Softball Drills - Fun and Challenging Hitting Drills

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.

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How Do You Handle Softball Hitting?

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How Do You Handle Softball Hitting?
By Marc Dagenais



Softball is a game of life for some. It is what keeps others fueled up. It is a game wherein everybody is making their way to reach the top. It is really a great achievement if you put yourself into the limelight of the softball world.

Since softball is a wonderful diversion of life, it is very much important that you take time informing yourself about the latest and the newest learnings that you could use to survive the crucial sport event. There are a lot of ways now on how you could possibly get hold of the best softball hitting activities and drills. You just have to keep your mind's eye open for the possibilities that you could gain in your every search.

First you have your softball coach to train you. Aside from it is his major responsibility to help you in your training, it is still a must to consult him from time to time on what you should do to better your performance in softball hitting. You could approach him and ask some questions on the proper gripping of the softball bat, proper stance, stride and so on. These important skills should be known by you so that you will have that dream success in your every game performance.

Next, after the strenuous trainings that you and your coach have done and performed, you can still maximize your softball hitting training by researching more softball hitting techniques from the internet. For sure, there are several softball sites that are especially designed for softball players who want to learn more about their desired softball skill. Since you are a softball hitter, then you are most probably to be searching about the latest techniques about softball hitting. There are various coaches, as well as professional softball players who have already shared their ideas and experiences to the different sites in the internet so it pays a lot if you keep your patience on searching for them.

Afterwards, you have to put to heart to everything that you have known and learned. By keeping soulfully whatever skill that you have caught from different people and from various sources, you can definitely move on to the self-training. Yes, you also have to have your own softball hitting training. You don't just have to wait for the training that is called for by your coach. You have to take the initiative to train yourself by using all of the training techniques that you have learned. It is when you start having initiative that you can make the big difference.

Softball players really have a big responsibility. They have to keep themselves fit and vigorous at all times. Discipline is another factor when it comes to learning the different information about softball. If you want to learn, you should listen. Do not act as if you know everything. Remember, there are a lot of losers in this world because they don't know how to listen. Discipline and listening are interrelated. You have to bear in your mind and heart these two virtues because they will serve as your secret weapons to battle every challenge that will cross your softball hitting performance.

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!

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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