Softball Coaching Tips - Why Perform Video Analysis on Your Players

By Marc Dagenais

Take a look at the following situations. First, you know one of your players is doing something wrong with his pitching, but you can't exactly point out what the problem is. Or you'd like to find out why your batter seems to hit the sweet spot most of the time. You ask him about it, and all he can tell you is that that's the way he's been doing it since he was a kid.

It's frustrating, right? To give your players accurate feedback on their performance, you also need an accurate instrument to observe it. And what simple yet better way to do it than performing a video analysis of your players' game?

But let's get deeper into that. There are several reasons why you should do this, which I'm sharing with you in these softball coaching tips.

It helps you analyze your players' game closely

Because you can slow down videos of your players' performance, you can look at how they do things a lot more closely. Slowing down their throws or bats, helps you detect the tiny nuances of their actions. And even the minutest of adjustments can make a world of difference to your players.

You can repeat it over and over again

You can only make your players do so many rounds of pitches before they start complaining. So, instead of doing that just to analyze their game, perform a video analysis of their pitch. Now all you need is just several samples of their pitch, watch them, and rewind them. You can do hours of analysis without wearing your players down.

It's cheap

With new models of video cameras coming out several times per year, the old ones - usually just a year old - quickly gets cheaper. And since you don't really need a very high quality video for your video analysis, you can get year-old cameras to do the job. With the level of sophistication of these devices, you'll find most of your recording needs covered already. Well, that's just the basic record, rewind, and play buttons of course.

It's straightforward

Video cameras aren't just cheap, they're now simpler and easier to use. Gone are the days when huge and bulky cameras were the norm. Now you have lightweight cameras. Some even feature touch screens which make things easier for you to understand. So, even if you're a technophobe, there's no reason why you shouldn't use these cameras.

Or if you know how to hook your video camera to your computer, you can save your data there, so you can do your video analysis even when you're on the road. Fantastic, right?

So unless you're living under a rock, or aren't really serious about softball coaching, then, you should start investing on a simple video rig. Analyzing videos of your players' performance makes things a lot simpler for you. Aside from that, it eliminates the guesswork involved in relying just on your sight to do the job.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world's best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. Visit his site and sign-up to get his FREE softball hitting tips!

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

Our Sponsors:
www.SoftballrUs.com
FastpitchSoftballSupply.com

Softball Hitting Instruction by Mike Candrea - 4X6 Drill

RightView Pro is a video analysis software company that specializes in baseball and softball hitting and pitching instruction. RVP is the only video analysis software company that is licensed by Major League Baseball, National Pro Fastpitch and Olympic Softball Players.



==============
Our Sponsors
--------------

www.SoftballrUs.com
FastpitchSoftballSupply.com
BattingCagesDirect.com
BattingCagesrUs.com
AdvancedSkillsTee.com
ZipnHit-Pro.com

How to Make the Most of Your Softball Hitting Practice

By Marc Dagenais

Practicing your hitting skills should be one of your top priorities as a player. Practice makes perfect, sure. That's because practice improves your muscle memory. And if you do your drills and exercises often enough, they will become second nature to you.

When all the drills, techniques and mechanics become a part of your system, you'll be performing a lot more consistently compared to your performance if you don't practice often enough.

However, practice alone simply doesn't cut it. You must practice correctly to ensure that you achieve your practice goals much faster. Aside from that, doing your drills and exercises correctly ensures that you're not leading yourself to greater chances of injury.

So here are some of my tips that will help you make the most of your hitting practice. Follow them and you'll save yourself a lot of time and keep yourself from getting injured.

Get a Training Coach

Not many players may be able to afford hiring one, but if you're really serious about improving your game then, I strongly suggest you get a training coach.

Sure, your team's coach can guide you during practices, but he's already working hard enough. He also has your teammates to take care of which is why you may not be getting the most of your training with him.

So I suggest you get a training coach who can share with you more time to take a closer look at your game. And since his suggestions are more personalized, you'll be cutting your time shorter in learning new moves, drills, etc.

Vary Your Drills

There are some players who practice their hitting only with the ball on the tee for probably the rest of their careers. But you know that it's not enough. Hitting tee balls doesn't completely prepare you for different situations on the field since it can only help improve your swing.

