softball pitching drills for staying tall

Bending the elbow: Instead of bending the elbow, keep the arm relaxed and neutral this slows down your pitch, which is the exact opposite of what you want in fastpitch softball. This can be done anywherein a car, bus, rain, snow, summer, winter, etc. Heres a tip a coach told me about quite a number of years ago. Once your pitcher can do 3 sets of 10 reps, increase the weight and start with 1 set and work up. I set Mickey in the batters box and call for inside drop balls (peel drop) and inside fastballs. -Then I drive nails just behind the rubber and just in front of 2nd base. WEIGHT BACKWe do a lot of drill work, along with pitching. To do a plank hold, start in a push-up position. Unless something is DRASTICALLY off, you probably wont see it. Put your weight on the inside balls of your feet. This helps with accuracy, speed and power. Here is a growing collection of softball drills so come back often to see what's cooking! Start with pitches right down the middle and then work the corners (inside and outside) also high and low. Weight should be directed towards the power line, as this will help with accuracy. Work on accuracy first. The pain is almost always due to a mechanical flaw in their motion. Her landing might not be off by much and she might not be leaningmuch to compensate for it, maybe not enough to be evident from 40 feet awaywhen you are concentrating on catching the ball. After all, most pitchers in NCAA D-III are very successful without a rise ball (though this is changing). There is also much that can be used for analysing apitcher from those angles. The riseball is just the opposite from the peel drop. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SOMEONE TO CATCH FOR YOU, set up a video camera at the same spot you were sitting/kneeling down. Once she is consistent at 60 percent, have her do the same thing and have the ball return to the 80 percent mark by again applying the brakes to the last bit of the wind-up. So if you were a .500 hitter before, now you are a .500 hitter with two strikes on you and, by being patient and pickier, you are a better hitter with one strike and a much better hitter with on strikes. Remember, to give up a handful of accuracy for a pinch more speed, is NEVER a good trade. Maximize your sports performance with advice from todays top coaches and elite athletes. It is the kind with sand in the bottom of it so it stays upright. Try these drills to help learn change-up mechanics: Perfecting your softball pitching motion? To be a successful pitcher, you must take thatadvantage away form the batters. As a coach, it is your responsibility to find that flaw and eliminate it. They can help ease tension in the rotator cuff, reduce soreness and give more freedom in the shoulder joint. I find that many young pitchers have their weight too far forward, even bending at the waist on delivery. Keep leg strength in the plant leg when throwing, belly button towards catchers glove, and back facing target after the strike. Otherwise you just might be waving goodbye to the ball as it leaves the park. The first 2 players to hit the bucket gets to be team captains for the scrimmage that day. Proper nutrition provides athletes with the energy, nutrients and hydration they need to progress in their training and perform optimally. Once you have become consistent at doing that, then work on throwing harder. Using this exercise really helped me in my pitching. Stretch and rotate arms in both directions. Set up three cones in a triangle formation, with each cone about 10 feet apart. Now draw a line across the box dividing the zone into top and bottom halves. Forcing them to do that reduces the amount of time they have available to around 40 percent of normal. You are using an out of date browser. Put a pile of single sheet newspapers in an area you would normally walk by the most times during the day. This is the position your body is in when you have taken your stride toward the plate, your glove hand is pointing toward the target and your ball hand is at its highest point. The results have been remarkable!! Have the players stand at 2nd base position, SS, 3'rd base position and make throws to first base trying to hit the bucket. You should be able to catch the returning ball without stepping left or right. This is OK and itwill help the pitcher, however, it seldom gives the person catching a goodpoint of reference to see EXACTLY where the foot comes down. After this motion, both hands come forward with the glove hand pointing directly at the target as the stride is taken. Set up your top rope approximately 25 inches off the ground, and a second rope 6 inches lower. Starting the same as Run and Drag Drill, drive off the mound, keeping your toes and navel toward the target. Start by facing away from the pitching rub. First it adds some power to your release and secondly, it squares your body to the target making it