Helpful Sports Tips: Part Four

We all love to compete and we all love to be the best. We are always looking to find a leg up on our opponents and gain that edge that will push us over the top. Here are some ways to help you beat your fellow opponents in a few sports.

Anyone who has played the infield in baseball knows that the hardest ball to field is the one that is hit right at you. For whatever reason we seem to lose our concentration on the easier plays. When taking ground balls improve your concentration by counting the bounces it takes. It will sharpen your eyes and keep your brain focused on the task at hand.

When you're on deck to hit in baseball or softball it would be a smart idea to time the pitchers windup and stretch. When he pitches to the batter that's up, time your swing with him and get a feel for when you have to stride and when you have to swing.

The best base stealers in baseball are ones that cheat. I don't mean by taking steroids and other illegal drugs, but take a peek in at the catcher. Unless you have signs from your coach, you can impress him a lot by telling him you've stolen the signs and can steal on the right pitch. What is the right pitch? You preferably want to go to second at any point during the game, and it would be smarter to swipe the base on an off speed pitch. When you're on third, you want to steal with only one out, and many teams know this. If you're good enough, swipe third when they're not expecting it and once again on a pitch that will more than likely end up in the dirt.

Practice how you want to play. I see too many kids today taking it easy and going through the motions at practice. If you want to win games you have to win at practice. Play hard and not only will you get better, but in challenging your teammates, they get better and your team gets better.

Cycling is an intense sport that requires extensive workouts and tough training. If you want to get better at cycling, practice cycling with one leg, it makes you concentrate better on your motions, and muscle memory is always key in cycling.