That's why you should vary your hitting drills and exercises. No exercise is ever going to give you a complete training on how to become a better hitter.

As I mentioned earlier, tee ball is just a part of the equation. You should also learn how to hit the inside and outside balls, learn how to bunt, and more. The more varied your drills are, the better-rounded a hitter you'll become.

Take a Closer Look at How You Hit the Ball

This part is where a training coach can help you. Several videos of you hitting the ball will help him and yourself analyze how you approach this skill. If there's room for improvement, it would be easier to detect with a video because you could freeze it or slow it down.

Why is this important? Knowing how you hit the ball helps solve a lot of problems, from your mechanics to how you handle your bat. Basically, the analysis of your batting will help determine what types of softball drills and exercises will benefit you the most.

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










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!

Quick and Effective Softball Hitting Tips

By Marc Dagenais

Whether you're a softball coach or player, you're probably aware that it takes a lot of time and dedication to be the best that you can ever be. Even the world's top coaches and players had to start from scratch like everyone else.

But we have to admit that there are also times when we simply can't spend too much time learning something. Take for example a situation wherein your best pitcher was injured, and therefore, your secondary pitcher should step up. You could spend an entire season refining her technique. But it would also help if you have a quick remedy to the situation under your sleeve.

That's why I came up with these quick yet effective softball hitting tips. I made this for coaches and players who need something quick and easy to implement to help step up their game.

1. Train with the Overload/Underload Training Protocol. Doing this training protocol helps increase your bat swing by 2-3 mph. To do this, you need 3 bats of different weights: 1 regular bat, 1 heavy bat, and 1 light bat. As a rule of thumb, the heavy and light bat should be around 15-20% more or less of the regular bat's weight.

First, you swing the heavy bat 10 times, then, the light bat 10 times. Finally, pick up the regular bat and try to replicate the bat speed you achieved with the light bat for another 10 swings. Perform this set 3 times.

To achieve maximum results, I recommend you do this training protocol 2-3 times per week for 6-8 weeks. You will, then, notice a 2-3 increase in your bat speed after that.

2. Swing with a regular bat on the deck. Contrary to popular belief, swinging with a heavy bat on the deck actually slows down your bat speed. That's why I recommend you swing with a regular bat, or a bat that's 2-3 oz. lighter than the regular one.

The reason for this is that, what you're after is to loosen your muscles before stepping on the plate, and not to strengthen your muscles. So again, swing with a regular bat when you're on the deck, not a heavy one.

3. Approach the plate with confidence. Nothing speaks louder on your lack of confidence than the way you approach the plate. If you're slouching and dragging your bat to the plate, then, you're telling the opposing team that you're an easy prey.

Therefore, I suggest that you approach the plate with an air of confidence. Stand upright and look the pitcher in the eye. Chances are, the pitcher will be more afraid of you than you are of her.

So if you're looking for quick and easy tips to improve your game or that of your players, I'm sure these three tips I shared with you will do just that.

But don't just depend on these softball hitting tips. I recommend that you also come up with a long term solution to your situation to put your game to an ever higher gear than you're playing now.

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: Whether you're a softball coach or player, you're probably aware that it takes a lot of time and dedication to be the best that you can ever be. Even the world's top coaches and players had to start from scratch like everyone else.

But we have to admit that there are also times when we simply can't spend too much time learning something. Take for example a situation wherein your best pitcher was injured, and therefore, your secondary pitcher should step up. You could spend an entire season refining her technique. But it would also help if you have a quick remedy to the situation under your sleeve.

That's why I came up with these quick yet effective softball hitting tips. I made this for coaches and players who need something quick and easy to implement to help step up their game.

1. Train with the Overload/Underload Training Protocol. Doing this training protocol helps increase your bat swing by 2-3 mph. To do this, you need 3 bats of different weights: 1 regular bat, 1 heavy bat, and 1 light bat. As a rule of thumb, the heavy and light bat should be around 15-20% more or less of the regular bat's weight.

First, you swing the heavy bat 10 times, then, the light bat 10 times. Finally, pick up the regular bat and try to replicate the bat speed you achieved with the light bat for another 10 swings. Perform this set 3 times.