easier to be more consistent. When doing a windmill drill, focus on body position: Use these tips for successful softball pitching drills! While it can do these things, the main job of the glove in pitching is to aim the ball. For extra power, add bridges, planks, or sit ups. Arm extension is essential for successful pitching. The athletic recruiting process is a lot like dating, with college coaches/scouts and high-school student-athletes sizing each other up and searching for the right match. Use them in your next practice and then come back and share your results! The straight drop (peel drop) is released off the birdie finger and the rotation is clockwise as viewed from 3rd base. As you progress, when you catch the ball it will have more force behind it and you will be able to tell when you are throwing harder and faster. Find a concrete or foundation brick wall (preferably with no windows). This will impart some incredible rotation to the ball and will create remarkable movement. You know, you squeeze them with your hand to increase your grip. During this drill, the player snaps her wrist as quickly and violently as possible. Keep both toes and your navel toward the target and drag your shoe laces toward the target. Pitch a ball that crosses over the plate. JavaScript is disabled. I will use a roll of bright colored construction twine and stretch ittightly from that nail at the back tip of home plate, to the front of 2ndbase. I have a few striped balls in my pitching bag for use when teaching the roll drop and the riseball. Then I have them move in ten foot increments back until they are throwing from as far back as 60 feet. #5. Pitchers need short memories. There are two ways to avoid doing this. Stretch your thumb back so it is in line with your middle finger. In addition, many dont use their back leg by driving it forward. From the most basic game of catch to games where players are making the out, young players will learn about proper form and, eventually, how to throw with some MOJO. Again take three to four more giant steps back, mark your line, and throw from there. The pitcher should fall back along the straight line of force. During batting practice, you will swing at hundreds of pitches, as opposed to the four that you swing at in a game. Now, have the pitcher throw her slowest change-up several times and draw a line at an average distance where the ball comes back and hits the ground. The ball must have counter-clockwise rotation as viewed from 3rd base. #7. With 99% of your attention devoted to catching the ball and not getting hit,it is very hard to try and focus on the pitchers feet to see exactly whereshe is on the power line. Spread feet apart in an athletic stance. Then have her throw to the different lines on command. Its great to have friends with similar interests, dont you think? When you bust a batter hard and inside it is difficult for them to get their bat head around and/or to get extended on the ball. This is great for increasing flexibility for softball pitching delivery. After it flies it's all for style points. This will make it second nature for games! Thanks to Duffy ONeill for the article and the tips. Every now and then, the pitchers hit Mickey on purpose. That samefast ball, thrown at a different speed, from one pitch to the next, forces the batter to have to stop and decide exactly when to start her swing. Keep the ball parallel to the drive leg when releasing, shoulders square to the baseball diamond, and wrist snapped up or follow through (whole hand higher than elbow). However, batters today are getting smarter and better and learning to go with those outside pitches. Now we have established the 100 percent mark. Next, larger and smaller circles (15 secs each). Again, have her throw the same pitch several times and then review the tapewith her. Next are butterflies, then wrist curls isolating just the wrist. Again, dont trade accuracy for speed. Im a keen athlete myself; I like to train regularly and spend time socialising outside of softball too. Set up and take your pitching stance with a ball and glove or bat. I told her all the technical stuff on power and control but she kept doing that old bowlers hook kick during her delivery. Use this every time!! Instead of the ball facing the batter when it is at the hip, the hand should be palm up to the sky and the ball laying in the hand so if you were to stop the motion the ball would stay in the hand. They help the body to stay balanced when throwing a pitch. I recommend starting with a light weight (4 pound) dumbbell doing arm curls, butterflies, and wrist snaps in 10 rep sets. Put your palms on the ground and bend your knees at 90 degrees. THE WALL WORKOUTEvery pitcher has one problem in common; sometimes you need or want to practice your pitching and cant come up with anyone to catch for you. When done correctly, each pitcher can throw 50 pitches in a very short time. Figure out a routine