Fastpitch softball pitching drills are designed to improve your pitching form as well as your overall ball velocity. While many fastpitch softball pitching drills emphasize mechanics and technique, others focus on fielding mechanics and glove positioning. Softball pitching drills range from strike zone drills to long toss warmup drills.
Paper Plate Drill
This fastpitch softball drill is designed to improve your throwing accuracy and speed. Grab several paper plates and tape them to the backstop. According to Softball Spot, the plates should be placed 6 feet above the ground. From here, step back 15 feet. Throw several pitches at this distance, trying to hit a particular paper plate each time you throw. From here, back up an additional 15 feet. Attempt to hit the paper plates from this farther distance.
Wall Drill
The wall drill is designed to ensure that your glove is pointing directly at the target throughout your motion. Start by standing with your glove hand side right next to a wall. From this position, practice arm circles with your throwing hand without a softball. The wall will keep your glove hand from moving outwards and allow you to keep your glove hand locked in and toward the target. According to the University of South Dakota, you can start to incorporate a softball into the drill once you have gotten the basic motion down.
Push Off Drill
This drill is designed to increase the velocity of your pitch by improving the speed and strength behind your push off. Stand at the pitcher's mound in your normal set position. On your coach's whistle, start by shifting your weight from your back leg to your push off leg. According to Pitch Softball, a harder push on the rubber allows for your body to improve the torque of your trunk in your wind up. Practice shifting your weight from leg to leg while on the mound without throwing the ball to home plate. Once you get the proper mechanics down, add in the rest of your wind up.
Weighted Ball Drill
This weighted ball drill is designed to improve your pitch velocity as well as your overall arm strength. Stand on the mound in your regular pitching stance with a weighted softball. According to Pitch Softball, a weighted ball should be between 8 and 9 oz. in weight. From here, throw 15 to 20 pitches to your catcher, trying to keep your velocity at a consistent speed throughout the drill. Once you finish, throw a few pitches with a regular ball to see an increase in your velocity.
Member Comments