Posts Tagged ‘good’
5 Softball Pitching Tips to Help Avoid Injury
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010Softball Pitching – The Mechanics of the Fastball
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010Developing a good fastball is a requirement for all softball pitchers. This is the first pitch that should be learned and can be both challenging and frustrating. The best way to learn the fastball is through repeating the motion over and over again until it becomes second nature. Then, and only then, should a pitcher move on to other pitches.
Here are the mechanics of a good fastball:
1. Start off relaxed. If you start tense, you will tense throughout the pitch and it is increases the likelihood of a bad pitch.
2. Lean forward slightly and get a good push off of the rubber. It is OK to lean a little in order to get a better push off. You should stand tall before starting the windmill portion of the pitch.
3. As you begin the windmill motion, your body should open up. Your body should open towards the side of your pitching arm. Picture your body as a door. At the start of the pitch, the door is closed. As your start the windmill, the door should open up.
4. The arm windmill should be in a straight line with the catcher. Keep your arm straight during the windmill but be careful not to lock your elbow.
5. You should push off in the direction of home plate. Your stride foot should land turned at a slight angle. For a fastball down the middle, it should land on the power line. The power line is an imaginary line that extends from the middle of the pitcher’s rubber to the middle of home base. For pitches on the outside or inside corner, adjust where your stride foot lands in proximity to the power line. Sometimes it helps to actually use some chalk and draw the power line for a beginning pitcher.
6. As the windmill motion reaches the release point, be sure to keep your arm tight to your body. Your body should close (remember the door analogy) as your arm gets to the release point. The ball should be released at the hip. Snap your wrist at release and continue your motion so that you have a natural follow-through.
7. Finish the pitch by sliding your push-off foot up so that it end up close to the stride foot. Get in the ready position so you will be prepared for any balls hit right back up the middle.
Learn to pitch the right way with Softball Pitching Drills.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_J._Todd
Here is the original post: Softball Pitching – The Mechanics of the Fastball
Softball Hitting Techniques
Friday, November 19th, 2010Hitting is one of the most important skills you have to learn in playing softball. It is not easy to train for this skill, but it will surely keep you in your team and on the game. In hitting, your choice of the bat you will use is very important. Some choose bats that are too big or too heavy for them. As a result, they are having a hard time using it. Having a big bat will definitely hinder you from giving the ball a good, high speed shot.
There are techniques you have to learn to keep yourself running and playing for your team.
Your stance. Different players make use of different stance. There is no absolute stance to follow anyway. When you stand, make sure that you are in a comfortable stance. Bend your knees at ease. Your feet should carry the weight of your body. Do not keep your feet too far or too near each other. Their distance should be more than your shoulders breadth. Keeping this distance will ensure a good stance. But then you have the prerogative to adapt your own comfortable stance.
Your grip. When you grip the bat, make sure it is not too loose or too tight. You should hold it comfortably without being lax. For right-handed players, they place their left hand at the bottom part of the bat; and their right hand right exactly above the left. Your left hand balances the balances and your right supports it. Correct positioning of your hands will help you hold the bat properly and have more power to swing it.
Your stride. Proper timing is very important in taking your step when softball hitting. Striding ahead of time or behind time means a lot. Keeping focus on the movement of the ball facilitates proper timing. When the pitcher starts to throw the ball, you should evaluate your stance and stride accurately. To develop a good stride, proper discipline and coordination is necessary during your training.
Your swing. When you prepare yourself to hit the ball, you should swing not just your hand but also your shoulder, arms, hips and trunk. These movements create body coordination and help you to give more power to your hit. Again, proper timing is necessary to produce a good swing. You should not swing your arms too early; this might cause lesser power hit. Perfect timing brings your all your energy together to give a hit full of speed and power.
Every softball player has his own ability to develop these techniques. Just remember to keep yourself on focus and train with discipline.
Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world’s best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. Visit his site and sign-up to get his FREE softball hitting tips!