for yourself to follow for practice and games. This will get everything ready for your next practice or game! I have the pitchers throw over hand again to cool down once practice is done. Dont use I couldnt find a catcher as an excuse not to workout your pitching arm. To improve power and accuracy, work on your mechanics. Softball pitching drill Part 2 Canyons - Official Sound Studio. Swing arms from side to side. This can work without a catcher, if. 1) From an open-hipped position (front foot toward the target/catcher), the pitcher does a snap drill, driving the back knee in to the front knee. They dont just help get your body ready for the hard work of pitching, but also help create better throwing techniques. Now you only swing at it on the third. Cocking the wrist: Cocking the wrist also takes away power from your pitch it should stay relaxed and neutral. The only true way to get accuracy is to have the pitcher throw pitches, pitches and more pitches. Place the pads of your fingers on the . Products. Whether you want to become a better infielder, develop your bunt technique or increase pitching power, youll find videos, articles and interviews with some of the games top minds to help you become a better player. To acheive our goal of the 12 oclock to 6 oclock rotation on the ball as it travels to home plate, we use hockey pucks, rolls of tape and even cocktail peanut cans (for the cans, you need to add weight by stuffing them with bunched up paper, or sawdust, then tape extensively).. (The percentage is not accurate but I will use this as an estimate for arguments sake). Do 5 sets of fastball-change.6. Shoulder rolls are a great start. Pitching when you are hurt will only make your injury worse.7. As I coach younger girls, I used 1 1/2 finishing nails and used every other seam (84 nails). And that is OK; by hitting bad pitches in practice you slowly figure out that hitting short pitches allows you to drive the ball back through the middle, that in addition to hitting outside deep pitches to right field you can use an inside-out swing to hit inside short pitches down that line as well, or that flat pitches are easy to hit into the corner down the left field line. They are walk-ins, meaning that they are thrown while walking into the pitch. To do a plank hold, start in a push-up position. Warm-up with snap drills (3 ball drill) Do 25-50 snaps2. This will enable you to field your position and protect you from line-drives back at you.3. Throw to the catcher, staying in the open position through the entire throw. 1. The keys are the same for any position, Preparation (drills and muscle memory), Confidence (knowing that you can perform any athletic task required because of your hard work and muscle memory) and Relaxation (when your have confidence in your preparation you are relaxed and can focus on the game). Register Log in 1 Nov 10, 2020 #11 S Stxdad Jun 24, 2019 162 28 So that's her style of finishing the pitch ? Now, with two strikes, you must hit anything that is a strike, but dont panic, look at it this way in the past you were swinging at this pitch on the first strike. Point one arm out in front. In addition to STACKs wrestling workouts, we also provide plenty of nutrition advice to help wrestlers make and maintain weight throughout their training. Injuries are part of the game, but in a pitcher they are nevitable. The one with two balls throws a pitch to the other, the receiving player must throw a pitch to the first. You may also call time out to talk to the catcher.3. The intent is for pitchers to transfer the importance of that direct step and balance when they pitch from the pitching rubber. The pitcher takes a bucket of balls and moves to a point just behind pitchers rubber. Tip #2Choosing the right pitch (Part 2 of 3 part series)By Michael CisnerosEditor, Softball Today Magazine. I place a stripe right down the middle of the ball and use them in close rotational work to insure the proper rotation is being imparted to the ball. Hold this position for 13 seconds. 1. You dont need a catcher, a coach or even a softball park to practice your pitching. Slowly lower the leg, maintaining the same distance between it and the leading foot. The aim is to throw with power, accuracy and consistency, while keeping good control and balance. