Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters

Softball Hitting For Power Basics

2011-11-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

Softball Hitting For Power Basics
By guest author: Brad Henks

Watching some of the best hitters in baseball and softball makes us want to hit just like them. There are great home run hitters like Babe Ruth, Albert Pujols, Crystl Bustos and some others. They all command attention when they step up to the plate because of their explosive hitting power.

Here are some tips to help you become a better, more powerful softball hitter. Implement these at your next softball practice.

1. To be a powerful softball hitter you will need to be powerful and in great shape physically. Work on this by do exercises that will build power such as squats, plyometric jumping drills, long jumps over boxes. Work on your triceps, and chest by doing medicine ball drills or dips for a few ideas. You can come up with more I'm sure.

2. Learn to hold the bat properly. A lot of young players naturally, but mistakenly grip the bat way too firmly. If you loosen your grip on the bat you will be able to swing the bat much faster and it will feel better. You need to have loose wrists and grips. There is even a line of batting gloves out there that help you keep a looser grip on the bat.

That should tell you how important this is for a powerful swing.

3. Do some one handed batting drills. Use a tee, swing the bat with the top hand only. Then repeat using only the bottom hand. Do about 10-15 wings each. This will strengthen your arms and hands. Also gets you into proper alignment with the bat and your body.

4. Using both hands, remember that your front hand pulls the bat while your back hand pushes the bat. Beginners may find this a little tough but stick with it and you will get the hang of it soon.

5. Step to the plate correctly. Align yourself about in the middle of the batters box to give yourself plenty of room to see the pitch and time to swing properly at it.

6. Get a good view of the pitcher. Make certain you are looking straight at the pitcher with both eyes. Hold your chin on your front shoulder to put your head in the proper alignment.

7. Watch the ball all the way to your bat. Don't close your eyes and don't be distracted by the infielders moving or the base runner starting to steal a base. Keep your eye on the ball as they say. This will help you track the ball for a more powerfull softball hit.

8. Let your weight shift forward as you make contact with the ball. Allow your back foot to slide forward a couple of inches. This will put all your power into the hit.

9. Focus on hitting the inside seam of the softball. This will make the ball go back up the middle for a hard hit line drive. These are really hard for infielders to get to.

10. When you hit the ball, run as hard as you can all the way through first base. Your coach will tell you if you need to keep going.

There you go, some basic softball power hitting tips. Practice these at home on a tee or with a friend. What are you waiting on, go out and learn to become a true power softball hitter.

Talk about Fastpitch Softball over at http://FastpitchSoftballTalk.blogspot.com/.

The author is a fastpitch softball enthusiast and has been involved in fastpitch softball and baseball for 20 years as a parent and coach. For more information please visit http://www.BuyFastpitchGloves.com for some of the best fastpitch softball gloves and related accessories.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brad_Henks

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Hitting Drills For Fastpitch Softball Players

2011-10-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hitting Drills For Fastpitch Softball Players
By guest author: Shanna Stevens

Hitting drills can be done by softball players effectively without having to waste time waiting around for busy coaches. Its is also important what type of bats are being used by the athlete's. Aluminum versus Composite.

Aluminum fastpitch bats and composite fastpitch bats have their pros and cons. Because fastpitch softball requires great bat speed and reaction time selecting the proper bat can mean the difference between striking out, laying down a bunt, getting a base hit or even hitting a home run.

Composite bats offer more advantages than aluminum bats these days, but cost more and lack durability. Composite bats also require attention and care to prevent damage.

Composite Bat Speed: Composite bats are easier to swing and can be more accurately controlled.
Aluminum Bat Speed: Aluminum bats are generally heavier than composite bats and less evenly balanced.
Composite Performance: Composite bats peak in performance once they have been properly broken in. A broken-in composite bat will outperform most aluminum bats.
Aluminum Performance: Aluminum bats maintain a steady performance throughout the life of the bat.
Composite Durability: Composite bats are fragile and batters must be conscious of weather conditions and proper use.
Aluminum Durability: Aluminum bats are very durable and require little attention.
Composite Cost: Composite bats vary greatly in cost, depending on materials used.
Aluminum Cost: Aluminum bats are less expensive than composite bats and do not require as much technology to produce.

With a type of bat in mind, now you can start gather hitting drills for your players. Some aspects of hitting to focus on could include Building The Swing, Visual Preparation and Game Adjustments. There are many types of drills to focus on the simple mechanics of hitting. Some use a hitting Tee, some will use wiffle balls and even the Soft Toss Drill where a ball is tossed in front of the hitter in line with the big toe allowing the hitter to focus on their technique instead of reading a pitch coming straight at them.

If you're looking to improve your bat speed or looking to increase your bat strength make sure you choose a bat that best fits your personal preference. Take some time to choose your bat. Take the time to select your hitting drills and get yourself set up for the drills that are focusing on the specific mechanics you are looking to improve and get to work! May all your swings come true. Have a great year!!

Highly effective hitting. How do you get the most out of your drills so your not wasting anyone's time. What ques do you use, what equipment do you use and what drills do you use. These are common questions coaches across the world ask themselves everyday. If your players don't hit the ball they don't score, if they don't score, they can't put point's on the board. If you're not putting points of the board your not going to win ball games. Hitting has to be done effectively with confidence.
http://www.shopsoftballutah.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanna_Stevens

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Hitting Drills For Fastpitch Softball Players

2011-09-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hitting Drills For Fastpitch Softball Players
By guest author: Shanna Stevens

Hitting drills can be done by softball players effectively without having to waste time waiting around for busy coaches. Its is also important what type of bats are being used by the athlete's. Aluminum versus Composite.

Aluminum fastpitch bats and composite fastpitch bats have their pros and cons. Because fastpitch softball requires great bat speed and reaction time selecting the proper bat can mean the difference between striking out, laying down a bunt, getting a base hit or even hitting a home run.

Composite bats offer more advantages than aluminum bats these days, but cost more and lack durability. Composite bats also require attention and care to prevent damage.

Composite Bat Speed: Composite bats are easier to swing and can be more accurately controlled.
Aluminum Bat Speed: Aluminum bats are generally heavier than composite bats and less evenly balanced.
Composite Performance: Composite bats peak in performance once they have been properly broken in. A broken-in composite bat will outperform most aluminum bats.
Aluminum Performance: Aluminum bats maintain a steady performance throughout the life of the bat.
Composite Durability: Composite bats are fragile and batters must be conscious of weather conditions and proper use.
Aluminum Durability: Aluminum bats are very durable and require little attention.
Composite Cost: Composite bats vary greatly in cost, depending on materials used.
Aluminum Cost: Aluminum bats are less expensive than composite bats and do not require as much technology to produce.

With a type of bat in mind, now you can start gather hitting drills for your players. Some aspects of hitting to focus on could include Building The Swing, Visual Preparation and Game Adjustments. There are many types of drills to focus on the simple mechanics of hitting. Some use a hitting Tee, some will use wiffle balls and even the Soft Toss Drill where a ball is tossed in front of the hitter in line with the big toe allowing the hitter to focus on their technique instead of reading a pitch coming straight at them.

If you're looking to improve your bat speed or looking to increase your bat strength make sure you choose a bat that best fits your personal preference. Take some time to choose your bat. Take the time to select your hitting drills and get yourself set up for the drills that are focusing on the specific mechanics you are looking to improve and get to work! May all your swings come true. Have a great year!!

Highly effective hitting. How do you get the most out of your drills so your not wasting anyone's time. What ques do you use, what equipment do you use and what drills do you use. These are common questions coaches across the world ask themselves everyday. If your players don't hit the ball they don't score, if they don't score, they can't put point's on the board. If you're not putting points of the board your not going to win ball games. Hitting has to be done effectively with confidence.
http://www.shopsoftballutah.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanna_Stevens

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Baseball & Softball Coaches Equipment - Magnetic Lineup Board Review

2011-09-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

Baseball & Softball Coaches Equipment - Magnetic Lineup Board Review
By guest auther: Jim Moyer

If you don't have an easy to read line-up posted in the dugout you are hurting yourself, your players, and subsequently your team by allowing yourself and the team to be distracted from the game. Let's face it, it's information that you want to have ready access to, and you want your players to have ready access to as well. So why are you keeping this vital information on a scratch piece of paper or on a carbon copy that is barely legible?

The best magnetic lineup board is about 8.5" x 14" and consists of a position diagram of the softball field on the top, positions for a batting order on the bottom, and a hook so it can be easily hung in the dugout for everyone to see. You simply place magnets with the player's names in the position on the diagram that they will be playing. If you will be subbing in to a position you can go ahead and put the sub's magnetic above or below the starter's magnet. The same is true with the batting order. If you know you will be subbing in for a hitter just put the sub's magnet next to the starter's magnet.

The real beauty to a magnetic lineup board is before the game has started when you are putting together your game strategy. After making your initial batting order it's very easy to adjust for who's hot and who's not, or if you need a bunter in the second or third position, and if you change the batting order will that change who you want to play on defense and where you can make those changes. You can also see the effect your substitutions will have on positions and the batting order. What you used to have to envision in your mind you can now see on the board, both offensively and defensively and for the entirety of the game not just the start of the game. It let's you create your game strategy prior to the game. It's called HAVING A PLAN.

Hey Coach, Listen Up

The decisions you make in determining your lineup WILL AFFECT the outcome of the game. Once the game has started there's not much opportunity to correct a poor batting order. Sometimes it's easy to put together a line up. Other times, we've spent 10 or 15 minutes maneuvering players around on our magnetic lineup board to assess the strengths and weaknesses and determining what we needed for the upcoming game. I can't imagine going through this exercise with paper and pen.

Whether your fastpitch softball team, or baseball team, is a beginning team or a highly skilled tournament team, putting your players in the right positions, building the best batting order, and having a plan for your substitutions, will decide the outcome of many fastpitch softball games. A magnetic lineup board costs about $20.00. Twenty dollars is a cheap investment to KNOW that you have given your team their best opportunity to win. Hey, it's worth the twenty bucks just not to have to answer the question "who do I bat after" 500 times during the season.

There are two magnetic lineup boards on the market. The Easton brand and the Coacher brand. They both cost about $20.00, HOWEVER, the Coacher board is the clear winner. The Easton board does not have a field diagram which prevents you from visualizing the starting defense and, just as important, the defense after substitutions have been made. The Coacher board does have the field diagram.

In conclusion, I would grade the Easton board a C because it is better than using a piece of paper. The Coacher board gets an A+ as it is the complete package and the superior product. For the same investment, you have the choice of the Mercedes or the Pinto.

Having coached over 500 youth fastpitch softball games, Coach Jim decided to put his insight online to allow parent/coaches to draw on his unique experience. At http://www.mysoftballcoach.com/coaching-fastpitch-softball-successfully.html he has compiled a comprehensive list of softball game strategies, softball drills, softball tips, and techniques that are sure to help any coach become successful.

Visit http://www.mysoftballcoach.com/softball-equipment.html for numerous reviews on softball equipment, softball bats, pitching machines and other essential coaching tools, to make your team a Winning team. Before you make any softball equipment purchases be sure to read Jim's review to make sure you don't buy the wrong equipment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Moyer

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Advanced Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Drills with Crissy Rapp

2011-09-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

Advanced Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Drills with Crissy Rapp
Uploaded by ClubHouseGas On http://ClubHouseGAS.com , noted college player and coach, Chrissy Rapp teaches Casey Bass advance techniques of hitting for fast pitch softball. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com

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Step-By-Step Softball Hitting Procedure

2011-09-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Step-By-Step Softball Hitting Procedure
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

Having trouble hitting the ball with striking result? Have you been practicing for it for several weeks, yet you always failed to deliver a satisfying performance? Are you now in great desperation to learn the technique of softball hitting? If so, then you may find the following step-by-step procedure very useful. This actually helps me a lot, too.

· Begin with a good standing posture. This is essential in softball hitting. This means that you have to maintain a comfortable stance. Your weight should be balanced on the balls of your feet. Keep your knees a little flexed, with a slight curve at the waist.