To achieve maximum results, I recommend you do this training protocol 2-3 times per week for 6-8 weeks. You will, then, notice a 2-3 increase in your bat speed after that.

2. Swing with a regular bat on the deck. Contrary to popular belief, swinging with a heavy bat on the deck actually slows down your bat speed. That's why I recommend you swing with a regular bat, or a bat that's 2-3 oz. lighter than the regular one.

The reason for this is that, what you're after is to loosen your muscles before stepping on the plate, and not to strengthen your muscles. So again, swing with a regular bat when you're on the deck, not a heavy one.

3. Approach the plate with confidence. Nothing speaks louder on your lack of confidence than the way you approach the plate. If you're slouching and dragging your bat to the plate, then, you're telling the opposing team that you're an easy prey.

Therefore, I suggest that you approach the plate with an air of confidence. Stand upright and look the pitcher in the eye. Chances are, the pitcher will be more afraid of you than you are of her.

So if you're looking for quick and easy tips to improve your game or that of your players, I'm sure these three tips I shared with you will do just that.

But don't just depend on these softball hitting tips. I recommend that you also come up with a long term solution to your situation to put your game to an ever higher gear than you're playing now.

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





Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!

Improve Your Team's Performance With These Softball Hitting Drills

www.BatAction.com

By Marc Dagenais

Your team's offense is as important as your defense. Good defense that's not complemented by points scored by your team won't amount to anything especially if your opponent outscores you.

Thus, it's important that you should also give a significant amount of your practice time to softball hitting drills. Look for drills that will help you hit the ball further and more accurately, give you quicker reflexes and enable you to anticipate what the pitcher is going to throw at you.

So here are some softball hitting drills I have for you to use during practice. Each drill has a specific purpose to it and each of them aims to improve a certain aspect of your player's game. Read on and learn more.

Tee Drill

This is probably one of the most basic hitting drills that every coach should have. A tee drill helps your players practice the proper hitting mechanics while at the same time let them practice hitting the balls in different areas on the plate.

Partners should do this drill: a hitter and a feeder. The feeder places the ball on the tee and at the same time moves the tee to different areas on the home plate and adjusts the height to practice hitting low and high as well as inside, middle and outside pitches.

Finger Flash

While a majority of hitting drills focus on the proper mechanics, developing batting strength and speed, you should also train your players to read and find the pitcher's release point. This will help increase your batter's reaction time so she can immediately adjust accordingly the way she hits the ball.

To perform this drill, there must be a hitter and a pitcher. But instead of throwing a ball to the batter, the pitcher would flash 1,2, or 3 fingers. The batter would then call out the number the pitcher flashed.

Two-Pitch Game

More than just a training for your batters, this drill would also help your team practice particular game situations.

The two-pitch game does what its name says. Batters are only allowed two opportunities to hit the ball. When the batter hits the first pitch, she would move on to the 1st base. Otherwise, she would have to hit again. A 2nd missed hit is an out.

Pivot Rotation

You must also teach your players to hit the ball correctly by performing the proper hitting mechanics. To do this, isolating a particular area of the body involved would make it easier for you to teach the correct way of hitting the ball. In the case of doing the proper hip rotation, there's the Pivot Rotation drill.

In this drill, let your player put the bat behind her back and lock it with her arms. Let her then take her normal stance. After that, let the player pop her hips, quickly rotating her trunk while pivoting on her back foot. After doing this, the player must remain balanced and shouldn't move either feet.

There you have it, drills to help your players improve their batting by developing their reflexes, hitting mechanics and accuracy. If you want more softball drills similar to these, make sure you check out my website at http://www.Softballperformance.com.

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

Softball Hitting Techniques to Improve Your Game

www.HurricaneMachine.com

By Marc Dagenais

Do you want to produce more runs for your team? Do you want to have the ability to keep the ball out of your opponent's reach every time you hit the ball?

Then you must work on your softball hitting techniques. Each player have his own unique way of approaching how to hit the ball, but there are some techniques that will help you improve your batting much better.

Want to know what these hitting techniques are? Then read on and find out more about them.

