Drills and Activities to Improve Softball Pitching

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By Marc Dagenais

Softball pitching is one of the offensive armaments in the softball. Most coaches and trainers pay much concentration in the pitching capability of the players because they believe that this added an artillery and fire power to the game. Poor pitching techniques oftentimes results to a bad performance of the team. Worse, it might lead to losing the game. That is why there is a more complexity in the field of softball pitching drills and activities. Softball players should be equipped with the dos and don'ts of the softball pitching process.

Read on and perfect these valuable drills and activities which will help you get an edge over hitter and batting lineup you face:

The pitching all happens with the release. When this is happening just: · Stay Tall · Pull your shoulders back · Have a firm front side · No bending at the waist

For lower body pitching mechanics: · Make a powerful push from the pitching rubber · Build up a strong, fast and long stride · Make a push-back against the stride leg as the pitching arm comes down through the release point

To maximize your pitching speed, you must: · Make sure that your upper body is upright when at the release · You push back against your stride leg · Your shoulders should most of the time way closed · Your hips should be halfway or less closed at the release

The power, the speed and the landing of the stride determines how effectively the pitcher can push back against the stride in order to throw the ball with a maximum speed.

The fastest pitch depends on the lower portion of a pitcher's body. Remember to always improve the speed and control of the leaping styles. The leaping style must have a fast and strong push-off from the pitching rubber in order to drive the stride leg out fast and far.

Always look at the power and the quickness of the stride to allow for a blocking or a hard push against the stride leg at the end of the pitch sequence. Ideally, your pitching strides must be precise and sure so that a powerful pitching technique will be achieved.

Softball pitching requires technique, speed and proper pitching location. The edge to softball pitching lies upon the perfection of the most comfortable techniques you already have or at least bend your softball life on learning more of the existing pitching techniques.

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

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Softball Tips on Five Common Nutrition Mistakes and How to Fix Them

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By Marc Dagenais

If you are serious softball player, then, you may have undergone a rigorous training for the past several weeks, working on tapering and perfecting your performance for the coming tournament. You may know that aside from improving your performance, you need to carefully watch what you eat and drink. And so, you may be eating a lot of foods rich in carbohydrates, consuming a lot of water and loading up on vegetables like broccoli and beans. But is this the right thing to do?

What you eat before the game seriously affects how you perform on the field. But what you may be doing is so extreme that you are not really helping your body to achieve proper nutrition. You may be skipping a meal, consuming too much food and drink or munching on foods that may not agree with your stomach. So, in order to avoid some common nutrition mistakes, here are some softball nutrition tips that you can follow and can help you get ready for your game.

First Mistake: Consuming a Boxful of Pasta

Most softball players think that they need to load up on carbohydrates to achieve optimum energy that they would be able to expend during the game on the next day. But the problem with carbo loading is that your body may not be able to burn all of the carbohydrates that you consumed, which can lead to digestive problems and even cause you to rush to the toilet often during the game.

How to Fix This:

Eat in moderation and do this days before your game. For instance, for breakfast, you can eat oatmeal. For lunch, you can have potatoes. And finally, for dinner, you can eat pasta. Be sure to consume food that is enough to satisfy your hunger so, you do not have to experience indigestion our sleeping problems.

Second Mistake: Consuming Gallons of Water

Hydration is very important but if you are going to drink more water than your body needs, you would have a bloated feeling as well as harm your electrolyte levels. This can lead to muscle cramps and even worse, hyponatremia, a fatal disease caused by exceptionally low sodium levels.

How to Fix This:

Several days before your game, you can drink a variety of fluids that you would normally consume to achieve proper hydration. You can drink water, juice or sports drink. And during the morning on the day of your game or approximately three hours before, you can consume about sixteen ounces of water or other fluids so, your body would have the time for processing the fluids.

Third Mistake: Consuming Too Much Fiber

It is good to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and other sources of fiber but the problem with eating too much fiber is that if you are not used to eating these, you may experience uncomfortable gas and coupled with pre-race jitters, you would feel stomach pain.

How to Fix This:

Avoid from eating too much fiber a few days before your game, especially when your body is not used to digesting a lot of fiber. You can opt for cereal but be sure to eat small amounts only. You can also eat small amounts of fruits of vegetables.

Fourth Mistake: Missing Breakfast

You may get nervous and jittery on the day of your game that can cause you to lose your appetite. But even so, it is very important for you not to miss breakfast because dong so would mean that your body would not have the energy that you need to perform well and last through all the innings of your softball game.

How to Fix This:

If you have no appetite on the day of your game, be sure to get up from bed a few extra hours so, you can have a slow breakfast. If your stomach has a hard time digesting solid food, then, opt for fruit smoothies that can give you the energy that you need without making you feel overly full.

Fifth Mistake: Attempting to Consume a New Dish

Remember not to eat any new dish that you may not have tried before the game, especially because if the food affects your body abnormally, this may lead to diarrhea or other digestion problems.

How to Fix This:

Be sure to eat what you are familiar with several days before your game. You can eat cereal or any food that you are used to in small amounts.
As mentioned before, it is very important for you to achieve proper nutrition in order to help you stay at the top of your game. So, be sure to avoid the five common nutrition mistakes given above and at the same time, follow the softball nutrition tips that can steer you away from committing these mistakes.

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

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Excellent Drills For Softball Pitching

By Marc Dagenais

It is known to every pitcher that a good hitter won't able to beat a good pitcher. Softball pitching is one of the most difficult positions in a softball game. It is a skill that needs your intense thinking to what would be the best strategy to use while keeping yourself in concentration inside the diamond. It is a must that if you desire to be good pitcher, you should know what are the drills to use in order to improve your pitching skills.




Excellent softball pitching is not innate in us, it is being developed! Why have your drills? First, it is to identify the key parts of motion so that you can concentrate on it. This will also speed up your learning. Second, drill makes you repeat your movement per time. With this kind of training, you would be able to master the pitching mechanics. It is a must that you should get the correct form so as to perfect it.

Here are some of those drills that you can use in perfecting that excellent pitch.

1. Static pitching - you will throw the ball so a catcher should stand by. You should be facing the catcher about 8 to 10 meters (24 to 30 feet) in distance. Throw the ball in windmill motion while the feet remains steady or stay in place. Rotate your body in full motion. You may start at easy pace. Just add more speed gradually as you become comfortable with your motion. This drill promotes upper body rotation increase your pitching power.

2. Dry Pitching - you may begin with the typical pitching position, long step forward, and stride foot in front of pivot foot. At a rate of 1minute per second. Pitch your arm in continuous full circles. You should aim your rounding circles with your target, with your arms close to head at top. Arm must meet your hips at point of release on each repetition. This drill is designed develop a perfect circle and to promote arm-hip coordination.

3. Pendulum drill - begin with a long step forward, with your foot in a stride position in front of your pivot foot. Your pitching hand should be at the top of the down-swing, or half back of the circle. Put your pitching arm down to the release point and hold it tight against body for a second. The weight should be at your back foot. Finish the movement by forcing the body and hips forward by pushing hard with your pivot foot. As your movement becomes natural, allow your arm to swing right through without pausing. Just ensure that the arm continues to brush your hip each time you do it. This drill will improve your throwing skills with your whole body working, not just with your arms.

These are just some of those many softball pitching drills that you can use in order to improve your pitching skills. By continue doing those drill and research some more will guarantee you a best form in doing your softball pitching.

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


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!