· Have a grip on the bat with your front elbow down and relaxed. Your grip must not too loose or too tight, but hold the bat just right. Make sure that your back elbow is at a 45-degree angle, pointed towards the ground.

· Then with your middle knuckles of one hand aligned with your middle knuckles of the other hand, take hold of the bat at a 45- to 90-degree angle.

· Always let your hands at the top of the strike zone, and close to your back armpit. Also remember that the bat should be between the catcher and your back shoulder.

· Also important to keep your head straight, then cast your full attention to the pitcher in anticipation for the ball to be released. You may want to focus your eyes on the side of the pitcher's leg. This will help you maintain a good concentration.

· When the pitcher goes into the windup, immediately shift the weight onto your back.

· Then with your front foot, take a stride forward on the release of the pitch, making sure not to bring any weight forward on the stride. This is what we call a soft step.

· Immediately after, begin turning around your back foot so that your back heel is facing the catcher, and move your weight forward to the middle of your body.

· Then lastly commence your hand, with the knob of the bat going in the direction of the pitcher's feet.

· You should be careful not to drop the barrel of the bat underneath your hands at the launch of the swing.

· Strike the ball and drive it. This should follow through by way of your hands swinging to your opposite shoulder.

Alright, there you have it. All you have to do is be familiarized with every step provided. At the same time, help yourself with perseverance and determination. Actually, there is actually no undisclosed topics you need to know when it comes to softball hitting.

For you become a good softball player you dreamt of, all you need to do is carry out, practice, and practice. Yes, keep on practicing and improving your skills. As a well-worn adage goes, "Practice makes perfect." Take that as your softball hitting key to success.

Reading magazines or articles regarding the proper technique of softball hitting can also help. Also try to solicit some advices from people who have enough knowledge and experience about softball hitting. Their true to life experience is worth knowing.

Marc Dagenais is a Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us to sign-up to get our FREE softball pitching tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

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Fastpitch Hitting - Swing Like "the Best in the World"

2011-08-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Hitting - Swing Like "the Best in the World"
By guest author: Joe M White

Many people who follow fastpitch softball consider Jessica Mendoza to be the best all-around player, and best overall hitter in the world over the past several years.

Mendoza can do it all at the plate. She is a great bunter, a very effective slap hitter, and hits away for a very high batting average and with terrific power. In fact, baseball fans can compare Mendoza side-by-side with most any major league baseball hall-of-famer, and see that they swing the way she does.

Although Mendoza isn't the first fastpitch player to adopt a Rotational swing, she does it at least as well as anyone who's ever played. More and more fastpitch players are turning to her method of hitting. Increasingly, Division 1 college coaches are converting their players to Rotational hitting (for example, Mike Candera, Head Coach at the University of Arizona, whose teams have won 6 College World Series National Championships, is teaching a peculiar variation of Rotational hitting).

While softball players can continue to have success using the Linear method of hitting, there are reasons for the shift to Rotational.

A Very Short History

Many in the fastpitch community are under the impression that Rotational is relatively new, and that Linear hitting has always been the norm. Actually, Rotational hitting was introduced to Major League Baseball by Shoeless Joe Jackson in the early 20th century, and after Babe Ruth copied Jackson's method, it became the swing of about 95% of Major Leaguers until the introduction of synthetic turf on many Major League fields from the 1960's to the 1990's.

Those early synthetic turf fields were nearly as hard as concrete. Major League batting coaches quickly realized that ground balls hit on it moved so fast, that many balls that were routine ground outs on natural fields were hits on 'turf. Many that would have been outfield singles bounced so hard they became doubles or even triples. So many began to teach Linear hitting to their weaker hitters. And in many cases it worked.

(Most of the Big Leaguers who hit over.300 in those years, and nearly all the RBI and Home Run leaders, continued to be Rotational hitters. As synthetic turf disappeared from the Major Leagues, so did Linear hitting. There are very few nowadays, and although many still use Linear terms to describe their swing, they actually use Rotational swings.)

The increasing use of Linear hitting in MLB coincided with the introduction of lightweight aluminum and composite bats. These bats were not only much lighter than wood -- and so could be swung much faster -- they also had more "pop." The ball came off the bat harder and faster, so grounders hit with metal or composite bats got past infielders more often than with the old wood bats.

While MLB rejected Non-wood bats, they were quickly adopted by youth baseball leagues, middle and high schools, and the NCAA. Along with the bats, coaches at all these levels began to teach Linear hitting. Boys and young men who might have struggled with heavy wood bats became good or even above average hitters by using aluminum/composite bats and Linear hitting.

During all this, fastpitch softball experienced a rebirth as a game for women and girls. Fastpitch softball was originally played with wood bats, and Rotational hitting was the dominant method for both women and men playing the game. In fact, relatively few women played fastpitch until the 1970's.

As young ladies took up the game, they used aluminum and composite bats, for the same reason their male counterparts were. Most of their coaches were men -- dads -- who were enthusiastically embracing the cutting-edge Linear hitting movement. So most ladies learned Linear hitting, which tends to create more grounders as we'll see.

Linear Versus Rotational

So what's the difference between Linear and Rotational hitting? Andy Collins has a pretty good definition of Linear hitting: "Linear hitting is a hitting style that has been used for many years in fast pitch softball and by many little league coaches, some high school, college, and even minor league baseball coaches who still prefer this method of hitting instruction.

"It is used to achieve solid contact hitting, producing... sharply hit ground balls which are designed to shoot through the drawn-in infielders on the hard dirt surfaces of softball (and astroturf surfaces in baseball). It is especially useful in slap hitting (fast runners who hit it on the ground and beat it out to first base).

"Baseball players who use this style, do so especially when they use the ultra light aluminum bats and... if they play on artificial surfaces."

A Linear hitter will normally hit ground balls. Most Linear coaches teach "hit the top half of the ball," and "swing down," which naturally produces grounders. They also teach "lead with the hands" or "take the knob (or hands) to the ball," and to set up with most of your weight on the back foot and then shift your weight to the front foot as you swing. All of these work together to lengthen the swing (producing slower bat speed and therefore less power) and cause a lot of ground balls.

Since softball infields are clay (a hard surface), and the bases are relatively close together -- and so the infielders are close to the batter and have less time to react to the ball to field it -- if you hit a ground ball hard enough, you will get on base. So Linear hitters can be very successful.

Linear hitting works really well when playing against younger or less accomplished fielders and pitchers. But as the defense gets better, whether it's because the ladies at the level you've been at are more mature physically and more experienced fielding balls, or if it's because you're moving up from the Silver division to the Gold, fewer and fewer ground balls get through for hits.

And as the pitching gets faster, Linear hitters often struggle to get the bat around quickly enough, hitting more and more weak grounders to the opposite side. If you get a chance to watch Division 1 college softball games, you'll really see this happening. The lightweight bats allowed in softball go a long way in addressing the problem of slow batspeed. However, when you get to the very top level of competition at a given age, Linear hitters often struggle.

Also, if you are doing a correct Linear swing and happen to hit the middle or lower half of the ball, you will create backspin on the ball - which will usually result in a pop up or a very slow grounder. Slap hitting, a variation of Linear, can help overcome these problems. An accomplished Slapper can place the ball very accurately, and so, "hit 'em where they ain't," as baseball legend Wee Willie Keeler said 120 years ago (Willie was a Linear hitter, like all ballplayers of his time).

Rotational hitting emphasizes even weight balance, leading with the hips, using the legs, hips and torso muscles to produce a short, compact swing, and hitting the center of the ball. These combine to create more bat speed than Linear hitting can, and because the intention is to hit the middle of the ball, it produces many more line drives. No one swings perfectly every single time, so of course, there will be ground balls and pop ups, just as with Linear, but overall, there is more power, and many more balls hit in the air to the outfield. And, because the swing is faster, ground balls are normally hit harder than with Linear -- and so are more likely to get past the infielders for hits.

Perhaps the biggest problem with Rotational hitting is that many people who have very little understanding of it try, with the best of intentions, to teach it. They often combine bits of Linear with a partial understanding of Rotational, with horrible results. Some have grasped portions of the Rotational, and teach what they know. Their results are very uneven. Some hitters do fairly well with this partial swing, most do no better than with Linear, and some don't have any success.

Mike Epstein, former MLB baseball player, and the person credited with coining the phrase "Rotational Hitting," ask the question, "Do we coach what we REALLY see?" Very few coaches take the time to do the frame-by-frame video analysis of great softball and baseball hitters to see all of the components of a productive Rotational swing. (Epstein's hitting course is one of the better ones available. Thousands of players have benefitted from his instruction.)

What a Rotational Swing Looks Like

The photos at batting.wordpress.com in the Nov. 5 post, "The Best Hitter on the Planet?" show how the key components of Jessica Mendoza's swing work together to make her such a great hitter. A true Rotational hitter. You may see that it's very different from what most local coaches teach, even those who call their style of hitting "Rotational." (In her 5-minute video lessons on YouTube, even Mendoza teaches something very different from the way she actually hits! It seems to me that her using Linear hitting phrases -- "shift your weight," and "take your hands to the ball" -- can be confusing to most players, because Mendoza doesn't do these things in a Linear way at all, as you can see in the photos.)

Mendoza keeps her hands back and high as she begins her swing. As she takes a very small step, her entire body moves slightly toward the pitcher (the "weight shift"), but her weight is balanced equally on both feet. Her hips begin to rotate as she brings her back hand down slightly. Her front foot pivots. Keeping her elbows close to her body, the hip rotation brings her bat around at very high speed. Her wrists remain in the same position as at the beginning of the swing.

Her back shoulder moves lower (how much lower depends on the pitch -- if it had been high in the strike zone, the back shoulder would have lowered less, but still would have "dipped"). At contact, both elbows are in an "L" position, head directly on the ball. At the moment of contact, the front knee is straight, the back knee in almost an "L" position. The bat extends straight from her lead arm, looking as if it is part of her arm.

The elbows remain in the "L" until well into her follow-through. Her back hand remains on the bat until the swing is 98% finished.

That's how the best fastpitch hitter in the game does it. And the ball is on a powerful line drive trajectory. If you can get a look at Crystl Busto, the most powerful fastpitch hitter who every played, you'll see that her swing is the same. If you can find video of Stacey Nuveman from 2004-2007, you'll see the same swing. If you look at the Texas A&M team, nearly everyone has the same swing as Jessica Mendoza.

Is One Better Than the Other?

In the fastpitch softball community, the discussion over the two styles is often very heated, and passions frequently run high. Often people are so emotional about their chosen method that they cannot see that both have a place. But look at the 2006-2009 USA National Softball teams. The ladies who made up the team were deemed to be the best players in the US at the time. Both methods of hitting were represented on the team, and they won 3 World Championships and a Silver Medal in the Olympics. Clearly there is room for both Linear and Rotational hitting.

What to Look for in a Coach

In general, everyone who teaches Linear hitting teaches the same principles and the same swing. While each coach will have their own way of teaching it, there is a great uniformity in Linear instruction. A player will get the same advice and tweaking of her swing, but perhaps with different words used from coach to coach.

Unfortunately, while Rotational hitting is fairly simple and straightforward, many coaches haven't really learned the components of the swing. Simply latching onto key words and phrases, they teach what sounds like Rotational hitting to them and the player. Of course, this doesn't produce a sound swing, and causes many to abandon and reject Rotational hitting. Those who have learned Mike Epstein's system can teach a pretty effective swing. Jack Mankin has taught many coaches how to teach the swing used by Mendoza and nearly every Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member.

Even worse than those who teach Rotational hitting without understanding it, are those who try to combine the two methods. This simply doesn't work, except for a very few extremely gifted athletes whose hand-eye coordination is so superior they can overcome this disastrous combination swing. Avoid this swing at all costs!

Use the photos at batting.wordpress.com and the description above of Mendoza's swing to guide you in finding a Rotational hitting coach. These are the fundamental elements of the swing, and each is crucial. Ask the coach to describe the components they teach. If it sounds very different, move on to someone else. If it sounds similar, ask more questions. Be sure they are teaching what you see in these photos. This particular swing is about as perfect a Rotational swing as humanly possible.

