There are many drills used in baseball that will help you when trying to improve your offensive production. However, there is one exercise that I particularly like that has the most general effect on your swing. And that’s the fence exercise.

Here are 4 reasons why you should use the drill closely and why it is so important.

• Promotes balance. Probably the most important aspect in any sport is the correct use of your balance. This is never more illustrated than when using the fence drill. If your balance is not doing well, you will not be able to perform this exercise very well. You need to keep your balance and it all starts with the correct settings and the correct balance. Rule number one, get your balance back.
• Promote an inside-out swing. What do we mean when we say backwards? It simply means a path your hands take when attacking the ball. It is the same approach that you see in golf. If you think about it, the shortest path to the ball is a direct path obtained by the often-used phrase “swing inside out.” It is not rocket science and is used in all sports. If we look at the first two reasons, we start with balance and move on to the inside-out swing.
• Teach the proper turning plane. Again, what do we mean by this? I’m sure you’ve heard the term “swing plane” in golf. Well, it’s the same in baseball. When you use the right balance and the right inside-out approach, you are developing your correct swing plane. All of this is critical and starts with balance and progresses until you eventually develop your proper swing plane towards the ball. This is the swing that you want to repeat and work on over and over again. Use videotapes to review your swing, and have your coach watch you closely as you perform the exercise to make sure you are executing it correctly. Remember, you want to get it right. It is not important how many times you do it, but it is important that you are doing the exercise correctly so that you can take advantage of your development.
• Build trust. I know what you’re thinking and wondering how a close-up drill can build trust. When you are doing your exercises correctly, you will see an improvement in your swing. This translates into better performance in the field that translates into building trust. It is definitely a confidence booster.

The baseball fence drill seems like a simple and unimportant drill when it comes to your swing. Don’t be fooled, it’s a powerful drill that will greatly improve your swing by allowing you to build the fundamentals of balance and an inside-out swing trajectory. This will lead to better performance in the field.