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais
See more here: Softball Hitting Techniques
Softball Batting Tips
Friday, November 19th, 2010Softball hitting is a very important area of softball, if not the most important. Teams rely on good hitters to score runs for them and lead them a victory. Without good softball hitters who are able to produce runs, a team has to rely too much on it’s pitching and defense. Therefore, it’s vital that softball players know what makes a hitter so great and follow her habits. The following are some very good softball hitting tips that a batter should keep in mind next time she’s at the plate, because these habits usually produce great results.
Tip 1 – Spend twice as much time on your hitting as you do on your defense. Hitting is a tough skill to learn, refine and master. It takes a lot of time to become a highly skilled hitter and ultimately, team selections are often made based on who can contribute offensively.
Tip 2 – Use a light, short bat. Most hitters think that a bigger bat gives them more power. This would only be true if that hitter could swing that heavier bat at the same speed as a lighter one. Force equals mass times acceleration, so go for more acceleration; added mass is too difficult to move correctly. The key is to use a bat that you can get through the strike zone both quickly and with the proper technique.
Tip 3 – Go from soft to hard focus. Before a pitch, watch the whole pitcher and don’t focus on a specific area (soft focus) and as the pitcher prepares to deliver, zero in to the point of release (hard focus) and try to pick up the rotation of the ball.
Beyond Softball Bat Reviews – How to Have More Confidence at the Plate
Thursday, October 28th, 2010Softball bat reviews are great for finding a good bat, but there’s more to having confidence at the plate. Here are a few tips for developing confidence at bat. These apply whether you are young or old, new or experienced, and whether you swing slow pitch softball bats or fastpitch softball bats.
Get a bat that you love. Having a bat that you love can be great when you are feeling a bit shaky at the plate. Be sure to take time to talk to your coaches and teammates, to read up on the models you like, and swing plenty of bats before you spend a lot of money on a new bat.
Watch what others do. Get in the habit of watching both baseball and softball games with a critical eye. Figure out what the batter is doing as a routine when getting up to the plate. Look at his or her batting stance, and how weight is distributed. Think about how you can apply this to your game. If you can, take some quick photos or video from your phone so you can study what you’ve learned later.
Practice, a lot. Athletes who excel at their sports train hard. They don’t just hit a handful of pitches one day a week – they hit hundreds of pitches per day. It all doesn’t need to be “live pitch”, but it does have to happen. Hit, and you will get better.
Find a hitting coach. Lots of places offer hitting instruction, and it might not be as expensive as you think. Find out who in your area offers hitting instruction, and set up a lesson. A good place to start is a local college program, which will probably have a hitting instructor either on staff or whom they can recommend. Lessons are sometimes available by the hour (or even half hour), or there might even be clinics in your area. If you are a recreational player, you probably won’t need weekly instruction. Instead, think about two or three lessons over the course of a couple of months to keep your skills sharp and make sure you are using good fundamentals.
Hit off a “T”. It may not be glamorous, but hitting off a “T” can be great for your fundamentals. You can focus on your stance, your follow-through, and all the keys to a great swing. This is especially important if you play at a level where pitching is bad or inconsistent, since you can develop some pretty awful habits just because you want to put the ball into play. A “T” isn’t expensive, and can fit nicely into your trunk (along with that bucket of balls you have there, too).
Visit the batting cage. Most areas have a batting cage, and this is something you should be doing fairly regularly. It’s good to get into the habit of hitting ball after ball, and if you grab a couple of friends or family members it can also be pretty fun. Don’t worry too much, just go hit. If you can, ask someone to take a quick video of you or a few pictures, so you can see whether you are doing what you should.
Get fit. Players who are in good shape are often more consistent hitters. There’s also a little bit of golden lining here – it’s not necessarily the hit but what you do with that hit that is important. If you’re in shape and you can make it to second instead of being winded while waddling to first, you’re a playmaker. You’re in scoring position. So get in shape and make the most of every contact with the ball.
Use batting gloves. It may seem simple, but bat “sting” can really be a factor. In a long at-bat, after fouling off a lot of pitches, your hands can feel just terrible. That makes it harder to hit that one, last pitch as hard as you possibly can. So get yourself a decent pair of batting gloves with padding and find out what you can really do.
