Arms up to chest level. Have her practice throwing at that speed until she can consistently come down on, or very near, the 80 percent line. 1. If you are in a game and you get tense, try playing with the dirt in the pitchers circle. As an example (R/H pitcher). Two myfavorites came to me from Doug Gillis, US National Mens team member. 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. What's a good drill to teach young pitchers to stay tall after a pitch/release, DD started to lean after pitch was released, she wasn't doing it now she's starting to . I am certain it will work for other pitches also. Features . of softball pitching, at the end of the stride the push-back against the stride leg serves as the resistance (or "reaction") for the action of the arm as it does its final downswing into the release of the pitch. Its important to get the balance between weight transfer and arm speed right. Bend at the hips and knees to push off the mound like you would push off to. Im passionate about helping others get into the game and teach them a thing or two while Im at it. Control and maintain same speed throughout the motion. Also in this article was a weighted ball made with 100 finishing nails (2 to 2 1/2) pounded sub-flush in the seam holes, using another nail to get them sub-flush. Three-pump--standing in the start position, the pitcher does her . No shifting forward or backward. 33.5K subscribers Former Texas A&M softball player and two-time All American Amanda Scarborough talks about the 3/4 pitching drill. Most have their weight back and, when throwing a rise, almost falling or stepping back. I went back and viewed old game tapes, Michele Smith, Susie Parra and other instructional tapes. 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. Have her throw a pitch at 100 percent, then 60 percent, 100 percent, 80 percent, 80 percent, 60 percent, 60 percent, 100 percent, 60 percent, etc. Be careful not to get under the ball that will cause it to rise. It will increase forearm strength also. I told her all the technical stuff on power and control but she kept doing that old bowlers hook kick during her delivery. I use an inflatable toy in pitching practice a lot. Queen Of The Hill Review. Log in Find My Team. Check out these 3 killer softball pitching drills for accuracy that we have compiled! If they hit these locations in the 10 pitches or less, they are done, if not, they must go to the end of the line and try again. -Then I drive nails just behind the rubber and just in front of 2nd base. In this guide, well look at some warm-up drills for softball pitchers. WEIGHT BACKWe do a lot of drill work, along with pitching. As a coach, it is your responsibility to find that flaw and eliminate it. Draw a line at that point. Now we have a taught power line from home plate to second base, except forthe 10 feet just in front of the rubber. Make big, slow circles with each arm. If you are a right handed pitcher then you would face to the right of the rubber and put your knee on towel which is on the rubber. It is OK to take a strike; hitting the pitch just because it is a strike lowers your chances of getting a hit because the pitch was not what you were looking for. If you do (everybody does) go through your relaxation routine and increase your focus the next time you are in that situation.5. Step back slightly with one foot. 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. It will increase forearm strength also. Check out STACKs workouts and drills tailored specifically for hockey players. The drills are for a right handed pitcher. Keep your arms loose and relaxed. **Pro tip**: Coordinate arm circles while hopping on one foot or both feet this enhances coordination between arms/legs when producing power. This is the most important aspect of throwing a breaking pitch. Shift body weight onto the balls of the feet. Raise the leg in a fluid motion, as if in an actual pitch, until parallel to the ground. If it is not treated promptly, it will lead to a long rehab time and possibly something more serious. #3. It will not allow the foot to improperly twist before push off. To the batter it seems as though its that same pitch (the strike) over and over. The best pitches a pitcher throws come from methodical practice designed to strengthen your pitching arm and develop your sense of timing. At first, do not be concerned with accuracy. In some situations, athletes gain an edge with prescribed use of safe supplements. I recommend starting with a light weight (4 pound) dumbbell doing arm curls, butterflies, and wrist snaps in 10 rep sets. I like to start each pitching practice with the players playing the 3-ball game. The other thing you can do is take a lot of batting practice. International Softball is a fan-led softball blog and forum, sharing the latest tips, tricks and info to improve your game. Once your pitcher can do 3 sets of 10 reps, increase the weight and start with 1 set and work up. From what I have seen, most outs in the course of a ball game are due to swinging at the wrong pitch. Pull out first base and put a 3-4 ft wooden pole (old broomstick or shovel handle) into the base peg hole and put a bucket over the top of the stick. Work on stepping at or beyond this mark with your stride leg. Do not let pride stand in the way of producing a Great Athlete. Have the pitcher throw the same pitch several times and focus only on thelegs and especially the feet. You may also call time out to talk to the catcher.3. Make sure the picture shows as much of the power line behind the rubber as you can get in the shot and still see the pitcher at least from the middle of the back down. SOFTBALL PITCHING DRILL FOR SPEED (Stacked Ball Drill) - YouTube Drill designed to help pitcher focus on drag leg and engaging thigh and core muscles during pitching motion. Arm extension is essential for successful pitching. Extend your glove side leg while dragging