How to do the Alligator Arms Drill
There are a couple must-know skills when learning to play baseball. One of these skills is how to properly field a ground ball. There are a few different techniques and tricks you should know to make yourself a good fielder. This article will focus on one of those specific aspects of fielding that is of the utmost importance. It is here that you will learn about the Alligator Arm Drill and technique.
What do you need?
You may be wondering what materials are required for this drill. Well, this is very simple as you really only need three things. At the most basic level, you need a baseball and a glove. This may seem obvious, but it is hard to do this drill without these components.
The only other requirement is a partner. You need someone to help you out as it is pretty hard to carry out the drill on your own. That is really all there is to it! It is a very simple setup that does not require anything crazy.
What is it?
Now, the main reason you are here is to find out what the Alligator Arms drill is. Here you go.
On an alligator, there is a top jaw and a bottom jaw. When the alligator eats, the two jaws come together and process the food. This drill is to show you that you field groundballs the same way. Your glove hand is the bottom jaw and your throwing hand is the top jaw. The baseball is the food entering the alligator’s mouth. Now, in order for the food to stay in the mouth, both of the jaws need to work in conjunction.
Your glove hand and your throwing hand have to work together to successfully field grounders. So, have your partner roll you groundballs and work on fielding the ball with your alligator arms. When the baseball enters your glove, your throwing hand should be right on top. This secures the ball in place and sets you up in a great position to make a throw.
Alligator Arms Drill Results
So, why is this all important? It is important that you understand the basics of fielding balls. Without the top hand clamping down on the ball, it can very easily pop out of the glove and get away from you. Plus, you want your throwing hand already on the ball to make a smooth, quick transition to throwing.
This is a drill that even the professionals practice on a daily basis. It does not matter whether you are in the MLB or just starting baseball for the first time, the technique stays the same.
At the end of the day, the Alligator Arms Drill is super important because it supplies you with a fundamental skill of the game. If you are able to master it early on, you will already have the benefit of the knowledge as you go up through the ranks of baseball!
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