In the End, It's a Choice You Have to Make

As we said, there is a place for both Linear and Rotational hitting in fastpitch softball. However, as they move up in skill levels, Linear hitters will find it increasingly difficult to achieve the greatest possible success at the plate.

The best hitter in fastpitch, Jessica Mendoza, is a Rotational hitter. So are Crystl Busto, Stacey Nuveman, and many of the best players in the US. More and more top Division 1 college softball coaches are adopting Rotational hitting for their teams.

The method has been around for nearly a hundred years and is proven to be very effective. If you're serious about taking your game as far as you can, if you dream of playing college softball or even playing for your national team (and why NOT dream that?), you should look into Rotational hitting. But try to be sure you find a coach who really understands this simple method and knows how to teach it.

Whatever you choose, keep practicing, especially in the off-season, keep working hard at getting better, but also take some breaks from the game! Don't get burned out on the game you love!!

©2009 Joseph M. White

Now in his 17th season as a youth softball and baseball coach; also a hitting coach and fastpitch pitching coach. His long experience studying all aspects of the game, and teaching hundreds of boys and girls how to play, and play better, gives him unique insights and enables him to effectively convey game skills to players, coaches, and parents.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_M_White

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Softball Hitting Drills - Bat Throwing Drills

2011-08-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Softball Hitting Drills - Bat Throwing Drills
Uploaded by softballperformancehttp://www.softballperformance.com Softball Peak Performance Coach Marc Dagenais discusses about how to use their whole body using proper mechanics to generate hitting power.

=====================
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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball or Fastpitch Softball Hitting Drill - Hands to the Ball

2011-07-18T06:54:00.000-07:00

Baseball or Fastpitch Softball Hitting Drill - Hands to the Ball
By guest author: Jim Moyer

The dreaded Golf Swing is a common problem for Softball players. You know what I'm talking about, the player consistently misses below the ball by four or five inches. You have talked to them about taking their hands straight to the ball and about swinging level, yet time after time they are underneath the ball. You finally decide the girl is a complete moron and is unable to process the valuable information you are giving her or you determine that she must enjoy bringing you pain and misery.

Your Hitter is probably into the pain and misery he/she is causing you, but on the outside chance that's it's just a bad batting habit you should try this Hands to the Ball drill.

During your next batting practice, place your hitting tee directly behind home plate (touching the back corner of the plate) and pull the tee up to about mid-thigh. Now when the girl swings she must take her hands and bat over the tee without hitting the tee. Now break out the pitching machine and start throwing batting practice. If she drops her hands or the bat head she will hit the tee. Aaaahhhhh, success! Now she can process what you have been telling her for so long. It really won't take too many swings for her to correct the problem, however you may need to do this hitting drill at several batting practices.

This same procedure can be used in soft toss or in hitting from a tee. Just place a hitting tee behind the home plate so he/she can't drop her hands without hitting the back tee.

I have to admit, the first few swings are hysterical. The player thinks the coach is crazy for putting a tee behind her. In her mind you are NUTS thinking she is going to hit the tee. Then on that first pitch when she sends the tee tumbling forward the hitter will have a look of complete astonishment and disbelief. By the third or fourth swing a look of total disgust will have replaced the disbelief. By the sixth or seventh swing the player will finally own up to having poor hitting mechanics. Now, she is making real progress. Just like any 10 Step corrective plan, the first step is to admit there is a problem.

If you have a player with a great golf swing, it may take several sessions to re-train her muscles to swing correctly. Just stick with this drill. The player will absolutely hate hitting that tee and will be working very hard to correct the problem. In all of my years of coaching fastpitch softball and baseball, I have found this to be the single best drill for correcting the "golf swing" strikeouts.

Should she continue to hit the tee, she may very well just enjoy watching you pull your hair out. :-) Then again, you may be ruining the next Tiger Woods. But this isn't a golf team, it's Baseball or Fastpitch Softball and you need hitters, not golfers.

Jim Moyer is the author of http://www.mysoftballcoach.com Having coached over 500 youth fastpitch softball games, Jim decided to put the information online to allow parent/coaches to draw on his unique experience. See http://www.mysoftballcoach.com/play-softball.html for more fastpitch softball tips, drills and essential coaching strategies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Moyer

=====================
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Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation - SoftballHittingOnline.com

2011-07-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation - SoftballHittingOnline.com
This lesson covers proper shoulder rotation and tilt. Visit www.SoftballHittingOnline.com for instructional videos, drills etc.

=====

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog
===================

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment

Softball Drills - Bunting

2011-07-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

Softball Drills - Bunting
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

Although it may not look as cool as a homerun, or as exciting a fastpitch, you should also work on developing your team's bunting skills.

As you probably know already, bunting is important in certain game situations wherein you have to keep the ball away from fielders while hitting it inside fair territory. This includes plays where in you have to sacrifice your batter to let a baserunner proceed to the next base or the home plate.

So here are some drills that will help improve your team's bunting skills.

Practicing Different Bunting Types

If you want your players to practice basic bunting or several types of bunting all at once, here's a drill that would do it:

There should be two players in this drill, a hitter and a tosser. The tosser should position herself 25 ft. from the batter. The tosser throws ten balls at the hitter, one at a time. Each ball could be hit with a specific type of bunt or hit with different types, depending on the goal of the practice.

The tosser and hitter would then trade places after ten balls are thrown. You can also choose to group your players in several groups so all of them can practice bunting at once.

Practicing Bunting Accuracy

You should also develop your team's bunting accuracy to a specific area in the field. That way, they would be trained to bunt the ball towards a safe zone, out of the foul line and out of reach of the fielders.

In this drill, a rope is placed 15 ft. from the home plate and in a semicircle stretching from one sideline to the other. A pitcher and a catcher should be in their defensive positions. With the pitcher should be a full bucket of balls while the catcher with an empty one.

The hitters are positioned at the home plate where they get two chances at bunting the ball inside the rope. A successful bunt means the hitter will go to the 1st base. But missing two bunts means she will have to run to all bases and return to the home plate.

Runner on Second Base

This is the most common game situation wherein bunting is used. A hitter bunts the ball to give the runner on the 2nd base enough time to run to the 3rd

In this drill, this situation is simulated with a hitter, a baserunner on the 2nd and basemen on all bases. You should then position yourself on the mound behind the L-shaped screen to throw the ball or feed the pitching machine. The hitter would then bunt the ball to the right side of the field to allow the baserunner to advance to the 3rd base.

Want more softball drills to practice your team's bunting? Well, why don't you check out my website at www.Softballperformance.com/? I've got tons of drills on bunting, hitting, throwing, plus coaching tips for you. See you there!

Marc Dagenais is a Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us to sign-up to get our FREE softball pitching tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

=====================
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SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

How to Improve Your Bat Speed in Fastpitch Softball

2011-07-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

How to Improve Your Bat Speed in Fastpitch Softball

By Jim Bain

There's little doubt there are men reading this who are either macho, muscle bound jocks, or beer bellied wanna be athletes, who will scoff at the idea a player, most likely female, needs to know how to increase their bat speed for fastpitch softball.

All I can say is that just shows their ignorance of the sport. Obviously, they don't realize that female fastpitch hurlers, such as Jenny Finch, have struck major league batters out in pitching exhibitions. They don't have a clue that a softball pitcher can throw a rise, drop and curve ball, as well as a screaming fastball which rival any baseball pitcher when pitching distance is factored in.

So we won't bother addressing issues with these types of people, let's address methods of increasing our bat speed through the hitting zone. In actuality producing bat speed for softball hitters differs very little for the same desired goal in baseball.

Physical strength, like it or not, is the initial step in increasing our bat speed through the hitting zone. The Core of the body, the legs, hips, fingers and arms are the muscles of the body directly utilized to create the explosive energy required to swing the bat. Weak core strength equals a slow bat.

Therefore, the initial building block to increasing bat speed is increasing core body strength, of which the legs are first. Squats and lunges are old fashioned, yet still the undisputed best and quickest method to increase leg strength. The squats can be performed with or without weights. Should you decide to use weights, reps are more important than the amount of weight lifted, as reps builds endurance as well as muscle mass.

Lunges are an excellent method for not only increasing leg strength, but hip strength as well, which is imperative to being able to quickly open the body and create the explosive speed required to effectively hit the ball hard.

The fingers are the next body part we strengthen. No, I did not say hands, I said fingers. The hands essentially consists of two parts, the fingers and the palms. Palms have no strength, they are only there to affect holding an object, while the fingers squeeze the object. Squeezing a tennis or racquetball will increase the finger strength and there are balls designed for specifically squeezing which will also work.

Now that we have strengthened our core body, let's look at some drills you can perform which will also help increase bat speed as well as hitting in general.

Balance is a huge factor in maintaining body control which is essential to a good quick bat swing.

Here's a very simple drill for training hitters to not over stride. A rule of thumb is the hitter's stride should not exceed the length of his bat. Have two players working together, each with the same length bat.

The hitter takes a stride and swing as if he were hitting a pitch. He stops before his follow through. The second player lays his bat down between the hitters feet. If the stride is @ the same length, the stride is good.

If it's over extended the hitter is over striding and off balance. If the stride is much shorter than the bat, the hitter is losing most of his power.

This drill may seem extremely simple, but the redundancy of taking the correct stride provides memory retention for all the muscles required to stride. After a while the hitter will immediately feel the difference if he unconsciously develops an issue with his stride and can quickly correct it.

Another simple drill is what I call the Walking the Plank Drill.

Use a 2x10 or 2x12 wooden board, the longer the better. The hitter stands on the board in his hitting stance. He takes an imaginarily stride, swing and follow through.

He then crosses his legs (right leg over left if right handed) and again takes his stance and repeats the procedure. This drill is simple yet effective in training the hitter to always step forward towards the pitch while maintaining his balance.

These drills used in conjunction with other hitting drills, strength training and flexibility will have a huge impact on increasing the speed of your bat swing.

Jim Bain - Former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth. Visit his exciting info packed website: http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com
http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com/BatSpeed.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5774396

Hit2win.com has free hittiong drills & Tips.

Happy Independence Day - 2011

2011-07-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

Happy Independence Day - 2011
Happy Birthday America!

For free articles, drills & tips, visit Hit2win.com

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Slap Hitting For Softball Darren Mueller Fastpitch Coaching

2011-06-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by www.winning-coach.com. Coach Darren Mueller presents a detailed overview of how to effectively put the ball in play and exert pressure on the defense, also includes key factors involved in sound slap hitting, drag bunting and much more.

Hit2win.com

Explore These Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Mechanics

2011-06-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

Explore These Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Mechanics
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

Differences in style when doing the softball swings have been the major dilemma of many softball enthusiasts these days. Why not? If you really hear and see a myriad of softball hitting techniques virtually available everywhere, you don't know what to do first. Well, yes, you have to try all of them and choose which is most effective on your softball hitting strategy. But, why waste time when you will now be provided with the powerful and sure ball tips in softball hitting?

Kidding aside, this post will provide you with everything you need to know about softball hitting. We will provide you with the right kind of questions to be able to get hold of the right kind of answers, too.

Let's get started:

· How do I do the softball hitting? Pick up the pace and accelerate the bat through the ball. You drop bat speed when the bat makes contact with the ball. The answer is to speed up as you are hitting the ball explode the bat through it. Preserve a loose grip on the bat. Don't keep your weight on your back foot. Shift your weight from your back foot to your front foot so that you'll generate more hitting power.

· What are the fundamental considerations when hitting a softball? The head must be as at a standstill as probable. The eyes must judge the ball perfectly. The feet must accomplish a perfect weight shift. The hands must be in the right position throughout the whole process. The hips and shoulders must remain closed until exactly the right moment. It is a far more difficult thing to teach than almost any other skill. So let's break it down.

· What is the best exercise program in order to increase my hitting power? Squats are one of the best exercises to increase hitting power. Your entire body will benefit from this powerful movement. If you can't do squats, try leg presses or weighted dips. They are great for developing power in triceps, chest, and deltoids-important muscles for hitting. Try to condition the correct muscles and the specific fast twitch muscle fibers that are critical to faster muscles. This means you have to do more hits, longer drives, and fewer strikeouts.

