A great hitter most often attempts to put a dent in the ball each time he swings. He is confident enough with his form and in his technique to release all inhibitions and let loose his might. There is little concern or doubt in his mind that he will bash the ball, with an extreme and violent swing. He is relaxed and certain in his movements, which remain smooth, controlled, precise and powerful. The muscles in the bodyparts controlling his swing (the hips, hands, feet, arms, legs and eyes) are coiled and ready to unleash in a coordinated, massive release of fury. He is relaxed until the moment of impact, when his awesome power is brought to bear on a single point of emphasis: crushing the ball.

By contrast, the weak and indecisive and more unsuccessful hitter is more often nervous and twitchy and tentative. He is concerned about his form and his movements are tight, jerky and uncontrolled. Because he is uncertain and full of doubt, his movements are rushed and uncoordinated. His bodyparts are not linked, and because of this disconnect, he is unable to bring to bear a mighty, concentrated burst of power. His swing is disjointed and weak. He attempts to make mere contact with the ball and is often content to put the ball in play.

In order to become a great hitter, think of executing each and every swing with maximum power, force and speed. Never take a slow, lazy, weak swing lest it become habit. Think only of releasing every ounce of force in your body to and through the baseball. Swing hard, and swing great.

The standard sports injury treatment protocol for decades has been R.I.C.E.: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. In recent years, a different and radical school of thought has seen success even though its methods stand in stark contrast to I.C.E. Dick Hartzell, the man who invented and popularized the training tool Jump Stretch bands (essentially, supercharged and over-sized rubber bands that assist with compensatory acceleration, stretching and the overall training regimens of athletes), theorized and advocates the M.E.T.H. protocol: Movement, Elevation, Traction and Heat.

The Hartzell line of thought is that for minor to moderate sports injuries, in particular those involving the ankle, the old method of immobility and ice actually inhibits blood flow to the affected area and thus slows down the healing process. Hartzell instead recommends the athlete keep the injured area warm, enhancing blood flow and flushing the area with helpful nutrients, oxygen and antibodies within the blood. At the same time, the athlete should combine movement with traction and continue using the injured area in order to stave off atrophy and weakness. The tractioning process, in essence stabilizing the joint and restoring it to its proper alignment through the use of either the Jump Stretch bands or bandage wraps or tape, allows the necessary movement to occur whilst the limb is elevated. Therefore, all 4 components may be utilized simultaneously.

There is documentation, both clinical and anecdotal, that tells of athletes' full recovery time from injuries being reduced to hours or days, using M.E.T.H.. By contrast, many prescriptions for treatment of a sprained ankle using the I.C.E. method recommend a rest period of 2 weeks. What athlete can afford to take off that much time, and then still have additional down time recuperating and rehabbing? Get hooked on M.E.T.H., instead, and use its speed top your advantage. A great resource is the Hartzell book Don't Ice That Ankle Sprain.