Grip

Let's begin with the grip. You might not be aware of it, but the way how you grip the bat can have a significant impact on where and how far the ball will go.

There are many players who tend to choke the bat thinking it would provide them with more control and power when they hit the ball. But that isn't the case, unfortunately. When you grip the bat too tightly, you will reduce the power of your batting, unless of course that's what you're aiming for.

But if you want to bring the ball further out of the field, your grip must be loose. You must hold the bat with your fingers and not with your palms. Also make your wrists a little more flexible to further loosen your grip on the bat.

Swing

The way you swing the bat will also affect how far out you can take the ball when you hit it. Although it may seem that swinging is largely dependent on your arms and shoulders, the foundation of a good swing begins with your legs and hips. So keep in mind how you bend your knees and rotate your hips when hitting the ball.

Of course, your shoulders do play an important role in your swing as well. When trying to hit the ball, your shoulders must remain relaxed. This will help you keep your eyes on the approaching ball better and you will have more control of your swing.

Follow Through

A lot players cut their swing short just after they've hit the ball. But you must always follow through whenever you hit the ball, as it can help you get the ball further compared to stopping your swing abruptly.

To get a good follow through with your swing, you should let your arms extend and your wrists roll over, with your hands ending near your front shoulder and your chin on the back shoulder.

If you're not practicing your follow through just yet, I strongly recommend that you do so. Because as much as it seems insignificant on how you hit the ball, the truth is that you can drive the ball further with a good follow through.

So let me sum up for you the softball hitting techniques I discussed in this article. If you want to be able to hit the ball further and harder, you should keep in mind to keep your grip on the bat loose, your swing should begin with your legs and hips, and finally, you must always follow your bat through.

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

Your Simplified Guide to Softball Rules

By Marc

If you're a player who's just getting into softball or a spectator who wants to gain more appreciation for the game, then knowing the rules in playing softball would definitely help.

It could be a headache to try to understand all the rules of softball at the same time. Every year, there are minor changes being made to the game and it could be difficult for everyone to keep track of that. Some leagues also modify the rules depending on their requirements, which could make their rules even more different.

That's why I'm providing you here with some of the most basic softball rules to help you get started. These are the rules that you will see applied to most, if not all of the games so you'll be able to pick these rules out almost immediately the next time you watch a game.

Here they are.

The Players and Teams

Let's begin with the number of players. Each team must have 9 players each to play the game.

The defensive side is composed of the pitcher, catcher, 3 basemen, 1 shortstop and 3 outfielders. The pitcher is the one that throws the pitch at the catcher who's positioned behind the batter's plate. Basemen are assigned to each of the bases, while the shortstop is positioned in the middle of the 2nd and 3rd bases. Finally, the outfielders are positioned in the outfield.

The offensive side is the one that hits the ball. There is a certain batting order for each team that will be followed throughout the game.

Deciding which side a team plays first is done by a toss coin at the beginning of the game.

Game Length

There are 7 innings in a game. An inning is where both teams take turns in playing offense and defense. Some rules may limit the game further into a certain time period, while others may be limited by the number of runs a team is leading.

Scoring in Softball

There are two ways a team can score in softball. One is when a batter hits a homerun - that's when the ball is hit and goes outside the field - or when a base runner safely runs to the home plate.

Foul, Ball, Strike, Out

A foul ball is called when the ball is hit to either of the foul areas found on the right side of the 1st base and the left of the 3nd base.

When a pitch doesn't enter the strike zone, it is called a ball. Four balls would be equal to a walk, where the hitter walks to the first base. If a base runner is on the first base during a walk, she proceeds to the 2nd base.

Meanwhile, a pitch is called a strike when it comes within the strike zone. Three strikes would result in an out.

A base runner is considered out when she is tagged with the ball before reaching the base. A batter is also considered out when the defensive team catches the ball she hit before it reaches the ground.

The offensive team is only allowed three outs. After that, the teams change sides.

This is by no means a comprehensive guide of rules used in softball as some leagues incorporate some rules of their own or modify the rules depending on their own requirements.

What I have shared with you are some of the most basic softball rules that will aid you in understanding the game better. With that knowledge, I hope you'll be able to appreciate the game even further.

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