· How do I increase my hitting power? It is essential for you to hit with superior power and get just about on more quick balls. Always remember to hit with your power zone. This means you must be comfortable with the hitting position so that an uninterrupted hitting power will be increased. The great hitters are the ones who practice and develop drills daily in order to boost their stamina. And most importantly, get your head in the game. You can get angry if you want so that you can focus all your energy on nailing that ball over the barrier.

If you read these carefully and take by heart every bit of information, you'll be surprised what you are capable of, especially in softball hitting. If you apply the mentioned proven techniques and you will practice hard, you'll soon dominate the softball arena and become the big difference in your team!

Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, become mentally tougher, and be more dominant on the softball field. Visit us and sign-up to get tons of great FREE Softball Pitching tips to boost your game!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Three Important Fastpitch Hitting Drills

2011-06-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

Three Important Fastpitch Hitting Drills
By guest author: J Cox

Three Important Hitting Drills

Hitting a softball is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports. It takes very good eye to hand coordination. It takes great timing, talent, and a bit of luck (sometimes) too. For a player to maximize her chances of being the best hitter she can possibly be, she should regularly go through some hitting drills. Three important hitting drills every player should do are "Hitting off a Tee", "Self Toss and Hit", and "Side Soft Toss".

Many players, unless they're under the age of 12 or so, view hitting off a tee as being too childish, but it isn't. In fact, players of all ages and all capabilities should always hit off a tee. This helps hitters to work on their form as they take their stance, swing, hit the ball, and then follow through. With the help of the coach, problems can quickly be identified and corrected during this hitting drill.

Another important hitting drill is the Self Toss and Hit drill. This drill simply involves the hitter tossing up a ball and then hitting it. The hitters should toss the ball close to their body, farther away from their body, and everywhere in between. Also, the batter should hit the ball when it's high in the strike zone, low in the strike zone, and everywhere in between. This way the hitter can get used to swinging at the ball in all these different positions. The point of this hitting drill is for the batter to once again work on the mechanics with her swing and the drill will also help develop better eye to hand coordination.

The third important hitting drill is the Side Soft Toss. This drill requires a pair of players. One player will hit while the other player will toss the ball. The player hitting will assume her stance and get ready to hit. The other player will stand off to the side a few feet (close but not so close that the bat can reach her) with a softball or a bucket of softballs. The player with the ball will lightly toss the ball into the strike zone of the hitter. The hitter will then put a good swing on the ball and hit it forward. Once again this is a great hitting drill for developing eye to hand coordination and for helping a hitter develop good mechanics.

Hitting is probably the single hardest thing to do during a softball game. It takes a player with good eye to hand coordination, good timing, and good mechanics to be able to hit the ball consistently. Three important hitting drills that will help players become better hitters are "Hitting off a Tee", "Self Toss and Hit", and "Side Soft Toss".

J Cox runs http://www.fastpitchsoftballbat.net . The site tries to find bargains for the fastpitch fan. The new improved site can be found at http://www.accessories.fastpitchsoftballbat.net/home

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Cox

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2055753

=========================
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SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Baseball or Fastpitch Softball Hitting Drill - Hands to the Ball

2011-05-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

Baseball or Fastpitch Softball Hitting Drill - Hands to the Ball
By guest author: Jim Moyer

The dreaded Golf Swing is a common problem for Softball players. You know what I'm talking about, the player consistently misses below the ball by four or five inches. You have talked to them about taking their hands straight to the ball and about swinging level, yet time after time they are underneath the ball. You finally decide the girl is a complete moron and is unable to process the valuable information you are giving her or you determine that she must enjoy bringing you pain and misery.

Your Hitter is probably into the pain and misery he/she is causing you, but on the outside chance that's it's just a bad batting habit you should try this Hands to the Ball drill.

During your next batting practice, place your hitting tee directly behind home plate (touching the back corner of the plate) and pull the tee up to about mid-thigh. Now when the girl swings she must take her hands and bat over the tee without hitting the tee. Now break out the pitching machine and start throwing batting practice. If she drops her hands or the bat head she will hit the tee. Aaaahhhhh, success! Now she can process what you have been telling her for so long. It really won't take too many swings for her to correct the problem, however you may need to do this hitting drill at several batting practices.

This same procedure can be used in soft toss or in hitting from a tee. Just place a hitting tee behind the home plate so he/she can't drop her hands without hitting the back tee.

I have to admit, the first few swings are hysterical. The player thinks the coach is crazy for putting a tee behind her. In her mind you are NUTS thinking she is going to hit the tee. Then on that first pitch when she sends the tee tumbling forward the hitter will have a look of complete astonishment and disbelief. By the third or fourth swing a look of total disgust will have replaced the disbelief. By the sixth or seventh swing the player will finally own up to having poor hitting mechanics. Now, she is making real progress. Just like any 10 Step corrective plan, the first step is to admit there is a problem.

If you have a player with a great golf swing, it may take several sessions to re-train her muscles to swing correctly. Just stick with this drill. The player will absolutely hate hitting that tee and will be working very hard to correct the problem. In all of my years of coaching fastpitch softball and baseball, I have found this to be the single best drill for correcting the "golf swing" strikeouts.

Should she continue to hit the tee, she may very well just enjoy watching you pull your hair out. :-) Then again, you may be ruining the next Tiger Woods. But this isn't a golf team, it's Baseball or Fastpitch Softball and you need hitters, not golfers.

Jim Moyer is the author of http://www.mysoftballcoach.com Having coached over 500 youth fastpitch softball games, Jim decided to put the information online to allow parent/coaches to draw on his unique experience. See http://www.mysoftballcoach.com/play-softball.html for more fastpitch softball tips, drills and essential coaching strategies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Moyer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/679949

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Explore These Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Mechanics

2011-05-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

Explore These Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Mechanics
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

Differences in style when doing the softball swings have been the major dilemma of many softball enthusiasts these days. Why not? If you really hear and see a myriad of softball hitting techniques virtually available everywhere, you don't know what to do first. Well, yes, you have to try all of them and choose which is most effective on your softball hitting strategy. But, why waste time when you will now be provided with the powerful and sure ball tips in softball hitting?

Kidding aside, this post will provide you with everything you need to know about softball hitting. We will provide you with the right kind of questions to be able to get hold of the right kind of answers, too.

Let's get started:

· How do I do the softball hitting? Pick up the pace and accelerate the bat through the ball. You drop bat speed when the bat makes contact with the ball. The answer is to speed up as you are hitting the ball explode the bat through it. Preserve a loose grip on the bat. Don't keep your weight on your back foot. Shift your weight from your back foot to your front foot so that you'll generate more hitting power.

· What are the fundamental considerations when hitting a softball? The head must be as at a standstill as probable. The eyes must judge the ball perfectly. The feet must accomplish a perfect weight shift. The hands must be in the right position throughout the whole process. The hips and shoulders must remain closed until exactly the right moment. It is a far more difficult thing to teach than almost any other skill. So let's break it down.

· What is the best exercise program in order to increase my hitting power? Squats are one of the best exercises to increase hitting power. Your entire body will benefit from this powerful movement. If you can't do squats, try leg presses or weighted dips. They are great for developing power in triceps, chest, and deltoids-important muscles for hitting. Try to condition the correct muscles and the specific fast twitch muscle fibers that are critical to faster muscles. This means you have to do more hits, longer drives, and fewer strikeouts.

· How do I increase my hitting power? It is essential for you to hit with superior power and get just about on more quick balls. Always remember to hit with your power zone. This means you must be comfortable with the hitting position so that an uninterrupted hitting power will be increased. The great hitters are the ones who practice and develop drills daily in order to boost their stamina. And most importantly, get your head in the game. You can get angry if you want so that you can focus all your energy on nailing that ball over the barrier.

If you read these carefully and take by heart every bit of information, you'll be surprised what you are capable of, especially in softball hitting. If you apply the mentioned proven techniques and you will practice hard, you'll soon dominate the softball arena and become the big difference in your team!

Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, become mentally tougher, and be more dominant on the softball field. Visit us and sign-up to get tons of great FREE Softball Pitching tips to boost your game!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2405428

===================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Free Girls Softball Practice Drills

2011-04-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Free Girls Softball Practice Drills
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

Drill 1 - Soccer Ball (Softball Hitting)

Purpose: To learn how to drive through the ball.

Procedure: Place a soccer ball on a T. If the T is an open tube, place a small bathroom plunger in the T to hold the ball or use a traffic cone and a plunger. The batter hits the soccer ball hard off the T. If she does not drive through the soccer ball, it will not explode off the bat.

Drill 2 - Football Up and Down

Purpose: To develop the agility and quickness to escape a rundown.

Procedure: In staggered rows, players assume well-balanced positions as if between bases. The coach faces the players and gives hand signals to indicate the direction in which players move. The signals are right, left, down, and up. Players shuffle to the side on right and left signals. On the down signal they quickly hit the ground. Players should be absolutely flat. On the up signal they get up quickly to be ready to go again. In a rundown, players use the prone position to trip the defensive player.

Drill 3 - Timed Throws (Softball Catchers)

Purpose: To evaluate quickness of release and speed of the throw.

Procedure: The catcher catches a pitched ball in full gear so that the drill is gamelike. The coach starts a stopwatch when the ball enters the glove and stops it when the ball is released or when the ball reaches the shortstop's glove at second base. Good times for the ball to go from glove to glove for college catchers are between 1.65 and 1.75 seconds. High school catchers should make the throw in less than 2 seconds.

Drill 4 - Wall Drill (Softball Pitching)

Purpose: To develop proper rotation of the arm.

Procedure: The pitcher throws imaginary pitches using a wall to keep the arm straight in a perfect circle. She stands perpendicular to a wall with the pitching arm close to the wall and about four inches away. The pitcher uses the full pitching motion (including the stride and the opening of the hips), keeping the arm straight and in tight so that it does not contact the wall. The pitcher walks and moves down the wall throwing imaginary pitches.

Drill 5 - Moving to the Base (Softball Infield)

Purpose: To improve quickness and range moving to first base.

Procedure: The first baseman takes a position halfway to home as if fielding a bunt. On the coach's command "go," she sprints to the base (turning inward to the diamond), finds the base, takes the receiving position, catches an imaginary ball, and tags the base. The player repeats the drills, moving ever closer to home to increase the distance and push herself to improve quickness in getting to the base.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that provides softball tips, softball drills, and information on techniques for hitting, pitching, coaching, and training through his blog at http://www.softballperformance.com/blog
He also 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. You can sign-up to get his FREE Softball Tips at http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-tips.html. Go Sign-up Now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1744043

Zip-N-Hit Pro Batting Trainer by SKLZ

2011-03-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Hitting - Swing Like "the Best in the World"

2011-03-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

Fastpitch Softball Glove Review ACE70

2011-03-04T07:54:00.000-08:00

Fastpitch Softball Glove Review ACE70
By guest author: Brad Henks

AKADEMA ACE70 FASTPITCH DESIGN SERIES SOFTBALL GLOVE

"Created to satisfy the needs of the competitive Fastpitch player, the Akadema Fastpitch Design Series is hand-crafted to increase the level of play on the field. Constructed of US Steerhide throughout the pocket and webbing, the back of the glove features exclusive AkademLyte leather, decreasing the overall weight of the glove and allowing for a faster break-in period and a more manageable feel. Smaller finger stalls used to decrease the distance between the thumb and index finger and Akadema Grasp Clasp Wrist System allow for increased playability. Endorsed by USA Softball stars Crystl Bustos and Monica Abbott."

Ok, so that is the company's blurb about this Fastpitch Glove. That's a lot of sales copy, adequately describing this line of fast pitch softball gloves. Sales copy is good, but does it tell the real story?

They sound pretty proud of this line of ladies Fastpitch Softball gloves. You know what? They should be. This is one heck of a nice softball glove, and for the price range it is in there really are not any competitors out there that can beat it. You can see why Monica and Crystl endorse these gloves; they are high quality.