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Hi, my name is Sophie and I love playing softball. This is especially true in younger pitchers (12-15). We throw 10 to 15 pitches at this distance. Using this exercise really helped me in my pitching. Softball Pitching 107; Softball Throwing 20; Products Club or League Administrators. Wall sits are a great core strength drill to help build energy and power for softball pitching. Measure your distance and next workout, try to beat the mark. If you cannot locate the problem, ask one of your assistant coaches to watch or take your pitcher to another coach. As you bring your ball hand around toward the release point, push off the pitching rubber with your trail foot violently so it squares your body to the target. SQUEEZERI have been pitching mens fastpitch now for almost 20 years. Register Log in 1 2 3 6 Next Mar 2, 2020 #1 T Texas McE Oct 11, 2019 38 8 Please help. Infield Throwing Drill 2 by Pete Sprenkle. The pitcher takes a bucket of balls and moves to a point just behind pitchers rubber. Windmill drills help with key fundamentals like using core muscles, arm motion follow-through and form. In this guide, well look at some warm-up drills for softball pitchers. For even more softball training, check out softball video library. Return to starting position each repetition should take 23 seconds. Then you will do the windmill motion. Now take out a handkerchief (or towel) and have the coach stand directly in front of the pitcher. After that, we do one I call Reach For The Sky. I place a stripe right down the middle of the ball and use them in close rotational work to insure the proper rotation is being imparted to the ball. Then she immediately takes a step back with the back leg. If you are in a game and you get tense, try playing with the dirt in the pitchers circle. Work on stepping at or beyond this mark with your stride leg. Warm-ups are a must for any pitcher! 8U, 10U, 12U Softball Drill #2: Jump-back Tee Drill The second drill is a fun softball hitting drill that I call the "Jump Back Drill." Once again, developing body awareness is the critical element for this drill. At STACK, youll not only get football-specific conditioning workouts, youll also find strength and power workouts from pros. If you do have a video camera, also try to get shots from the left, rightand front views too. This drill can increase your strength in the hand, wrist, and especially the forearm. At first, do not be concerned with accuracy. Arm circles are essential in any warm-up. Have 2 teams of 5 players 1 player at each infield position including catcher (but not pitcher). Lets delve into a few of the most popular softball pitching drills. The forefinger will peel the ball off sideways by using the seam, in effect spinning the ball. If so, stop and reset. Start with a triangle stance, with the weight slightly forward on the front foot. It will increase forearm strength also. Keep your form throughout. Check out Ueno. They allow for your body to finish the motion. Be careful not to get under the ball that will cause it to rise. Try this drill. coaching youth softball and where you can get softball drills and softball tips. Do 10 sets each leg with 1 minute rest between sets. Windmill drills are great for arm strength, technique and pitching velocity. Enough said here!! If the runner wins, their team gets one point. I like for the players to make a mark in the dirt for her stride on the first pitch and then try to beat her mark. Drop elbows and deepen circle radius, doing this periodically during practice. The pitcher throws 8 pitches concentrating on reaching for the sky at the very top of the windmill. Lets take the fast ball, the pitch you throw with your fast ball grip. A lot of pitchers throw very good floaters that are tough to hit, but why not have one the RIPS?? I got this game from ASU Head Softball Coach Linda Wells. PITCHING HOOK KICKI was having a hard time breaking a bad habit of HOOK sliding the trailing foot on my 10 year old pitcher (who happens to be my daughter). Push through with elbow joint until full extension is achieved and snap your wrist down for whip action. The best pitches a pitcher throws come from methodical practice designed to strengthen your pitching arm and develop your sense of timing. The stripe gives instant feedback to the player and is easy for the catcher to see and determine what rotation has been imparted to the ball. Through STACK, youll find the explosive workouts, conditioning and full-body strength training you need to get bigger, faster and stronger on the lacrosse field. Work on change-ups. See how they can boost your playing skills! Features . No shifting forward or backward. Continue moving back and increasing the arc of the pitch until you cannot get it across the plate anymore. A: It is recommended to practice softball pitching drills at least three times a week. As an example (R/H pitcher). The speed will come as a result of the force, but focusing on speed will actually slow down your movements! If not, correct it immediately, before moving on to the next distance. PITCHING GADGETSThese drills were taken from an article written by Duffy ONeill, Pitching Coach of the Ohio Emeralds, One of my favourite gadgets is one I call the changeup glove. In reality it is an old bowling glove which locks the pitchers wrist so that she cannot snap it. I have found it is effective to throw all of your different pitches atdifferent speeds, from one pitch to the next. . Running 20 to 30 minutes three times a week will help to build a strong mind and body. You