Hitting a home run is the best experience in men's softball. You round the bases with your body full of pride, and your team meets you at home plate with a round of high-fives. You have realized the physical outcome of the balance between strength and technique. If you have not hit a home run, or want to increase the number of home runs you hit, you must build strength and improve your mechanics.
Before Your Game
Step 1
Improve your strength before ever stepping foot in the batter's box. To hit a home run, you must improve upper body, core and lower body strength. A strong swing requires strong hips, glutes, hamstrings, abdominals, triceps and forearm muscles. Perform lunges, squats, crunches, triceps dips, biceps curls and wood chop exercises three times per week to build your strength. Never work out on the day of a game.
Step 2
Eat a well-balanced diet to support your muscles gains. After you workout, your body needs vitamins, nutrients and protein to supplement muscle building. Eat fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and legumes regularly. Always eat a healthy meal about an hour before your game for optimum energy.
Step 3
Warm up before your at-bat. Perform five to 10 practice swings to prime your muscles for the optimal home run swing. Use a weighted bat or hold two bats to swing during your warmup. Adding additional weight will make your bat seem lighter, which will help you swing faster.
Your Swing
Step 1
Stand in the batter's box with your feet shoulder-width apart. Shift about 75 percent of your weight onto your back leg to prevent lunging at the pitch. Hold the bat comfortably over your back shoulder. The bat should not touch your back shoulder.
Step 2
Focus all of your attention on the pitcher and ignore the anxiety you may be feeling. Remain as relaxed as possible. As soon as the softball leaves the pitcher's hand, decide whether you will swing at the ball. Avoid hesitating. If you don't have any strikes against you, you can be picky. If you are down in the count, you must swing at a pitch that may be a borderline strike.
Step 3
Step forward with your front foot, but keep most of your weight on your back leg. Keep your eyes on the ball at all times. Swing hard, but do not focus your swing on trying to hit a home run. Swing with a slightly upward motion to put backspin on the ball to help it carry. After you make contact, follow through with your swing and keep both hands on the bat. Do not look for the ball. Run toward first base, and your coach will let you know if you hit a home run.
Tips and Warnings
- Trying to get a good base hit will result in more home runs. The harder you try to hit a home run, the worse mechanics generally are. Do not get frustrated if you have difficulty hitting a home run. The ability often comes with practice.
- Always wear a helmet when batting to avoid a head injury.
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