Most importantly, do something. Don’t just sit and read the latest softball bat reviews, dreaming of the perfect bat and how you’ll swing it. Go out there and make it happen, and you will discover that your next season will be even better than your last.
Liz A McGowen is a huge sports fan. She is also the mom of three girls who play softball, and her husband is a high school girls softball coach. She has also been known to get a few hits of her own out on the diamond. You will find more about this topic at her blog, softball bat reviews.
She also has a special post about how to go shopping for a new bat, http://www.softballbatreviews.org/softball-bat-reviews/how-to-use-softball-bat-reviews-when-buying-a-softball-bat
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_A_McGowen
Here is the original post: Beyond Softball Bat Reviews – How to Have More Confidence at the Plate
Beyond Softball Bat Reviews – How to Have More Confidence at the Plate
Thursday, October 28th, 2010Softball bat reviews are great for finding a good bat, but there’s more to having confidence at the plate. Here are a few tips for developing confidence at bat. These apply whether you are young or old, new or experienced, and whether you swing slow pitch softball bats or fastpitch softball bats.
Get a bat that you love. Having a bat that you love can be great when you are feeling a bit shaky at the plate. Be sure to take time to talk to your coaches and teammates, to read up on the models you like, and swing plenty of bats before you spend a lot of money on a new bat.
Watch what others do. Get in the habit of watching both baseball and softball games with a critical eye. Figure out what the batter is doing as a routine when getting up to the plate. Look at his or her batting stance, and how weight is distributed. Think about how you can apply this to your game. If you can, take some quick photos or video from your phone so you can study what you’ve learned later.
Practice, a lot. Athletes who excel at their sports train hard. They don’t just hit a handful of pitches one day a week – they hit hundreds of pitches per day. It all doesn’t need to be “live pitch”, but it does have to happen. Hit, and you will get better.
Find a hitting coach. Lots of places offer hitting instruction, and it might not be as expensive as you think. Find out who in your area offers hitting instruction, and set up a lesson. A good place to start is a local college program, which will probably have a hitting instructor either on staff or whom they can recommend. Lessons are sometimes available by the hour (or even half hour), or there might even be clinics in your area. If you are a recreational player, you probably won’t need weekly instruction. Instead, think about two or three lessons over the course of a couple of months to keep your skills sharp and make sure you are using good fundamentals.
Hit off a “T”. It may not be glamorous, but hitting off a “T” can be great for your fundamentals. You can focus on your stance, your follow-through, and all the keys to a great swing. This is especially important if you play at a level where pitching is bad or inconsistent, since you can develop some pretty awful habits just because you want to put the ball into play. A “T” isn’t expensive, and can fit nicely into your trunk (along with that bucket of balls you have there, too).
Visit the batting cage. Most areas have a batting cage, and this is something you should be doing fairly regularly. It’s good to get into the habit of hitting ball after ball, and if you grab a couple of friends or family members it can also be pretty fun. Don’t worry too much, just go hit. If you can, ask someone to take a quick video of you or a few pictures, so you can see whether you are doing what you should.
Get fit. Players who are in good shape are often more consistent hitters. There’s also a little bit of golden lining here – it’s not necessarily the hit but what you do with that hit that is important. If you’re in shape and you can make it to second instead of being winded while waddling to first, you’re a playmaker. You’re in scoring position. So get in shape and make the most of every contact with the ball.
Use batting gloves. It may seem simple, but bat “sting” can really be a factor. In a long at-bat, after fouling off a lot of pitches, your hands can feel just terrible. That makes it harder to hit that one, last pitch as hard as you possibly can. So get yourself a decent pair of batting gloves with padding and find out what you can really do.
Most importantly, do something. Don’t just sit and read the latest softball bat reviews, dreaming of the perfect bat and how you’ll swing it. Go out there and make it happen, and you will discover that your next season will be even better than your last.
Liz A McGowen is a huge sports fan. She is also the mom of three girls who play softball, and her husband is a high school girls softball coach. She has also been known to get a few hits of her own out on the diamond. You will find more about this topic at her blog, softball bat reviews.