The ACE70 is priced in the low middle of the range but the quality and build of this glove should have it in the upper range. This glove has some really nice features and it plays very well too.

Here are some of its features.

13" Slim Pattern

B-Hive Web

Grasp Clasp Wrist System

Small Finger Stalls

Deep Pocket

Right or Left Hand throw available

The Akadema ACE70 fastpitch glove is black with grey 1/4 inch lacing that makes a nice looking accent. There is some nice embroidered script Akadema on the back of the glove and also the logo, which makes this a really sharp looking softball glove. The model and series name are embossed into the inside of the glove for added effect. You hate to admit it but how well a glove, or bat or shoes looks does seem to make a difference to how you play - or at least how you feel about that glove or shoes, etc. So, that being said, this is one sharp looking fast pitch glove.

This glove is not as heavy as most thanks to the use of AkademaLyte leather on the back of the glove. This lighter weight leather is durable but allows for a quicker break in period. When you first get this glove it will be very stiff. You will need to do some break-in. If you use the Akadema glove conditioner on the palm and pocket and pound some softballs in there and play a lot of catch it should break-in in a few weeks for you.

The heavy Steerhide on the palm and fingers provides plenty of padding for those hot line drives to SS or those high fly balls in Center.

The 13" slim pattern is the perfect size for a softball utility player. The deep pocket seems to just absorb the ball yet it gives it back quickly to make that fast glove to hand transition on the infield. The deep pocket helps you hang onto those fly balls in the outfield too.Read more.

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Girls Softball - Conditioning Program for Well-Rounded Athletes

2011-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

Girls Softball - Conditioning Program for Well-Rounded Athletes
by Guest Author Becky Wittenburg

Girls' softball - like any other sport - requires both practice drills to hone technique on the field and a conditioning program to increase strength, enhance performance, and decrease the risk of injury. An effective conditioning program will include flexibility training, cardiovascular training, weight training, and agility training. Players who train hard will become more well-rounded athletes and be more physically and psychologically prepared for competition.

Flexibility Training

The first step in a conditioning program should be flexibility training to get muscles loose and warmed-up for the rest of the training session. Start with a couple minutes of light jogging, then move on to stretching. An effective stretching program starts with the ankles and moves up throughout the body, including the calf muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps, back muscles, shoulders, neck, and arms.

For proper stretching technique, hold the stretching position until the muscles relax, and then increase the stretch to the point of feeling resistance. Stretching presents a good opportunity to increase body awareness; athletes need to know not to stretch any particular muscle too far for risk of injury.

Cardiovascular Training

Cardiovascular, or endurance, training increases the muscular and respiratory systems' ability to perform over time. Programs that increase heart rate while working the body are ideal for cardiovascular training.

Encourage athletes to join a gym that provides guidance and equipment. Classes in aerobics, spinning, and kickboxing all present a great endurance workout. Players who prefer to work out alone can use treadmills, Stairmasters, and elliptical machines. Those who do not want to join a gym can participate in a running or biking program that provides regular endurance training.

Weight Training

Weight training not only builds muscles, which will enhance performance on the field, but also reduces the risk of injury. However, before an athlete begins a weight training regiment, she needs to be properly trained in using the equipment.

While softball players want to primarily build up muscles in the legs, torso, abdominals, and arms, they should also work the rest of the body, including the back, shoulders, chest, and wrists. Because individual players are at different stages in development and have distinct body types, it is difficult to present one universal weight training program. Athletes should work with their coach or a trainer to develop a program that works for them.

Agility Training

Agility training increases players' ability to execute moves quickly and effectively on the field. Athletes should focus on increasing balance and developing acceleration. Exercises that include line jumps, quick sprints, lateral maneuvers, backpedaling, and bleacher steps will increase balance and explosiveness. Softball players whose bodies quickly and accurately respond in any situation will be an invaluable asset to their team.

And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball practice drills, tips, and coaching ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

The Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech

2011-01-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech
For more info on this product, please visit http://store.baseball2u.com/adsktee1.html.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Softball Hitting - Guide to Batting Successfully

2010-12-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

Softball Hitting - Guide to Batting Successfully
By Becky Wittenburg

There is more to softball hitting than just natural ability. With the right training and equipment, any player can develop the skills she needs to bat successfully. Use these tips as a guide through the different factors affecting players' batting, and learn how each player can become a top hitter.

Proper Positioning

No matter what the age level of a softball team, it is always important to go over proper positioning when approaching the plate. Players who are reminded of optional hitting technique will be more successful at the plate and be less likely to become injured.

Grip - Hitters should hold the bat with the base of their fingers, not their palms. Keep the knuckles almost in line with each other. Players should remember to drop their pinky finger below the knob on the bat. This will provide them with more leverage and increase their bat speed.
Stance - Start with weight on the back foot, and then shift the balance of weight to the front foot during the swing. This will generate more power behind the swing. Start with the bat making contact with the right shoulder (if batting right-handed). The swing should end with the bat on the left shoulder. This stance and follow-through will allow for proper batting mechanics and keep the head low throughout the swing.
Swing - Use both hands to lead the swing, so that the bat is the last thing through the strike zone. Contact should be made with the ball slightly in front of the body, because this is where the most speed is generated. Aim for the bottom half of the ball so that it will be carried further by the hit.

Train the Muscles - And the Eyes

The stronger the batters' arms are, the more powerful the hit. These training exercises will increase arm strength for a faster and more effective swing:

The Hammer - For this training exercise, the player holds out the bat in a vertical position with the arm extended. The batter then lowers the bat in a hammering motion, working the muscles in the forearms and wrists. The player can adjust her choke on the bat if it is too heavy or light, and should alternate hands (and then use both hands) for 10-20 repetitions.
Windshield Wiper - For this training exercise, the player again holds the bat in a vertical position with the arms extended. This time, the hitter moves the bat from left to right, like a windshield wiper, instead of up and down, like a hammer. This exercise strengthens wrists and improves torque. Again, alternate hands for 10-20 repetitions.

Players should train their eyes by first watching the pitcher as a whole. Then, as she starts the pitch, shift the focus to her arm and hand. Finally, zero in on the ball. This shift from a wide to narrow focus will improve ability to judge pitches.

Click on the link below for a FREE softball hitting video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/
Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com Visit her site today for more than 513 free articles covering softball hitting drills, pitching drills, baserunning drills, and defensive drills.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

======================
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Fastpitch Softball Quick Tip # 339

2010-12-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

Softball Hitting - Guide to Batting Successfully

2010-12-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

Softball Hitting - Guide to Batting Successfully
by Guest Author Becky Wittenburg

There is more to softball hitting than just natural ability. With the right training and equipment, any player can develop the skills she needs to bat successfully. Use these tips as a guide through the different factors affecting players' batting, and learn how each player can become a top hitter.

Proper Positioning

No matter what the age level of a softball team, it is always important to go over proper positioning when approaching the plate. Players who are reminded of optional hitting technique will be more successful at the plate and be less likely to become injured.

Grip - Hitters should hold the bat with the base of their fingers, not their palms. Keep the knuckles almost in line with each other. Players should remember to drop their pinky finger below the knob on the bat. This will provide them with more leverage and increase their bat speed.
Stance - Start with weight on the back foot, and then shift the balance of weight to the front foot during the swing. This will generate more power behind the swing. Start with the bat making contact with the right shoulder (if batting right-handed). The swing should end with the bat on the left shoulder. This stance and follow-through will allow for proper batting mechanics and keep the head low throughout the swing.
Swing - Use both hands to lead the swing, so that the bat is the last thing through the strike zone. Contact should be made with the ball slightly in front of the body, because this is where the most speed is generated. Aim for the bottom half of the ball so that it will be carried further by the hit.

Train the Muscles - And the Eyes

The stronger the batters' arms are, the more powerful the hit. These training exercises will increase arm strength for a faster and more effective swing:

The Hammer - For this training exercise, the player holds out the bat in a vertical position with the arm extended. The batter then lowers the bat in a hammering motion, working the muscles in the forearms and wrists. The player can adjust her choke on the bat if it is too heavy or light, and should alternate hands (and then use both hands) for 10-20 repetitions.
Windshield Wiper - For this training exercise, the player again holds the bat in a vertical position with the arms extended. This time, the hitter moves the bat from left to right, like a windshield wiper, instead of up and down, like a hammer. This exercise strengthens wrists and improves torque. Again, alternate hands for 10-20 repetitions.

Players should train their eyes by first watching the pitcher as a whole. Then, as she starts the pitch, shift the focus to her arm and hand. Finally, zero in on the ball. This shift from a wide to narrow focus will improve ability to judge pitches.

Click on the link below for a FREE softball hitting video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com Visit her site today for more than 513 free articles covering softball hitting drills, pitching drills, baserunning drills, and defensive drills.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Fastpitch Hitting Analysis - College Swing 1

2010-12-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

Fastpitch Hitting Analysis - College Swing 1
Posted on YouTube by FastpitchTrainer

A hitter from a D3 tournament held in Texas is shown for analysis.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

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SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

7 ft. Pop-up Catch Net for Baseball Softball Drills

2010-12-05T19:47:00.001-08:00

Five Batting Trainers Every Baseball and Softball Hitting Coach Should Know About

2010-11-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Five Batting Trainers Every Baseball and Softball Hitting Coach Should Know About
Posted on YouTube by Coach2winVideos

Video features five popular and productive baseball/softball batting trainers. The baseball batting trainers are the BatAction Machine, Hurricane Machine, HandsBack Hitter, StayBack Tee, and SKLZ Target Trainer. Each training aid is shown being hit by a player. Each trainer's specific use and purpose is also given.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation

2010-11-24T16:08:00.000-08:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation

www.BattingCagesDirect.com

BATTING CAGE NETS without FRAMES
Message to Baseball and Softball Parents
Recommended Blogs & Knols

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Batting Stance

2010-11-22T08:43:00.000-08:00

Softball Drills - Quick Drills to Get Players Fired Up

2010-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

Fastpitch Softball Drills - Quick Drills to Get Players Fired Up
by Guest Author Becky Wittenburg

Some traditional softball drills have been around since the beginning of the sport for a good reason: they get the job done. These drills are simple and easy to explain, and they get players in shape and fired up for the game.

Hitting Drills

3-Player Bunt: This softball drill requires two players to pitch and one to bat. The pitchers alternate pitching and the batter bunts back to the one who pitched.
Broomstick Hitting Drill: Hit whiffle balls with a broomstick to work on batting technique. First use the right hand, then the left hand, and then both hands.
Hitting Machine Drill: Fill the hitting machine with three different colored balls. Have the players bunt on certain colors, take certain colors, and hit away on other colors.

Running Drills

Base Running Drill: This drill helps increase endurance and base running technique. Have the whole team run the bases 10 times, but pace it so that they jog the evens and sprint the odds.
Indian Relay Drill: The team runs laps in a single file line, and the player in front holds a ball. When the first player is ready she tossed the ball up in the air and runs to the back of the line. The second girl now leads the line and carries the ball until she is ready to move to the back, at which point she tosses the ball up for the next player.
Base Stealing Drill: Players form a line facing the coach. At the coach's signal, they lead off the imaginary base. If the coach signals to return to the base, all players dive back to the imaginary base. If the coach signals to continue, all players spring to a designated area.

Fielding Drills

Rapid Fire Drill: For this softball drill, a coach or player quickly bats to various positions on the field, and the fielders throw to designated areas. This drill has a lot going on at once, but it is good practice for focusing on fieldwork.
3-Second Drill: This drill helps infielders quickly locate the ball and throw it where it needs to go. One player stands behind the fielder and gently tosses a ball at her feet. The baseman locates the ball and has three seconds to get it in a teammate's glove across the infield.
3-Player Pivot Relays: Divide the team up into groups of three and have them form lines spread out across the outfield. Race to see who can complete the following drills, using the catch, pivot, throw method:

· Throw down the line and back, 1-2-3-2-1

· Throw down the line three times and back

· Make them think using the 1-3-2-3-1-2-3-1 pattern

And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Aggie Academy - Drag Bunt

2010-11-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

Aggie Academy - Drag Bunt
Posted on YouTube by AggieVision

In this lesson of Aggie Academy, junior Kylie Randall walks us through the steps to execute a perfect drag bunt.

