	Article Directory		Article Submission Service		Article Marketing Blog		Publishers		Member Log In

Article Directory :: Sports & Recreation Articles

Five Great Softball Hitting Drills

By Marc Dagenais

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 10Apr2009
Word count: 539
Viewed: 585 time(s)

Get Free Content For Your Site

There are plenty of softball hitting drills that exist and can be found easily which will help a player increase her skills with the bat. At the same time, there are certain drills which work better than others because they require a player to put more effort in or they target some of the more important key areas which can help the athlete become a better hitter.

Here are some of those better softball batting drills for players to use:

Drill 1 - Command T Drill

Purpose: To practice using the same stride while adjusting to different contact spots.

Procedure: Set one T at the contact spot for an inside pitch (front inside corner) and another T will be set up for an outside pitch (back outside corner). As the hitter plants the front foot, her partner says "In" or "Out." The batter hits the ball that was called for by the partner.

Drill 2 - Underload Swings

Purpose: To have the batter develop quick hands and quick-twitch fibers by having her train at a faster speed.

Procedure: Hit Wiffle balls off a soft toss using an underload bat. At the time that the runners improve speed by running down hills, hitters should use the underload theory to increase swing speed by using a lighter bat or a hitting stick that lets them make faster swings. A hitting stick can be made from a broomstick. Foam pipe insulation is taped on the upper half to make the barrel. The hitting stick should be used to hit only the Wiffle balls. Using a shorter bat and making the lever shorter also improves quickness.

Drill 3 - Opposite-Field Hitting

Purpose: To make the hitter learn the wait for the ball and hit the outside pitch to the opposite field.

Procedure: Set up an L-shaped screen on the right side of the pitching mound as seen by the right-handed hitter, and on the left side if the hitter is left-handed. Players break up into two groups: left-handed and right-handed hitters. Throw batting practice from either the left or right side of the pitching mound. Shaggers take all positions on the field. The hitter looks for a pitch away and hits the ball back in the direction it came from.

Drill 4 - Game-Like Batting Practice

Purpose: To focus on the proper techniques and execution.

Procedure: The feeder at the pitching machine gives an offensive signal to the batter, and the hitter has to execute the play like it were a game situation The feeder uses all the plays, like the hit-and-run, bunts, and squeezes. This drill can be done in a batting cage or on a field with or without fielders. Base runners are used when fielders are present.

Drill 5 - Tracking and Recognition, or Take the Pitch

Purpose: To develop great tracking skills and to recognize strikes.

Procedure: A pitcher is on the mound with a catcher behind the plate. The pitcher throws pitches and the hitter stands in the batter's box. The batter takes her normal stride and tracks the ball as well as recognizing spin on the ball, such as drop, rise, or change-up spin. The batter does not swing at the pitch but calls out the type of pitch that was thrown.

Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball speak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, and be more dominant on the field. Visit our FREE Softball Drills Directory at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here