She also has a special post about how to go shopping for a new bat, http://www.softballbatreviews.org/softball-bat-reviews/how-to-use-softball-bat-reviews-when-buying-a-softball-bat
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_A_McGowen
Continued here: Beyond Softball Bat Reviews – How to Have More Confidence at the Plate
Men’s Softball Cleats – The First Thing To Have
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010The popularity of men’s recreational softball leagues is increasing on a higher note all around the world. It does not matter even if these are the intramural leagues held at universities, cities, and companies; everyone is allowed to join them. But note that, you have to be well prepared before joining such a league. For that reason, the first step will be to have a good pair of men’s softball cleats.
Softball cleats are manufactured in different brands, colors, sizes and variations. Some of the top rated brands providing these cleats are Under Armour, Puma, Nike and Mizuno. Keep one thing in mind that you must purchase the cleats with plastic spikes if you want to take part in softball leagues. Cleats with metal spikes can result in serious injuries especially when the league permits you to drink in between.
Additionally, most of the athletes who are involved in sports like golf, soccer, football and baseball use some sort of cleats as well. The cleats are specifically athletic shoes which are built with metal or plastic studs. They help in holding tight grip. If you are playing on artificial and hard stuff, it requires shorter studs whereas if you play on the muddy and wet surfaces you need cleats with longer studs. In general, cleats are available in 3 different styles that are low-cut, high-tops and mid-cut. Go for the one that suits you best and with which you feel comfortable.
Most of the people might think that best of the men’s softball cleats are available at Sports Authority and Rack Rooms stores. This is not the truth always. The best idea is to also visit online stores and websites that offer sports goods to collect information and make a proper research about such cleats. You may find out great deals with great discounts and rebates.
Before ending my article, let me mention another site that talks about mens softball cleats. Visit the link to learn more.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nail_Yener
Excerpt from: Men’s Softball Cleats – The First Thing To Have
A Guide to Choose the Best Softball Pitching Machine
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010All professional and amateur softball players always want to practice their game to improve their skills. Looking for a partner to play the game could be a difficult thing, but one can consider using a softball pitching machine that can throw the balls.
A pitching machine is even considered as a must for all softball players since it offers help to an individual player. The balls pitched by the machine can really improve one’s hitting skills. During practice, a pitcher will not feel tired because the machine pitches the softballs repeatedly to a batter in the same location.
The popularity of softball pitching machines makes them widely used all over the world. Manufacturers create various types of the machine, allowing anyone to choose one that fulfills their needs. If you also want to get one, of course you must have knowledge about different types of the machies machines sold on markets.n
Budget is a crucial you should consider when you are going to purchase the machine. If you are a beginner and want to use it for yourself, you can get low-end manual types that may cost as little as $200. On the other hand, if you want to purchase the machine for your professional team, spending about $2000 for high-end models will be a good idea. In this case, you should have a talk with your team’s sponsor and ask for some additional funds.
For portability or for an effort to save money, a manual machine is the right choice. Such type needs no electricity and relies on a hand pulled lever to fire the ball to the batter. It is capable of throwing any type of ball while offering ease for transportation because of its light weight and portability.
If you are planning to use the machine together with your kids, you can purchase a machine which comes with single motor and single wheel, especially if you kids are less than 14 years old. This kind of pitching machine can throw a straight fastball with the speed of 60 miles per hour. To operate the machine, you will need electricity since the machine is powered. During the game, using the machine in an area nearby power source or long extension cord is a good idea. To get this kind of pitching machine, you should prepare budget between $500 and $1000.
Finally, if you are going to purchase a softball pitching machine for schools or professional players, dual-motor, dual-wheel pitching machine is a perfect option. With two motors, the machine produces speeds up to 90 miles per hour, and the wheels will allow for a variety of pitches.
Need a suggestion? You can consider Iron Mike pitching machines to improve hitting skills, as the professionals do. www.softballpitchingmachines.org provides any information you need about various softball pitching machines available on markets today.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blaine_F_Johnston
More here: A Guide to Choose the Best Softball Pitching Machine
A Guide to Choose the Best Softball Pitching Machine
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010All professional and amateur softball players always want to practice their game to improve their skills. Looking for a partner to play the game could be a difficult thing, but one can consider using a softball pitching machine that can throw the balls.