the toe of your throwing side leg. The pitcher should fall back along the straight line of force. You are using an out of date browser. Warm-ups are a must for any pitcher! With practice, they will become easier and help maximize control over velocity and accuracy. Have the players stand at 2nd base position, SS, 3'rd base position and make throws to first base trying to hit the bucket. The batters can sense your confidence and you have already won half the battle. Always start shoulder-width apart. Medicine ball throws are a great way to build it up. Do 5-10 reps each way: forwards, backwards and side-to-side. But I digress. Using this exercise really helped me in my pitching. You want the distance to be from the rubber to where the batter would hit theball, usually around two feet in front of the back tip of home plate. Now draw a line across the box dividing the zone into top and bottom halves. 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 practice these pitches, control arm speed and ensure mechanics look like throwing a fastball. Have the players stand at 2nd base position, SS, 3rd base position and make throws to first base trying to hit the bucket. Q: How often should I practice these drills? Make sure that at each distance, the rotation and weight distribution is correct. After this motion, both hands come forward with the glove hand pointing directly at the target as the stride is taken. Next, larger and smaller circles (15 secs each). Home Softball Drills Softball Pitching Drills 3 Softball Pitching Drills for Accuracy! Q: How can I improve my pitching accuracy? Therefore, performing effective pitching drills will lead to more versatile, efficient, and speedy hurls needed to deliver an all-around powerful performance. Note: Your younger girls are not going to be . 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Training refers to the workouts, exercises and drills they perform outside of organized practices to improve their Strength, Speed, Conditioning and Flexibility, as well to rehab and prevent injury. Heres a tip a coach told me about quite a number of years ago. An 80mph pitch is not very impressive if you cant throw it for a strike. Wall sits are a great core strength drill to help build energy and power for softball pitching. Enough said here!! #6. Start with pitches right down the middle and then work the corners (inside and outside) also high and low. The process requires participants to understand and observe NCAA rules and regulations, conduct thorough research, schedule home and campus visits, network and communicate appropriately, and, for most student-athletes, engage in self-marketing. A: It is recommended to practice softball pitching drills at least three times a week. Start with a full wind-up, then switch to a, Take two steps forward and release the ball. Cocking the wrist: Cocking the wrist also takes away power from your pitch it should stay relaxed and neutral. USING THE POWER LINE FOR FINE TUNINGIf you are working with a pitcher and you are the one catching for her, itstough to see exactly what is going on with the stride foot when it touchesdown. It's good practice to have the pivot foot's arch meet the front edge of the plate so the ball of the foot can push-off. This will impart some incredible rotation to the ball and will create remarkable movement. Place the pads of your fingers on the . 7. I'm super excited to be sharing this video with you all! Try utilizing the striped ball in your next practice and watch the throwing errors disappear! End Game 2 Drill By Jill Today we are bringing you the next video in our "foundational drill" mini series! This drill can increase your strength in the hand, wrist, and especially the forearm. Have the pitcher throw at the top half of the zone at 100 percent full speed. The Power Push will prevent leaping as it reinforces getting the heel up and pointing the toe down. The reason for this is that the pitcher is not waiting for a ball to be thrown to her. Arm position should focus on reducing distance from glove to target. Judge the stride length of your pitcher and you can extend that section ofthe line closer to the rubber than 10 feet but make sure it does not get soclose she lands on it or gets her feet caught up in it. Most of your power comes from the drive. Once your pitcher can do 3 sets of 10 reps, increase the weight and start with 1 set and work up. Unfortunately, many pitchers make two common mistakes that limit the speed and velocity of their pitches. The pitcher throws 8 pitches concentrating on reaching for the sky at the very top of the windmill. They dont just help get your body ready for the hard work of pitching, but also help create better throwing techniques. Smooth release creates speed, height and movement for effectiveness. If you are hurt, TELL THE COACHES. SOFTBALL PITCHING DRILLS AND GAMES These are various pitching drills. It is the kind with sand in the bottom of it so it stays upright. CURVEBALLAs far as drills for a curve the most useful is having the pitcher throw from the slingshot position. I have my pitchers pitch from approximately 20 feet, 10 balls. Put your weight on the inside balls of your feet. Try not to play slow stuff because that tends to slow down your workout pace. The intent is for pitchers to transfer the importance of that direct step and balance when they pitch from the pitching rubber. Now take out a handkerchief (or towel) and have the coach stand directly in front of the pitcher. Again, have her throw the same pitch several times and then review the tapewith her. The pain is almost always due to a mechanical flaw in their motion. Therefore, a leaping-style pitcher musthave a strong, fast push-off In addition, many dont use their back leg by driving it forward. Have her keep throwing and backing up to the point the ball just reaches her without hitting the ground. If you have the room, do the long-toss