable (like a dumbbell or weight bar). Grip stren...
How to
Mark a Baseball Scorecard
Keeping score at a baseball game can be a great way to stay involved in the game and keep track of everything that happens. It is also a useful skill to have if you are a coach, player, or parent of a child on a baseball...
How to
Throw a Baseball
Playing baseball is incredibly fun and rewarding, but in order to perfect your game you must perfect your throw. Take the following steps to get your throwing mechanics down pat, and increase your accuracy, speed, and st...
A Step-by-Step Guide to Throwing the Perfect Curveball
Learn how to pitch basic, straight, and knuckle curveballsSo, you want to learn how to throw a curveball—we don’t blame you! This classic baseball pitch is great for throwing strikes and psyching out your opponent. B...
How to
Pitch a Baseball
Baseball is one of the most beloved American pastimes. However, you can still learn to pitch no matter where you are located in the world! Learning how to pitch properly takes dedication, an understanding of the mechanic...
How to
Calculate a Batting Average
Batting average has been one of baseball's "big three" statistics for decades, along with runs batted in (RBI) and home runs. Fans of the more recent "sabermetrics" approach to baseball statistics criticize batting avera...
How to
Swing a Baseball Bat
The pros on ESPN might make it look easy, but in reality baseball is a difficult sport that requires a lot of conditioning, muscle memory, and hand-eye coordination. However, beginning with the correct batting technique ...
How to
Hit a Baseball
Hitting a baseball is one of the most challenging tasks in sports, even when it’s pitched in the same manner again and again by a batting machine. Even more challenging is when you have to face a live pitcher who might...
How to
Calculate ERA (Earned Run Average)
ERA (Earned Run Average) is the average number of earned runs a pitcher has allowed per every 9 innings he pitches. This is one of the most useful calculations in baseball, as it shows the pitcher's overall effectiveness...
How to
Throw Wiffle Ball Pitches
A Wiffle ball is a plastic ball featuring 8 holes on 1 side and no holes on the other side. The way you angle these holes will impact how the ball flies and curves on its way to the batter. Each pitcher does things a lit...
How to
Perform a Baseball Slide
Sliding is an essential component of baserunning in nearly all levels of baseball. This maneuver can help a runner avoid a tag, prevent one from overrunning a base, and avoid collision or injury from an errant throw. A w...
The Best Ways to Get Good at Any Sport
Become the best athlete you can be with this all-encompassing guide If sports are something that interests you, it stands to reason you would want to be good at them. Succeeding at a sport takes skill, and skill takes pa...
How to
Make a Baseball Bat
Creating your baseball bat lets you have a more personal connection with the game. Handmade bats can also be great keepsakes to pass on from generation to generation. Using a wood turning lathe, you can craft a durable b...
How to
Throw a Faster Fastball
The fastball is the most important pitch in baseball and you’ll need to master it before moving onto other types of pitches. Whether you’re in little league or the majors, you should be constantly trying to improve y...
How to
Oil a Baseball Glove
Purchasing a baseball glove can be an investment because well-made gloves are expensive. There are ways to extend the life of your baseball glove to make your investment last longer. Adding oil to your baseball glove wil...
How to
Throw a Baseball Harder
For any baseball pitcher, learning how to throw a baseball faster will greatly increase your effectiveness. While increasing your pitching velocity is not the only quality necessary for a great pitcher, it is one of the...
How to
Calculate Slugging Percentage
While batting average counts a home run the same as a single, slugging percentage takes into account the actual number of bases scored. Despite the name, this statistic is actually an average, not a percentage. A player ...
How to
Break in a New Baseball Glove
A new baseball glove can feel stiff and clumsy. It can even make it difficult to play the game. You can always wait for your glove to break in naturally, but that can take a very long time. Luckily, there are quicker sol...
