Conditioning Exercises for Your Softball Player

Sport specific conditioning or game speed practicing are not new concepts, but often overlooked is the unique fitness training needs of fastpitch softball position players. Softball athletes execute short explosive movements with varying rest intervals. Softball pitchers and catchers operate at a different frequency than infielders and outfielders. This rest interval difference needs to be taken into consideration by their strength and conditioning program. Many athletes now have specifically tailored fitness programs. Taking this into consideration, here are three examples of a tailored fitness program.

The Power Hitters:
The power hitter’s greatest asset is their ability to generate bat speed through the strike zone. Power hitter’s can hit for high average and/or home runs. Defensively, power players will typically play the catcher or corner infielder positions. For this group, the strength program emphasizes the lower and upper body and core

Is a softball really harder to hit than a baseball? Jason faces off against All-American Pitcher Ashley Jones of the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Learning the Basics of Softball Pitching

Softball pitching is one of toughest job any player could face. It is a skill that requires you to be critical in thinking while keeping yourself in track inside the diamond. Remember, a good hitter won’t able to beat a good pitcher. That is why learning the ropes of proper pitching the ball needs proper training.  

Pitching in slow-pitch softball requires a different pitching style in a fast-pitch softball. It is a must that one should differentiate which type of softball you are going to join so that you would know which among the two below will best suit your needs.

A   fast-pitch softball requires your athleticism, stamina, dedication and calculated thinking. Even if you fail among those characteristics, just follow the simple tips and it will bring you success. This is for the fast-pitch softball player:

If you are right-handed person, hold the ball by using all your fingers, except for the thumb, on a straight seam while

www.mavenvideo.com This short video shows you the Power Line Drill. It is featured on, The Pitching Drills DVD.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Your Simplified Guide to Softball Rules

If you’re a player who’s just getting into softball or a spectator who wants to gain more appreciation for the game, then knowing the rules in playing softball would definitely help.

It could be a headache to try to understand all the rules of softball all at the same time. Every year, there are minor changes being made to the game and it could be difficult for everyone to keep track of that. Some leagues also modify the rules depending on their requirements, which could make their rules even more different.

That’s why I’m providing you here with some of the most basic softball rules to help you get started. These are the rules that you will see applied to most, if not all of the games so you’ll be able to pick these rules out almost immediately the next time you watch a game.

Here they are.

The Players and Teams

Let’s begin with the number of players. Each team must have 9 players each to play the

Part 5 of 6 – Responsibilities and Backup positions – USA Softball Olympic Team Assistant Couch John Rittman, and Leah O’Brien Demonstrate and teach the OutfieldFundamentals that makes team USA one of the best Fast pitch Softball Teams in the World. New instructional DVDs can be purchased at www.softballoutlet.com. Proceeds benefit ASA/USA Softball, a non-profit organization, and members of the USA Olympic Team appearing in each DVD.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Softball Coaching Tips ? Top 3 Tips in Coaching Younger Players

You may not be coaching an elite team, but coaching younger players can be a very rewarding experience. Imagine yourself being a role model to kids and the huge part you will be playing in the way they will eventually look at life in general, not only on softball.

But you should know that coaching young players can be quite a challenge in itself. Kids think and see the world differently than older ones so, you should always remember that.

I hope that the softball coaching tips that I’ll be sharing with you here will make it a lot easier and more rewarding for you to coach young players.

1. Always Keep the Fun in the Game

You could be very competitive when it comes to softball, but to children, softball is still just a game. And as a game, you want them to enjoy every second of it. That’s why you should always put in the element of fun in their game.

Of course there will be days when they’ll fall into a slump

Fastpitch Softball Glove Review Ace70 By Akadema

AKADEMA ACE70 FASTPITCH DESIGN SERIES SOFTBALL GLOVE

“Created to satisfy the needs of the competitive Fastpitch player, the Akadema Fastpitch Design Series is hand-crafted to increase the level of play on the field. Constructed of US Steerhide throughout the pocket and webbing, the back of the glove features exclusive AkademLyte leather, decreasing the overall weight of the glove and allowing for a faster break-in period and a more manageable feel. Smaller finger stalls used to decrease the distance between the thumb and index finger and Akadema Grasp Clasp Wrist System allow for increased playability. Endorsed by USA Softball stars Crystl Bustos and Monica Abbott.”