drill. Squash the Bug and Other Softball Batting Tips That Dont Work, Fastpitch Softball Pitching Tips for Beginners, Fun Basketball Drills That Improve Court Skills, The New Procedure Thats Revolutionizing ACL Surgery and Recovery, The Responsibilities of Parents in College Athletics Recruiting. This website uses cookies and third party services. Proper pitching technique and core strength are must-haves for mastering softball pitching. Finally we move to the regulation distance and throw 10 to 15 pitches at full speed. Concentrating on the proper position of the hand at the hip. Here is a growing collection of softball drills so come back often to see what's cooking! Core strength is key for pitching performance. I have had pitchers add between 2 & 4 feet to their delivery motion and end-up distance. Keep your arm out till the ball is released for extra power. Hold one or two light medicine balls at chest level. This has increased velocity, improved mechanics, etc. This [tag]softball drill [/tag] helps pitchers realize the importance of staying balanced and in line upon release of the pitch. For rise balls, the weight must be on the trail foot and release must be against a firm and resistant front foot. Next, take three to four giant steps back, mark your next line, do your 10 from there. This emphasises the full arm extension. When throwing a riseball or a peel drop (straight dropball) the pitcher and catcher should see a solid line as the ball flies toward the target. In addition to off-season lacrosse workouts, youll find plenty of on-the-field drill for all lacrosse positions. It works Great!! Get a demo; Features; Pricing; Tournaments; FAQs; Coaches or Team Managers. The Power Push sits right over top of the mound, and guides the pitcher's foot as it moves forward off the mound. Draw a line on the ground where she starts that pitch. They dont just help get your body ready for the hard work of pitching, but also help create better throwing techniques. WORKOUT: (ALL PITCHES MUST BE THROWN USING THE NORMAL PITCHING ROUTINE). Plank holds are a great drill for softball pitchers to boost core strength. This will be very evident in the rear view. Keep your arm relaxed and far from your body. Accuracy first, then work on speed. As I coach younger girls, I used 1 1/2 finishing nails and used every other seam (84 nails). Shoulder rolls are essential after softball pitching sessions. This pain may also be caused by a muscle imbalance. Just deliver the pitch in the location called and you have done your job. Try this drill to improve follow-through accuracy and smoothness: Pitching practice done? She always has one in her hand. 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. These pitches are not thrown from the pitching stance. Measure your distance and next workout, try to beat the mark. Dont mean to nit-pick, but is she leaning at release, or after release? Then drop both of your hands and pop your wrist and the ball should go right across the plate. Remember, this game is for the players! Online statistics. 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). The pain is almost always due to a mechanical flaw in their motion. Have the pitcher throw her fast ball, the pitch she throws with her fast ball grip. And often, if they do get a hold of one, its nothing more than a foul ball. Have the pitcher gently put on the brakes at the end of the wind-up so the ball only returns as far as the 60 percent mark. Now wehave established the 40 per cent mark. It will require a solid concrete wall, a piece of chalk and a tape measure. Each dropped or errant throw costs that team a point the team with the least points wins. Looking for more awesome softball pitching drils? 2) From the pitching plate, the pitcher repeats drill 1, but with her full motion. I strongly suggest consulting a doctor before installing a weight program for your pitchers. Lastly try side planks with single arm reaches and oblique twists for further multiplanar movement development. One of the drills that I have the pitchers do is: Stand next to a wall, approximately 4 to 6 inches away, feet angled at a 45 degree, then go through the motion of either slingshot or windmill. If the line wavers or is non-existant, the rotation is incorrect and more rotational work is needed. Many pitchers will throw a certain pitch for an off-speed pitch and that is all. I recently had the privilege of trying out a really cool pitching tool called the Queen of the Hill! 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. Now your one single fast ball can be disguised to look like three different pitches. You dont need a pitching coach, or an expensive radar gun, to tell you if you are throwing harder than you were a few weeks ago. To power workouts and games, and to ensure a strong recovery, elite athletes take care to eat properly and to hydrate before, during and after workouts and competitions. There is a lotof room for error. Repeat the drill until its comfortable. The first 2 players to hit the bucket gets to be team captains for the scrimmage that day. 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. Toss the ball slightly higher than your head and watch for proper spin. This will give the runner the next base. With the line extended you will be able to tell,fairly well, if she is off the line. When done correctly, each pitcher can throw 50 pitches in a very short time. If you do have a video camera, also try to get shots from the left, rightand front views too. Otherwise you just might be waving goodbye to the ball as it leaves the park. You dont need a catcher, a coach or a radar gun to workout and tell you if youre throwing faster. This will come with reps. After all these pitches have been thrown, I have the pitchers throw peel drop, roll drop, change-up, fastball and rise ball in that order to feel the difference in pitches.

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