5 Things You Need to Know About Pitching a Softball

1. Loosen Up for Power

Pitching a softball requires loose arm and leg muscles. You need strong leg muscles so that you have enough stamina to pitch deep into a game and to help generate power up through your body and into your arm. Build strength in your arms and legs at the same time by pumping your arms while running or jogging. Arm circles are great for loosening the muscles in both your arms and shoulders before you start pitching. Stretching with circles can help you to avoid arm injuries and pulled muscles.

2. Rub the Rubber

Once you take your stance on the mound and prepare to deliver a pitch, keep your foot on the rubber until you release the ball to the catcher. Use the rubber to stabilize your footing and push forward with your dominant foot as you release the ball. The rubber is a big help in fast-pitch softball since you'll get more velocity on your pitches as you push your body forward.

3. Pitching Fast in Fast-Pitch

Fast-pitch softball requires you to throw underhand while delivery a pitch with great velocity. It takes a lot of practice to master this technique, especially if you're accustomed to throwing overhand. Develop quick wrist movement to acquire the speed you need in fast-pitch softball. The strike zone in fast-pitch softball is basically the same as in baseball: from your knees to your waist. Good fast-pitch softball pitchers have control and utilize different spots in the strike zone, depending on the type of hitter they're facing. For example, most left-handed hitters prefer the ball low in the zone, so a good pitcher will pitch that batter high. If a hitter shows a preference for pitches low and away, you should have control good enough to spot your pitches high and on the inner edge of the zone.

4. Slow-Pitch Difference

Slow-pitch softball pitching is entirely different from fast-pitch. Slow-pitch requires the ball to arch to a certain height as it moves toward home plate. Most slow-pitch umpires require the softball to fall behind the black rubber of home plate, no further back than 12 inches.Your foot must remain on the pitching rubber before you release the softball in both types of pitching.

5. Pitch With Variety

Use a variety of pitches in both fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball. The top fast-pitch softball pitchers throw a softball as fast or faster than many hardball pitchers. They also may throw sliders and sinkers. Slow-pitch softball pitchers can confuse hitters with different arches on the softball and slightly different speeds. They also throw knuckleballs, which takes all the spin off the ball and makes it "flutter" (like a butterfly) as it enters the strike zone. The abrupt, erratic movement of the pitch makes it difficult to hit.