How to Practice Softball Batting and Pitching by Yourself

If you want pursue a career in softball then you obviously need proper training under the supervision of a coach and a dietician.

But sometimes you are unable to get any of these trainings because you are too young or the trainer is too busy or you live in an area where softball isn’t quite popular and you cannot find a trainer.

If you are left on your own to prepare for and polish your softball batting and pitching skills, then don’t worry, we are here to help you out.

Given below are few techniques/drills that will help you in performing your best on game day!

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Practice your pitching skills by yourself

In order to practice your pitching skills you need to start off by looking at yourself while you pitch. This way you will be able to know whether or not your hand position or your arm path is correct.

Do this by start practicing in front of a mirror and analyze your throw. Use a sock or any other piece of clothing so that you don’t break the mirror.

It is recommended to keep your shoulder as well as the rest of your body still while pitching so that you can put all your energy in your arm movement.

Once you perfect your arm position you can then throw the ball at a blanket. You don’t always need a ground for this purpose.

You can just hang a blanket or use a wall. Mark the strike zone with a marker or a tape and start pitching. Pitch as many times as you wish, keeping a close eye at your aim.

In order to make sure that your delivery is similar every time you throw the ball, you need to concentrate on three things; keep your delivery simple, generate enough momentum and focus on concentrate on your leg drive.

You can also try a variety of pitchers. For instance if you wish to throw a fastball and you wish to perfect this skill, then place your hand on the C-shape made from seams on your softball. Keep in mind that your fingers need to be on top of the seams. For a fastball release, you want to keep your arm close to your body.

If your aim is to increase your accuracy then a good of practicing softball pitching by you is through making a cardboard batter or a dummy and make a straight line. Try to be as focused in your aim as you can be.

Practice Softball Batting by Yourself

When it comes to practicing softball batting by yourself you should focus on polishing a few skills including your stance, your stride and your overall swing.

If there is no one to assist you or help you in practicing softball hitting then here are a few things that you can do on your own.

The best way of practicing alone is by using a hitting tee. Many people consider that a hitting tee is for kids only. But in reality a hitting tee is useful for everyone.

A hitting tee helps in keeping your hand-eye coordination in place and your swing as crisp and clean as possible. It also assists in instilling consistency in your motion.

There are a great variety of hitting tees out there that you can choose from. Look at the height, weight and durability of a tee before selecting one.

Another great way of practicing softball batting alone is by using a pitching machine.

Such a machine throws pitches ball at you at a given speed. You can adjust its speed according to what you are looking for.

In order to polish your swing you should clear up enough space in order to perform different swinging drills.

For instance, you can perform fence drill on your own. A fence drill is for compact and short swing which assists in hitting an inside pitch.

You should stand 1 bat length away from a fence and practice swinging your bat without striking the fence.
While practicing alone you should perform a shadow and a chair drill both of which help in polishing your stride.

For the shadow drill, you should start off with a balanced stance and place a softball on the shadow that you cast while standing in this position. Take your stride and make sure each time your head falls on the shadow, not above or below it.

For the chair drill, you can again stand in a balanced stance this time putting a chair right next to your back foot. Make sure after taking your stride, your back leg touches the chair.

In order to increase your concentration, you should practice hitting using different objects including a golf ball etc.
If you wish to increase your bat speed then try to practice 25 hard cuts 3 times a day. This you can do on your own without anybody’s assistance.

Other Tips

It’s very important to have a pitching routine. So make a schedule and follow it religiously!
Your diet and over all physical health plays an important role in how you are able to perform in the game. Whether it’s pitching or hitting, your physical strength matters a lot.

Before practicing these skills for yourself, you need to make a diet plan for yourself. Visit a dietician and plan your diet accordingly.

It is also very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Look at your favorite softball players, they have a healthy daily routine which they follow and stick to every single day!

These drills will assist you in making yourself a better softball player!