Ok, so that is the company’s blurb about this Fastpitch Glove. That’s a lot of sales copy, adequately describing this line of fast pitch softball gloves. Sales copy is good, but does it tell the real story?

They sound pretty proud of this line of ladies Fastpitch Softball

How To Break-In A Softball Glove The Right Way

There are many suggestions about how to break in a new Fastpitch Softball Glove. Some of them are pretty good and others are really bad. It’s a wonder some gloves make it to the field at all with the suggestions we have seen or heard of.  The main thing you want to remember is to follow the manufacturers suggestions for breaking in their gloves.

Your new glove is made of leather, a natural product. The manufacturing process of tanning the hide into leather usually involves adding some kind of oil or chemical into the hide to cure it and soften it. This is usually all that is required for a new glove. There are some Fastpitch gloves that are really stiff when brand new that may require a little more glove conditioner during the break in period. The terms oil and conditioner generally mean the same thing. They aren’t so much an oil as they are a conditioner so most manufacturers call them conditioners now. The term oil is just a holdout from the old days.  Some

Slow Pitch Softball Gloves ? Why Do You Need Them

Slow pitch softball is a very popular recreational sport. This game is not only easy to learn and play, but also requires little equipment. It was invented in the late 19th century in Chicago. Originally, slow pitch softball served as a method to keep the baseball players in practice during the winter. For a long time, it was known as indoor baseball. This game uses 12 inch or 16 inch balls. Though players need to wear gloves while playing with a 12 inch ball, there are no such requirements for 16 inch balls. These gloves are more or less similar to the mitts that are used in the fast pitch softball as well as in baseball

However, the slow pitch softball gloves are bigger than the normal baseball gloves. You need to wear these mitts in the opposite hand which you favor. This is done to keep the hand which you favor free with the intention that you can use that to toss a ball infield. These kinds of spots accessories are usually very stiff, when first bought.

Softball Fielding Tips ? So You Want To Become A Softball Fielder?

When I ask softball players what position they like to play, it’s either they want to become famous batters or pitchers. While these two arguably have the most important roles on either side of the game, you can never discount the roles played by the others.

Let’s take for example the softball fielder. Although many people overlook their importance, teams need them to have a tight-knit defensive team. After all, somebody has to cover the outfield, right?

So, if you’re the type who isn’t really after the fame of being a famous batter or a pitcher with blinding-speed throws, becoming a softball fielder would be a good choice for you. That’s why I have the following softball fielding tips to get you started.

1. Refine how you catch and throw the ball. When playing defense, your ability to catch the ball and throw it would be your bread and butter. If you’re able to track and catch the ball accurately, you can turn it

Softball Hitting Tips ? How To Become A Dominant Softball Hitter

Anybody with the proper training can hit the ball decently. But in order to succeed at the elite level in softball, you need more than just the skills to turn yourself into a dominant hitter. Practically everyone at that level of the game knows the basics that you know as well.

So, how do you set yourself apart? I’ll show them to you with the softball hitting tips that I have for you below.

1. Carry yourself with an air of confidence. Your opponents will eat you alive when they see that you lack the confidence to go head-to-head against them. It’s a lot like sharks sniffing blood in a vast pool of ocean – your opponents will sniff out any hint of fear that’s coming from you.

Prove them wrong by carrying yourself with an air of confidence. How do you do this? There are a number of ways: keep your head up, carry your bat instead of dragging it, and look the pitcher in the eye.

Of course, these things are easier

Softball Tips ? How To Stay Healthy During Recession

As a softball player, it is very important for you stay physically and mentally tough so, that you would be able to help your team win the game.  And, of course, one of the primary ways for you to remain in tip top shape is to eat healthy foods.  Unfortunately, with the economy slump, the prices of products and services that you would normally avail of are ever increasing and it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay on your budget when you go out to buy food.

But worry no more.  Here are some softball nutrition tips that I am sharing with you that would help you to remain healthy without hurting your budget.

Work Out a Meal Plan

When you are in a grocery store or supermarket, it is highly likely that you would be tempted to grab whatever food fancies you.  This is especially true when you buy groceries when you are hungry.  In order to cut down on grocery expenses, carefully list down what you plan to cook and eat