must log in or register to reply here. Looking for more awesome softball pitching drils? Follow-through is key in any pitch. Learn best practices from athletes who have achieved success and the experts who have helped them. For this drill, the pitcher should only throw to the top half of the zone. Have the pitcher throw her fast ball, the pitch she throws with her fast ball grip. But once you get the basics, it will give your pitching game an edge. Im passionate about helping others get into the game and teach them a thing or two while Im at it. Place your mitt in a position where you can conceal your pitch signals. Have her practice throwing at that speed until she can consistently come down on, or very near, the 80 percent line. In fact, Ive been playing for over 10 years now! Sequence the riseball mechanics and locate the position when the wrist turns over. The reason for this is that the pitcher is not waiting for a ball to be thrown to her. Extend your glove side leg while dragging the toe of your throwing side leg. One thing that I believe helped me was one of those squeezer deals. I have been pitching mens fastpitch now for almost 20 years. You can also divide the distance between the 40 percent and 100 percent lines into two equal parts and establish 40 percent, 70 percent and 100 percent distances. Start by pulling your shoulders down, spine straight, arms at sides and palms down. Teaching your pitcher to throw Off-Speed. Each dropped or errant throw costs that team a point the team with the least points wins. Increase rotation speed. Smooth release creates speed, height and movement for effectiveness. TEMPOI like to start each pitching practice with the players playing the 3-ball game. Time to cool down the arm! This helps to ensure that the muscles used in pitching stay tuned and develop over time. For rise balls, the weight must be on the trail foot and release must be against a firm and resistant front foot. It should be a smooth, comfortable motion that releases the balls full power. Again, the 100 percent distance will be accurate, the others are estimated distances. Having a thin and bright colored power line behind the pitcher will give youan exact reference point and you will see exactly where the stride footcomes down in relationship to the power line and any inconsistencies withthe feet. Throw 5 change-ups, then throw fastball-change, fastball-change. #8. When a pitcher is experiencing soreness or pain stop immediately! Do the first set from the mound with your power line. If you look at the body from the third base side, it resembles the letter K. Bend at the hips and knees to push off the mound like you would push off to sprint or steal a base. Clubs & Leagues . WEIGHT TRAININGI feel that every pitcher has to do some sort of weight training to increase her speed. A: Improving your pitching accuracy requires a combination of proper mechanics and practice. In some situations, athletes gain an edge with prescribed use of safe supplements. Members online 6 Guests online 124 Total . Each time, roll through the shoulders, hips, elbows and wrists. Then, move on to more advanced exercises. It will require a solid concrete wall, a piece of chalk and a tape measure. Keep legs rigid and arms relaxed. I have the pitchers throw 8-10 of these weighted balls into a net,concentrating on the spin of the ball, then move to 40 feet and throw the movement pitches. Control and maintain same speed throughout the motion. If you are hurt, TELL THE COACHES. Drill correctly to boost arm strength, accuracy, power, and control. DO NOT OVEREXERT!! After checking out the baseball workouts on STACK.com, browse through the articles and videos below for drills, advice, and motivation from some of the nations top coaches, college baseball programs, and elite athletes. The play does not start until you make a pitch. Do warm-up drills for softball pitching. These pitches are not thrown from the pitching stance. Draw a line at that point. When the pitcher throws at that height over the plate, the umpire should call that pitch a strike. International Softball 2023 All rights Reserved. Unfortunately, many pitchers make two common mistakes that limit the speed and velocity of their pitches. Keep these mistakes in mind so you can avoid . But I digress. Everyone waits for you. This does a couple of different things. When youre balanced, move to an overhead position. I got this game from ASU Head Softball Coach Linda Wells. The majority of control problems I see are directly related to 2 areas. As Doug worded it to me when I first worked with him, think about most really good pitchers youve seen. They are invaluable. They loosen up the shoulder area and strengthen small muscles with precise movements. This motion does a couple of different things. Toss the ball slightly higher than your head and watch for proper spin. Develop first-step quickness, serve with power and add inches to your vertical