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Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Softball Drills - Fun and Challenging Hitting Drills

2010-11-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

Fastpitch Softball Drills - Fun and Challenging Hitting Drills
by Guest Author Becky Wittenburg

Practice can become dull and boring if the same softball drills are used every time. In order to keep athletes fresh in their skills, incorporate new drills as often as possible. These fun and challenging hitting drills will provide players a new perspective on hitting and force them out of a practice rut!

Pepper Game
This softball hitting drill emphasizes control over the bat and makes the hitter work on a short, quick swing.

-- Position three to five fielders about 25 feet from the batter, making sure they are spread safely apart.
-- Have the batter hit the ball with a short, downward stroke toward one of the fielders.
-- The fielder fields the ground ball and quickly pitches the ball back to the batter, who uses the same quick downward stroke to hit back to one of the fielders.
-- Right handed batters should hit inside pitches to the fielder on her left, middle pitches to the players in the center, and outside pitches to the fielder on her right.
-- To make the drill more challenging, have two balls going at once to really keep the batter focused.

Colored Softball Toss
This softball drill requires the hitter to really concentrate on the pitch and focus on keeping her weight back.

-- For this drill, the coach, or whoever is acting as pitcher, needs several balls of different colors.
-- The pitcher will toss two pitches simultaneously, making sure the balls are at different heights.
-- While releasing the toss, the pitcher will call out which ball the player should hit, forcing her concentration on just one ball.
-- For variations on this drill, the coach can sometimes incorporate fake tosses or vary the speeds of the balls. If colored balls are not available, the pitcher could call out "high" or "low" instead.
-- This hitting drill will help players adjust their swing for high or low pitches, particularly when they may have been expecting the opposite.

Hit the Bounce
This drill forces the hitter to focus on the timing of her swing, both the trigger - when she should initiate the swing - and the point at which she should make contact with the ball.

-- Have the pitcher stand to the front and side of the hitter, about ten feet away.
-- The pitcher tosses a tennis ball to the hitter, making sure the ball bounces once before reaching the strike zone.
-- The hitter should watch the pitch and use the bounce as a trigger for the swing.
-- Once she has started her swing, the hitter needs to time it so that she hits the ball at the top of the bounce.
-- This drill might take a lot of practice to master, both from the person tossing the tennis ball and the hitter, but once they understand the basics it can really help with timing the swing.

And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Jessica Mendoza Softball Training - HIT: Outside Pitch : Softball.com

2010-11-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Jessica Mendoza Softball Training - HIT: Outside Pitch : Softball.com
Posted on YouTube by TeamExpress

Softball Jessica Mendoza Louisville Slugger USA explains how to hit an outside pitch.

Brought to you by Softball.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Fastpitch Front Pull Batting Drill

2010-11-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Front Pull Batting Drill
Posted on YouTube by thesportshouse

University of Houston's Christa Raley teaches the Fastpitch swing importance of front arm motion. www.thesportshouse.net

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SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Step-By-Step Softball Hitting Procedure

2010-10-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Step-By-Step Softball Hitting Procedure
By Marc Dagenais

Having trouble hitting the ball with striking result? Have you been practicing for it for several weeks, yet you always failed to deliver a satisfying performance? Are you now in great desperation to learn the technique of softball hitting? If so, then you may find the following step-by-step procedure very useful. This actually helps me a lot, too.

· Begin with a good standing posture. This is essential in softball hitting. This means that you have to maintain a comfortable stance. Your weight should be balanced on the balls of your feet. Keep your knees a little flexed, with a slight curve at the waist.

· Have a grip on the bat with your front elbow down and relaxed. Your grip must not too loose or too tight, but hold the bat just right. Make sure that your back elbow is at a 45-degree angle, pointed towards the ground.

· Then with your middle knuckles of one hand aligned with your middle knuckles of the other hand, take hold of the bat at a 45- to 90-degree angle.

· Always let your hands at the top of the strike zone, and close to your back armpit. Also remember that the bat should be between the catcher and your back shoulder.

· Also important to keep your head straight, then cast your full attention to the pitcher in anticipation for the ball to be released. You may want to focus your eyes on the side of the pitcher's leg. This will help you maintain a good concentration.

· When the pitcher goes into the windup, immediately shift the weight onto your back.

· Then with your front foot, take a stride forward on the release of the pitch, making sure not to bring any weight forward on the stride. This is what we call a soft step.

· Immediately after, begin turning around your back foot so that your back heel is facing the catcher, and move your weight forward to the middle of your body.

· Then lastly commence your hand, with the knob of the bat going in the direction of the pitcher's feet.

· You should be careful not to drop the barrel of the bat underneath your hands at the launch of the swing.

· Strike the ball and drive it. This should follow through by way of your hands swinging to your opposite shoulder.

Alright, there you have it. All you have to do is be familiarized with every step provided. At the same time, help yourself with perseverance and determination. Actually, there is actually no undisclosed topics you need to know when it comes to softball hitting.

For you become a good softball player you dreamt of, all you need to do is carry out, practice, and practice. Yes, keep on practicing and improving your skills. As a well-worn adage goes, "Practice makes perfect." Take that as your softball hitting key to success.

Reading magazines or articles regarding the proper technique of softball hitting can also help. Also try to solicit some advices from people who have enough knowledge and experience about softball hitting. Their true to life experience is worth knowing.

Marc Dagenais is a Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us to sign-up to get our FREE softball pitching tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

============

Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine Demo Video

Check out the Hurricane Hitting Machine: Derek Jeter Series:
Hurricane Hitting Machine - Homepage
15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
Message to Parents From Coach Nick
Examples of Hurricane Hitting Drills
The Highly Acclaimed 20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
Hurricane Batting Machine Video Clips
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine

Softball Drills - Fun and Challenging Hitting Drills

2010-10-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Softball Drills - Fun and Challenging Hitting Drills
By Becky Wittenburg

Practice can become dull and boring if the same softball drills are used every time. In order to keep athletes fresh in their skills, incorporate new drills as often as possible. These fun and challenging hitting drills will provide players a new perspective on hitting and force them out of a practice rut!

Pepper Game

This softball hitting drill emphasizes control over the bat and makes the hitter work on a short, quick swing.

Position three to five fielders about 25 feet from the batter, making sure they are spread safely apart.
Have the batter hit the ball with a short, downward stroke toward one of the fielders.
The fielder fields the ground ball and quickly pitches the ball back to the batter, who uses the same quick downward stroke to hit back to one of the fielders.
Right handed batters should hit inside pitches to the fielder on her left, middle pitches to the players in the center, and outside pitches to the fielder on her right.
To make the drill more challenging, have two balls going at once to really keep the batter focused.

Colored Softball Toss

This softball drill requires the hitter to really concentrate on the pitch and focus on keeping her weight back.

For this drill, the coach, or whoever is acting as pitcher, needs several balls of different colors.
The pitcher will toss two pitches simultaneously, making sure the balls are at different heights.
While releasing the toss, the pitcher will call out which ball the player should hit, forcing her concentration on just one ball.
For variations on this drill, the coach can sometimes incorporate fake tosses or vary the speeds of the balls. If colored balls are not available, the pitcher could call out "high" or "low" instead.
This hitting drill will help players adjust their swing for high or low pitches, particularly when they may have been expecting the opposite.

Hit the Bounce

This drill forces the hitter to focus on the timing of her swing, both the trigger - when she should initiate the swing - and the point at which she should make contact with the ball.

Have the pitcher stand to the front and side of the hitter, about ten feet away.
The pitcher tosses a tennis ball to the hitter, making sure the ball bounces once before reaching the strike zone.
The hitter should watch the pitch and use the bounce as a trigger for the swing.
Once she has started her swing, the hitter needs to time it so that she hits the ball at the top of the bounce.
This drill might take a lot of practice to master, both from the person tossing the tennis ball and the hitter, but once they understand the basics it can really help with timing the swing.

And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

---------------

Check out the Hurricane Hitting Machine: Derek Jeter Series:
Hurricane Hitting Machine - Homepage
15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
Message to Parents From Coach Nick
Examples of Hurricane Hitting Drills
The Highly Acclaimed 20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
Hurricane Batting Machine Video Clips
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine

The Grip

2010-10-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting: The Grip
Posted on YouTube by gilroychaos

softball instructional video

--------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Softball Hitting - A Super Mental Routine To Boost Your Success

2010-10-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Softball Hitting - A Super Mental Routine To Boost Your Success
Posted on YouTube by softballperformance

http://www.softballperformance.com - Softball hitting training expert Marc Dagenais share one of his great softball hitting tips by teaching a powerful mental routine to boost hitting success.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Slap Hitting with Softball Coach Crissy Rapp

2010-10-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Slap Hitting with Softball Coach Crissy Rapp
Posted on YouTube by ClubHouseGas

On http://ClubHouseGAS.com, Coach Crissy Rapp teaches us the art of slap hitting in softball. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation

2010-09-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation
Posted on YouTube by FastpitchTrainer

This lesson covers proper shoulder rotation and tilt.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Softball Hitting Drills - Hip Rotation Drills

2010-09-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Drills - Hip Rotation Drills
Posted on YouTube by softballperformance

http://www.softballperformance.com Softball Peak Performance Coach Marc Dagenais demonstrates a softball hitting drills on how to mazimize the use of the hips to enhance bat speed and hitting power.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

The Stance

2010-09-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting: The Stance
Posted on YouTube by onestopsoftball

Softball batting stance. www.onestopsoftball.com

----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Jessica Mendoza Softball Training - HIT: Off Tee : Softball.com

2010-09-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

Jessica Mendoza Softball Training - Hitting drills : Softball.com
Posted on YouTube by TeamExpress

Softball Jessica Mendoza Louisville Slugger USA.
Jessica talks about:
Hitting off of a softball tee, visulaizing pitches, make it game like as possible, set up tee for different pitches

Brought to you by Softball.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Hitting Mechanics Tip - Work More - Think Less

2010-09-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Fastptich Hitting Mechanics Tip - Work More - Think Less
by Guest Author Nate Barnett

I texted a senior in high school who I work with on hitting mechanics, "How's the swing doing"? After a couple minutes his reply was, "I'm hitting.509 on the year... leading the state in doubles with 10... and 20 RBI's. Pretty good. In my response I asked him how he was able to stay so consistent this season. (His power numbers were inconsistent last season.) His answer was, "I don't know. Just hit everyday and work to the right side." I told him that was an awesome answer because in this case, "I don't know" is exactly where you want to be mid-season! Here's why.

If you are thinking about your hitting mechanics and what is making your body work, you cannot think about how your swing feels at the same time. In baseball, you play multiple games during the week and it's probable that your swing begins to change without you knowing it changed IF there isn't focus placed on repetition and feeling of your swing.

So when I asked him how he was able to keep consistent, his answer let me know that he wasn't spending too much time on how the movements should be (hitting mechanics) instead his focus was on how his swing felt (muscle memory). This is why he didn't really know since he was just hitting daily and working on seeing the ball deep into the strike zone. The key for him will be to remain consistent throughout the remainder of the season.

Awesome!

Nate Barnett is co-owner of The Pitching Academy. You can find The Pitching Academy's articles, blog, and videos on baseball hitting mechanics, pitching mechanics, pitching grips, and more when you visit the website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

-----------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Softball Hitting - Use the Core

2010-09-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting - Use the Core
Posted on YouTube by softballperformance

http://www.softballperformance.com Softball Peak Performance Coach Marc Dagenais discusses about softball hitting tips in generating a stronger core.

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Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Fastpitch Softball: Girls & Rotational mechanics.

2010-08-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball: Girls & Rotational mechanics.
Posted on YouTube by parkertraining

Think rotational hitting is just for the guys? You may be surprised.