A pitching machine is even considered as a must for all softball players since it offers help to an individual player. The balls pitched by the machine can really improve one’s hitting skills. During practice, a pitcher will not feel tired because the machine pitches the softballs repeatedly to a batter in the same location.
The popularity of softball pitching machines makes them widely used all over the world. Manufacturers create various types of the machine, allowing anyone to choose one that fulfills their needs. If you also want to get one, of course you must have knowledge about different types of the machies machines sold on markets.n
Budget is a crucial you should consider when you are going to purchase the machine. If you are a beginner and want to use it for yourself, you can get low-end manual types that may cost as little as $200. On the other hand, if you want to purchase the machine for your professional team, spending about $2000 for high-end models will be a good idea. In this case, you should have a talk with your team’s sponsor and ask for some additional funds.
For portability or for an effort to save money, a manual machine is the right choice. Such type needs no electricity and relies on a hand pulled lever to fire the ball to the batter. It is capable of throwing any type of ball while offering ease for transportation because of its light weight and portability.
If you are planning to use the machine together with your kids, you can purchase a machine which comes with single motor and single wheel, especially if you kids are less than 14 years old. This kind of pitching machine can throw a straight fastball with the speed of 60 miles per hour. To operate the machine, you will need electricity since the machine is powered. During the game, using the machine in an area nearby power source or long extension cord is a good idea. To get this kind of pitching machine, you should prepare budget between $500 and $1000.
Finally, if you are going to purchase a softball pitching machine for schools or professional players, dual-motor, dual-wheel pitching machine is a perfect option. With two motors, the machine produces speeds up to 90 miles per hour, and the wheels will allow for a variety of pitches.
Need a suggestion? You can consider Iron Mike pitching machines to improve hitting skills, as the professionals do. www.softballpitchingmachines.org provides any information you need about various softball pitching machines available on markets today.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blaine_F_Johnston
See the article here: A Guide to Choose the Best Softball Pitching Machine
Ways to Have a Cheap Softball Bat
Monday, October 11th, 2010You need to spend in order to enjoy a certain sport. This goes for all sports and games. There are certain materials and gears required to be purchased before you can actually play a game. Most people think that softball is an expensive sport because of the gears required for it.
This is an era where you can be innovative. Do you think it is okay to use a baseball bat for a softball game as part of innovation? The answer should be no! Most people assume they can use any bat for this sport. That is absolutely wrong.
You might be one of those who have used baseball bat for softball because it is much cheaper and closely similar with each other. However, you must use softball bats for softball and baseball bats for baseball if you really want to enjoy the sport.
You might presume that all softball bats are expensive. This is why you rather borrow from your friends than paying for your own bat. You can easily find cheap softball bats for as low as $40. The gear is purposely different from the baseball bats. A regular baseball bat is made of wood and can depreciate faster. A softball bat on the other hand is fabricated in a technically engineered process and from special materials. However, the technicality of the process in producing the gear does not mean it must be expensive. As technology improved, so did the manufacturing of the gear, which made it more affordable.
Softball bats are carefully crafted and made of engineered materials to make them strong and sturdy. On the other hand, anyone can make a baseball bat from good wood without any science to be applied. Even so, you can purchase good quality and cheap softball bats in the market today that are comparable and as good as the more expensive ones.
You need to look for the more affordable ones first before deciding on your purchase. You can be in a situation where you have already settled for a $100 item only to find a similar one priced at $40. That would be a huge difference, so try to look around before deciding which one to buy.
You can also look for slightly used and branded one if you want to. This costs at least half the price of the new one. You can probably get this from friends who have purchased a new bat. Make sure you also consider your height, weight and type of game you will be playing before finalizing the purchase. Look for the one that suits you best so you can enjoy the game to its limits.
Did you find this article on softball bats useful? You can find out a lot more at cheap softball bats.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Toby_L._Rutherford
More here: Ways to Have a Cheap Softball Bat