with volleyball training from some of todays top coaches. You will be able to locate problems in the mechanics area a lot faster this way. Practice slowly to embed the mechanics into muscle memory. You will definitely see itshow up from behind when you have 100% attention on her feet and the powerline. MICKEY MOUSEThe only true way to get accuracy is to have the pitcher throw pitches, pitches and more pitches. I find that many young pitchers have their weight too far forward, even bending at the waist on delivery. IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO CATCH as your pitcher is throwing, take a position about 8 feet in front of 2nd base and get down on one knee or sit on the power line to where your eyes are directly over it. Then I like to climb the ladder, meaning, throw the next pitch slightly higher than the one before. At first, these drills may be hard for some softball pitchers. CURVEBALLAs far as drills for a curve the most useful is having the pitcher throw from the slingshot position. If your pitcher is having problems with control, this is one area I would take a long look at. DO NOT USE A STUCCO WALL a stucco wall is only around 1 inch thick and will be damaged. Dont mean to nit-pick, but is she leaning at release, or after release? I'm super excited to be sharing this video with you all! You can count on replacing Mickey about twice a season, but at about $5.00, it is a great tool! Assistant Coach Sara Griffin, was working with the pitchers and she had them do a drill that I thought was really good. Try not to play slow stuff because that tends to slow down your workout pace. It will take a while to get the accuracy down. What I found by this, is that when they do actually pitch, they do not drop their shoulders and make that swooping motion. One player has one ball, the other player has 2 balls. Focus your best on the first batter of every inning. Warm-up Drills Warm-ups are a must for any pitcher! Make sure that at each distance, the rotation and weight distribution is correct. Now the 5 series outside hitting drills: Feet Facing Forward - Upper Body Facing Plate: have your hitter use a batting T and a home plate, and start with her feet beside each other (spaced out) and facing forward while her chest faces the ball on the T. She works on hitting the ball off the T without moving her feet. To work on movement pitches, I have my pitchers stand in a line a short distance from me in a power position (stride taken) and softly toss the ball using the proper rotation for peel drop, roll drop, and rise ball. Repeat the drill until its comfortable. As far as in and out all you can do is try different release points, the more a pitcher throws the more comfortable and accurate she will become. Shoulder rolls are essential after softball pitching sessions. In addition to following a healthy diet, athletes must pay particular attention to gaining muscle and losing fat, which together improve athletic performance. The following 30-day challenge will correct these issues and help you generate more power and spin on your pitches. Have her practice that until she can consistently throw it to where the ball comes off the wall and lands on, or very near, the 60 percent line. If you are catching the pitcher, having that bright colored twine powerline, going from home plate to 10 feet in front of the rubber, will make itmuch easier to tell if the pitcher is off the power line without distractingyou from the ball coming at you. FOREARM STRENGTHHeres a tip a coach told me about quite a number of years ago. Then move back to the last sucessful toss and toss 3 more. To the batter it seems as though its that same pitch (the strike) over and over. You dont need a catcher, a coach or a radar gun to workout and tell you if youre throwing faster. Tip #1Attacking the HittersBy: Jocelyn ForestNew England Riptide Pitcher, National Pro Fastpitch. Plank holds are a great drill for softball pitchers to boost core strength. Always start shoulder-width apart. Go through your relaxation routine. Accuracy first, then work on speed. Therefore, performing effective pitching drills will lead to more versatile, efficient, and speedy hurls needed to deliver an all-around powerful performance. It may not display this or other websites correctly. With practice, they will become easier and help maximize control over velocity and accuracy. What is the Supplement Inositol and What are its Benefits? Most of your power comes from the drive. Once we have maxed out the comfortable accurate distance for the drill, I have them move to the rubber, and throw 20-50 hard pitches. Once warmed, work on locations. Hold one or two light medicine balls at chest level. If you are prepared and relaxed, you will be confident. It works Great!! If running is not your thing then you can ride a bike, kick box, aerobics or swim doing these for 30 minutes to one hour.
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