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Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Batting Stance

2010-08-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Batting Stance
Posted on YouTube by FastpitchTrainer

Here is a lesson about the batting stance. In the video, Fastpitch Trainer, Mark Mulvany covers some basic information that should help your hitter get to their ready, or hitting position more often.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Softball Hitting Drills - The Overhead Drop Drill

2010-08-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Drills - The Overhead Drop Drill
Posted on YouTube by softballperformance

http://www.softballperformance.com/ - Softball Hitting Drills- Peak performance coach Marc Dagenais shares a great drill for hand eye coordination. The Overhead Drop Drill.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Hitting/Bat drill

2010-08-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting/Bat drill
Posted on YouTube on KevinHuntVideo

Farmington (MN) HS head softball coach Heather Ballstadt demonstrates a bat drill for hitting. Produced by Kevin Hunt Video at www.kevinhuntvideo.com and www.kevinhuntblog.blogspot.com.

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SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

How to Hit a Softball

2010-08-20T12:28:00.000-07:00

How to Hit a Softball
Posted on YouTube by livestrong

Utilizing proper techniques will help develop a more fluid and solid softball swing. Learn some techniques for batting in this softball video.

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Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Softball Drills - Improve Your Hitting with Vision Training

2010-08-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Drills - Improve Your Hitting with Vision Training
Posted on YouTube by softballperformance

http://www.softballperformance.com - Softball Hitting Training Expert Marc Dagenais share one of his great softball drills - live tracking - to help you improve both your vision and your hitting.

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SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

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--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

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--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation

2010-08-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Lesson - Shoulder Rotation
Posted on YouTube by FastpitchTrainer

This lesson covers proper shoulder rotation and tilt.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
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--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

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Jessica Mendoza Softball Training - HIT: Slapping - softball : Softball.com

2010-08-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

Jessica Mendoza Fastpitch Softball Training - HIT: Slapping - softball : Softball.com
Posted on YouTube by TeamExpress

Softball Jessica Mendoza Louisville Slugger USA
Jessica talks about how to slap in fastpitch softball.
Footwaork, hands, mechanics.

Brought to you by Softball.com

--------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog

Fastpitch Softball Hitting High and Low Pitches

2010-08-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

Fastpitch Softball Hitting High and Low Pitches
Posted on YouTube by FastpitchTrainer

This lesson features a hitter hitting a belt high pitch and a low pitch. It demonstrates the mechanics that help you hit pitches of different height and when to make these adjustments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog

Advanced Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Drills with Crissy Rapp

2010-08-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

Advanced Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Drills with Crissy Rapp

Posted on YouTube by ClubHouseGas

On http://ClubHouseGAS.com , noted college player and coach, Chrissy Rapp teaches Casey Bass advance techniques of hitting for fast pitch softball. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com

---------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog

Fastpitch Softball: Hitting Off a Tee

2010-08-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hitting Off a Tee

Posted on YouTube by ontariofastpitch

A series of videos produced by Louisville Slugger featuring USA national team player Jessica Mendoza's fastpitch softball tips.

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The Real Role of Coach in your Softball Hitting Skills

2010-08-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

The Real Role of Coach in your Softball Hitting Skills
by: Marc Dagenais

In the world of softball, softball hitting is one of the most important skills that a player must learn. This is actually where the performance of the whole team depends. If the batter has properly hit the softball unto the right direction, with the proper power and timing, all his teammates including him, can be able to perform their next task well.

If you are the batter of your team, it is very important for you to master your softball hitting techniques. Although there may be some instances that you won't be able to make effective shots, you must not let that happen always. In fact, you must not let that happen in any way. As you hit the softball that is thrown unto you, make it certain that you hit it at the right time and with all your might so you and your teammates can be able to perform your next moves, make a score, and eventually win your game.

In practicing your softball hitting skills, it is important that your coach is always there to guide you. If your coach watches over you as you practice hitting the softball, you must not be annoyed. In fact, you must let that instance be an inspiration because as your coach watches over you as you practice, it only means one thing - and that is you are important to him. You are important to him because he wants to see how you practice your softball hitting skills.

The role of your coach is not only effective in the softball arena. Even you are only at your practice, the role of your coach is still carried there. And so, you must not take your coach for granted. There may be instances wherein your coach might scold you when you made a wrong hit, but you must not look at it on a negative way. Instead, you must use that instance as a motivation on your part so you can easily get up and do it better the next time. If you are not good in your softball hitting skills as you practice them and your coach scolds you for that, don't be mad at him. For all you know, he only wants the best for you. He wants to bring out the best of your softball hitting skills.

You might not know it but your coach is one of the best buds that you can have as you practice your softball hitting skills. At times, when you commit mistakes when you hit the softball, your coach will surely reprimand you. But that is only at first. And that is because he only wants you to learn. But in the long run, if you will encounter some problems with regards to your practice; he will be there, ready to catch you and even teach you the right way of hitting the softball so you can perfect your hitting skills. And that is the real role of your coach as you practice your softball hitting skills.

The role of your coach is not only effective in the softball arena. Even you are only at your practice, the role of your coach is still carried there. And so, you must not take your coach for granted. There may be instances wherein your coach might scold you when you made a wrong hit, but you must not look at it on a negative way. Instead, you must use that instance as a motivation on your part so you can easily get up and do it better the next time. If you are not good in your softball hitting skills as you practice them and your coach scolds you for that, don't be mad at him. For all you know, he only wants the best for you. He wants to bring out the best of your softball hitting skills.

You might not know it but your coach is one of the best buds that you can have as you practice your softball hitting skills. At times, when you commit mistakes when you hit the softball, your coach will surely reprimand you. But that is only at first. And that is because he only wants you to learn. But in the long run, if you will encounter some problems with regards to your practice; he will be there, ready to catch you and even teach you the right way of hitting the softball so you can perfect your hitting skills. And that is the real role of your coach as you practice your softball hitting skills.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:

Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, become mentally tougher, and be more dominant on the softball field. Visit us and sign-up to get tons of great FREE softball hitting tips to boost your games!

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Fastpitch Softball Hitting: Bottom Hand Only Drill

2010-07-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

Posted on YouTube by jebadoa
Coach Scott Miller demonstrates a drill for improving the front arm in the swing. Many coaches use this drill, but few use it or teach it correctly, and they actually reinforce BAD habits. Learn the proper way to teach "bottom hand" and help your hitters excell.

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Softball Hitting Drill: Walk Thru Hitting Drill

2010-07-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

Walk Thru Hitting Drill w/ Variations
Posted on Youtube by naplesmystix

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Softball Hitting Drills - How To Improve Your Forearm and Grip Strength for Power

2010-07-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

Softball Hitting Drills - How To Improve Your Forearm and Grip Strength for Power

http://www.softballperformance.com - Softball Hitting Expert, Marc Dagenais, share some of his great hitting drills and softball training tips to help you increase your grip strength and hitting power.

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Tips on Coaching Softball Hitting

2010-07-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Helpful Tips on Coaching Softball Hitting
By Guest Author Marc Dagenais

If you want to have a well-rounded team, you must teach them how to perform all the aspects of the game well. You should teach them how to pitch and throw the ball correctly. You should also show them how to slide. And of course, you should teach them how to hit with more power and accuracy.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of so-called hitting coaches who do not have an idea on how to teach players how to hit the ball correctly. They only tell players to do this and that but never really know if that's what the particular player really needs to improve her hitting. Worse, these coaches never show players HOW to do it.

So if you want to improve your team's hitting, here are some of my softball hitting tips for you.

Before You Teach Softball Hitting Techniques

First, you should begin by looking into each of your player's hitting technique. You could do this by letting them hit the ball several times and find out what they're doing. But if you want to be more accurate in your analysis, I strongly recommend that you videotape their swings so you can review them several times, and if possible, slow it down.

Once you've nailed down what's working and not for each of your players, you should provide each of them with feedback. It eats up your time but it's something that will truly help your team become better hitters.

But what particular areas of softball hitting should you look out for?

Teaching Your Team the Proper Softball Hitting Techniques

One of the areas you should look out for is the stance. Teaching your players the proper stance is important for several reasons. For one, it helps them to keep their balance while on the plate. Another thing is that a confident or aggressive stance can also play a significant role in the mental part of the game.

You should also teach your players how to handle the bat correctly. The tendency of most players is to choke the handle of the bat, hoping that it will provide them with better grip and control. It does provide them with better grip, but gripping the bat tightly reduces the bat and ball speed. Tell them to loosen up their grip on the bat instead.

Anticipation is also important for your players to hit the ball with greater accuracy. To improve your team's anticipation and accuracy, teach them how the track the path of the ball from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand to the time it goes within their hitting range.

All in all, it's about teaching your players the correct softball hitting mechanics. When they know how to hit the ball correctly, they will be able to do it with lesser effort but with more accuracy and power. And as a coach, there's probably nothing more you could wish for from an offensive point of view.

But you should also take a scientific approach at coaching your players in doing the correct hitting mechanics. Take the time to individually analyze the way they hit the ball so you can provide each of them with specific advice on how to improve their hitting.

Marc Dagenais is a Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us to sign-up to get our FREE softball pitching tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

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Softball Hitting Drills - How to Increase Batting Power

2010-07-20T11:18:00.001-07:00

Softball Hitting Drills - How to Increase Batting Power

http://www.softballperformance.com/ - Marc Dagenais, peak performance coach demonstrates an excellent drill to increase your batting power.

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Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Drills with Crissy Rapp

2010-07-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

Fast Pitch Softball Hitting Drills with Crissy Rapp
On http://ClubHouseGAS.com, noted college player and coach talks about the basic drills for fast pitch softball hitting. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com

Thanks to our sponsor:

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Dramatically Improve Your Softball Game With These Sport Specific Exercises

2010-07-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Dramatically Improve Your Softball Game With These Sport Specific Exercises
By Guest Author Bill Manly

It has now become accepted fact that weight training can help softball players become better. In the last decade, specific training programs have really developed. There are different training programs for each type of sport, and softball is not an exception. The weight training programs for softball players mainly focus on the core stability of a player. They serve as a base for power conditioning that is required in the game. The program takes about 4 to 6 weeks and should be combined with a complete body workout.

Unfortunately, most of the softball players lay a limit to their muscle strengthening by working out only on a specific group of muscles. However, a number of muscles should be included in the best strengthening programs. Some of the muscles that are ignored are the lower back, abdominal muscles, hip flexors, hip abductors, and hip adductors as well as all the upper body muscles. To avoid injuries connected to the game, all these muscles have to be exercised. Some of the exercises that should be combined with the softball-training program include:

The Horse Stance Exercise

Start while you are on your knees and hands, with your spine in a neutral position. The abdomen should be drawn in and the chin tucked. Then slowly raise your arm with the thumb up as well as the opposite leg. The arm and leg should be kept straight as you lift your body to a given height and hold it for about 5 to 10 seconds. After this, return the leg and the arm to the ground slowly. This should be repeated on alternating sides while you maintain optimal alignment. As you become better at this exercise, try holding it for a longer time and also include weights.

Stork Stance

The stork exercise works on core stability and balance. You stand on your left leg with the knee slightly bent. Once in this position, draw your belly button toward your spine. While extending the other leg behind you, bend at the waist. Try keeping the leg straight by forming a parallel line from the head to the toe. While maintaining this position, lift the arms so that the upper arm is parallel to the floor. The position should be maintained throughout the exercise as you repeat the exercise for each leg.

Cobra Stance

This works on the core upper, lower back and the gluteus muscles. With your face laying on the floor, the legs straight and the core and gluteus tense, squeeze the gluteus muscles and slowly retract the shoulder blades. The arms should be at the side with the thumbs facing the ceiling. Tuck the chin towards the chest as you keep the neck and spine aligned. The head should not be allowed to extend backwards. There should be slight discomfort in your lower back while you concentrate on squeezing the gluteus muscles.

If these three exercises training exercises are performed regularly, you should see dramatic results in your softball game within just four to six weeks. Keep up the training, and you will leave the competition in the dust.

