When watching a fast-pitch softball game, you will normally find the pitcher to be one of the most dominant performers on the field. Depending on skill level, it typically takes many years for a softball pitcher to learn the fundamentals and develop her skills. It takes devotion to the sport and large amounts of athleticism. By regularly performing pitching drills, you can constantly improve and stay on top of your game.
Wrist Snap Exercise
If you are looking to improve the velocity of your pitches from the rubber, the wrist snap exercise is essential to add to your workouts. By building strength in the wrists, you will be able to throw the ball harder. To perform the drill, stand approximately 15 feet from your catcher. While holding the ball level with your thighs, send the ball to your catcher by doing nothing more than snapping your wrist forward. Once you become comfortable with the motion, attempt to snap the ball with greater velocity. Perform wrist snaps for 30 pitches, take a short break, and repeat the drill.
Wall Arm Drill
The wall arm drill teaches pitchers to point the glove arm straight toward the catcher during the delivery of the pitch. To perform the drill, face a wall and stand about an arm's length away. Hold out your glove hand so that is slightly touches the wall. Next, begin doing arm circles with the ball in your hand to realistically simulate the proper body placement and arm action during a pitch. Ensure that your glove hand remains pointed toward where the catcher would be. Perform the drill for either 90 revolutions or two minutes before taking a break. This exercise may also be useful for warming up before a game to refresh the fundamentals, especially in the case of a new pitcher.
Long Toss
Playing long toss is an effective way for a pitcher to build both speed and arm strength, while not focusing on any specific pitching technique. To begin, get together with another pitcher, stand about 50 feet from one another and begin playing catch. For every 10 balls that are thrown, gradually put more space between yourself and your partner until you are 100 feet from each other. At this point, spend about 20 minutes playing catch while concentrating on stepping into your throw. This exercise should be performed on days when you are not scheduled to pitch as it can quickly fatigue your arm.
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