Bill has been an online article writer for nearly 6 years. In addition to his normal topics of diet, fitness and weight training, you can also check out his latest website on Brother Embroidery Machines as well as Garden Tractor Tires to see reviews and product comparisons.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Manly

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Baseball & Softball Swing - Confidence Vs Mechanics

2010-07-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

Baseball & Softball Swing - Confidence Vs Mechanics
By Guest Author Todd Thomas

I was at a high school level ball game recently. Of the two teams playing, one was filled with a group of very cocky players. They were cocky and CONFIDENT. What's interesting is that the players on this team had some of the worst baseball swings I have ever seen in my life. But they were confident as all get out.

It's an interesting phenomenon to observe that a player can have horrible mechanics but have supreme confidence(cockiness is a good word to describe here) and still be able to hit the baseball successfully. Alex Rodriquez successfully? NO! No, as I watched the game none of these players really scorched the baseball but they did swing confidently at it and put the ball in play often finding holes and blooping hits all the way to a 14 to 2 win.

These players' potential to play at higher levels is limited with bad mechanics. Ultimately, they will reach an end to their success(and subsequently their confidence) as they move to higher and higher levels of baseball. These were high school players. Obviously, they are going to have some success at the high school level. Reaching the collegiate level is probably out for most of them because of their technique, but one or two of them may reach that level. Then that's probably it. I once had a collegiate player over for some training and his mechanics were awful, but he was playing Division I baseball. Why? More than likely he was extremely confident up until this point but now was crashing and burning at the collegiate level. He also had a load of natural ability that had carried him this far too. However, he had reached his peak and I remember telling him that if he has sights on playing professionally he needed to change what he was doing mechanically. And he did have the desire to play pro ball.

However, even if a player works on and gets mechanically sound, I believe that any player(no matter what age) will struggle if they don't learn how to be confident. If they are not confident and their new mechanics aren't "working" for them, then they will blame the mechanics or the teacher or both and will keep searching for that "perfect" way to swing to insure success. When what they really need is confidence training in order to raise the game and to be successful.

So is learning the proper mechanics the "answer" to being a good hitter? I teach the mechanics of the best players in the game and I am supremely confident in what I teach. Let's say however that I took a player from the team of confident hitters with bad mechanics and we started working on fixing his mechanics. IF he is able to sustain his confidence, look out. He should excel in a big way.

What if though(and this probably goes higher the younger the player is) the player starts "thinking too much" about executing the proper swing mechanics? What if he starts over-analyzing his swing and trying to hard to make things happen with his new swing? Questions and doubt may start building within him after a bad(weak) hit or a strike out. He then starts asking himself, "Am I doing it right?" "Am I performing my mechanics correctly?" If the results are not there, then the player will assume that he is not swinging "correctly" and there begins the process of over-thinking, over-analyzing, and confidence shrinking. And I believe the downward spiral of his hitting results and confidence will continue to fall.

What's interesting as I think about the team of cocky confident hitters is that I don't think they realize that they suck. Their mechanics that is. They seem to have no idea how "bad" they are and they play as if not to care. They are just confident. On the contrary, they are pretty good because they THINK they are in spite of what they don't know.

So which is more important? Confidence or mechanics? It seems from my observations that confidence with bad mechanics can still have a degree (albeit limited) of success. YET, good mechanics with zero confidence and playing scared seems to have no chance to succeed.

Hmmm?

Todd Thomas is a Baseball Coach and Professional Hitting Instructor for Mike Epstein Hitting. Coach Todd's personal hitting website is http://www.HitItHere.net. Coach Todd also enthusiastically endorses http://PlayMyBestBaseball.com as a place where baseball and softball hitters can master the Confidence, Composure, Focus and Consistency of their game so they can reach their full potential.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Thomas

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5 Simple Hitting Drills That Will Raise Your Average Overnight!

2010-07-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

5 Simple Fastpitch Softball Hitting Drills That Will Raise Your Average Overnight!
By Guest Author Janet K Hansen

The best hitters in the game use a variety of hitting drills to improve hand-eye coordination, bat speed, and power. These drills will have you or your players hitting the ball more consistently and with more power, with the ability to place shots more effectively. The result will be higher average and better run production in just a week or two of practice.

1. Ball on a Cone or Tee: Hand-eye coordination is the key to all good hitting, in any game and at every level. Improving your ability to match what your eyes are seeing with the trajectory of your swing creates the kind of contact that produces more line drives, and with time, more power. Hitting legend Ted Williams used to practice by using a cue stick to hit bottle caps. That's not a bad idea, but these drills will serve the purpose, too.

Ball on a cone: Put a traffic cone on the floor 3 feet out from a mat. Kneel, or have your players kneel, on the mat. Put balls on the cone and have the players focus on hitting a line drive. Hit 15 to 25 balls in each session, more if time allows - the more the better. The drill emphasizes contact using just the arms and upper body, which is essential to hitting the ball consistently.

T-Ball: Kids start in t-ball for a reason - they learn to make contact, plain and simple. Since solid contact is the key to all good things in hitting, contact drills never go out of style. Pro, college, and top amateur teams continue to use hitting tees to warm up and find the hitting touch, especially after layoffs. Start hitting practice with a round of tee drills to emphasize keeping an eye on the ball, with a bonus feature being an increase in confidence. When pitch speed is added, the improvement will be noticeable. When the game starts, sharper hitting will lead to more base runners and more RBI's. VARIATIONS: place the tee on the inside, middle, and outside parts of the plate to encourage hitters to go with the pitch, so they learn to drive balls to all fields. Most hitters try to pull everything, and this will help break that habit.

2. Wiffle Ball: This drill emphasizes bat speed and a compact, powerful swing. Using either a pitching machine or a live pitcher, stand 20 feet in front of the plate and use waffle balls for safety. Set the machine to about 40 mph, or gauge your pitch speed accordingly. Batters have to get the bat around in a hurry. The drill will expose swings that are too long - the kind of swings that keep pro players in the minors. On the positive side, it encourages increased bat speed to be able to get around on the pitches, and a shorter, more compact swing that is the foundation of power.

3. Wait and Explode: Many hitters develop the bad habit of starting their swing far too early. The results are all bad. For instance, the hitter will often stride into the pitch too early and then have to hold back the upper body waiting for the ball. Timing and hand-eye coordination is thrown off, plus if contact is made, it's only the upper body involved. The powerful motion of the legs is eliminated. Misses, weak grounders, and lazy fly balls are the result. Here's how this drill works. Have the batter stand in the box and coach them not to move at all until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. Keep it up until the hitter learns to be patient, reserving their energy until they can complete the swing in one powerful motion. Hitters with good contact skills but poor power will start driving the ball much harder with this drill.

Another way to encourage a "wait and explode" approach is to use tennis balls and bounce balls up to the plate. The hitter must not move a muscle until the ball bounces, 6-8 feet in front of the plate. Patience is learned, and hand-eye coordination is also improved. A short, compact, energetic swing will result.

4. The Barrier Drill: This drill will teach good mechanics. Have the players stand one back length back from a barrier, such as a net or string, and take their cut. If they hit the barrier with the bat, they are taking too long a swing, unlocking their elbows before the shoulders are fully engaged. Point out what's happening and see if they can make the correction, which will produce a compact, powerful cut.

5. Reward or Run: There's nothing like the possibility of a little physical exercise to get players to concentrate. Using a pitching machine, or reliable batting practice pitcher, feed each batter 15 pitches. On strikes only (make swinging at a bad pitch an out, no matter if they hit it or not), count well-struck balls versus misses or weak hits. If the batter has 8 or more good cuts reward them in some way. If 8 or more bad swings happen, it's time to run! As the season continues, and the players improve, bump your better hitters up to 10 or 11 quality hits to avoid running. Tailor the drill to stretch each player to achieve their best.

Each of these drills is used by many professional, college, and top amateurs teams every year. Employ them on your team and start noticing immediate results in terms of contact and power. You'll enjoy better run production from the first time through the order!

Janet Hansen is a softball coach in NC and helps others understand how to choose the right softball bat for their needs, at her Softball Batting website, http://www.SoftballBatGuide.com. You can also learn batting tips and join in the discussion along the way!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_K_Hansen

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Top 5 Softball Batting Tee Drills

2010-07-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Softball Batting Tee Drills
By Guest Author Marc Dagenais

Here are the top 5 softball batting tee drills, in no particular order, and in my opinion. They are the ones that can really help turn you into an elite batter.

Drill 1 - Back Knee Down

Purpose: To develop upper-body strength and quickness. The drill helps the player stop lunging by eliminating lower-body movement. The drill can reduce upper cutting. It emphasizes keeping the barrel above the hands and using correct timing.

Procedure: Use a low T for this drill. The hitter kneels on a towel with the back knee at a 90-degree angle, keeping the shoulders on a level plane. The drill can also be done off a soft toss. The player sees the bat hit the ball.

Drill 2 - Bingo

Purpose: To develop a level swing and proper mechanics by offering instant feedback.

Procedure: Position two Ts at the same height with one directly behind the other. The batter drives the back ball into the front ball. The farther apart the Ts, the more difficult it is to hit the front ball because errors are magnified. The path of the hit provides quick feedback on the mechanics of the swing. If the hitter misses to the left, she has an outside-inside swing. If the hitter misses by going above, she is dropping her back shoulder. When successful, the hitter should yell "Bingo."

Drill 3 - Balance Beam

Purpose: To check balance during a swing.

Procedure: The hitter stands on a two-by-four or with both feet on the inner edge or a tire while hitting off the T. A hitter with good balance can stay on the beam throughout the swing.

Drill 4 - Look at Pitcher, Then Hit

Purpose: To practice refocusing from the pitcher to the point of contact.

Procedure: The batter at a T looks out at an imaginary pitcher and then refocuses on the T and takes a normal swing.

Drill 5 - Two Ts

Purpose: To concentrate on hitting to and through the ball on the sweet spot of the bat with a line drive contact.

Procedure: Two Ts are placed at the same height one directly in front of the other with a ball on each. The batter tries to drive the bat through the ball on the first T and into and through the ball on the second T.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that provides softball tips, softball drills, and information on techniques for hitting, pitching, coaching, and training through his blog at http://www.softballperformance.com/blog

He also 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. You can sign-up to get his FREE Softball Tips at http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-tips.html Go Sign-up Now!

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How to Hit a Softball

2010-07-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

livestrong
Utilizing proper techniques will help develop a more fluid and solid softball swing. Learn some techniques for batting in this softball video.

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Softball Hitting Instructions

2010-07-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Softball Hitting Instructions
By Guest AuthorMarc Dagenais

If you are a softball coach, you have a big responsibility at hand. You need to empower the players every now and then. You need to be a living example of what you tell them to do. Most importantly, you need to improve their learning and make them become better. In order to improve the softball playing techniques of every member of your team, you need as much power and willingness to device a prevailing plan and instructions.

Now, softball has been one of the most popular team sports in the U.S. You must have observed that in every softball game, much of the control in the runs come from the batting. That is why every softball coach should properly and constantly instruct every softball player to practice and learn the different softball hitting styles and techniques.

There is a need to know that there are different hitting drills that are fit for every softball player. With this fact, the player and the coach must evaluate the varieties of softball hitting styles so that you will both know what works for you and what will not work for you but will still work for the other members of the team. Incorporate your new learning style to your practice and approach in each bat.

Hitting the softball is one of the most difficult skills to be learned. It is also one of the most difficult to coach. Because of these reasons, there is a call for both the players and the coach to work hand in hand for the direct positive result of every undertaking. Just avoid extreme changes when incorporating new styles. Change is good but when it is applied radically, it may bring a negative result which you don't want to happen of course.

The coach and the player must be well coordinated with the kind of style they will use. If the player uses a certain stance, the coach must observe him first. The coach must not reprimand the player in an instant. Observe first the comfort the player while he is using his own style of hitting and the stance as well. The player, on the other hand, should always listen to the coach. Both of you have one major aim. And that is to produce the most number of runs. In order for this to happen, a coordinated plan should be working between the coach and the players. In this way, a smooth flow of the game plan will materialize. Eventually, all the softball hitting instructions that the coach and the players have practiced will serve as their winning edge over the other competing teams.

Marc Dagneais is Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us to access our directory of FREE softball drills!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

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