Competitive fast pitchers don’t just have a strong arm

As anyone young or old begins their journey as a competitive fastpitch softball pitcher, there are many things about the sport itself to consider. Good mechanics, mental aspects and fitness are the most important areas. I will discuss each one in detail in order to paint a better picture of what success should look like.

First, every pitcher needs to learn good mechanics which should start with the basic fundamentals. This is where the drills come in. Drills take each part of the launch process and break it down to simplify the entire process. It should start with simple wrist snaps. Wrist snaps are simply flipping the ball over with your throwing hand while doing your best to regain spin on the softball. After the wrist snaps, move to the “K” position. In the “K” position, you will simply stand with your body in a “K” shape. The toes will be perpendicular to home plate with the body slightly angled toward the catcher. Your throwing arm should be outstretched pointing skyward and your gloved hand pointing toward your catcher. Once in position, throw the ball down as fast as you can by snapping your wrist (as in the wrist snap drill above) just as it passes your back leg and release the ball. Once you start to get comfortable with this, move on to the walkthroughs. The tutorials are simple. It’s basically the final throwing move with a little extra step at the beginning. Do a couple of these to relax and remember to incorporate the first two exercises. Your mechanics are sure to improve in no time with practice and patience, which brings me to my next point.

The game of softball is incredibly mental. It takes a lot of things to be good at throwing a softball, but a steady mind is crucial. Having patience can be incredibly difficult, but going through tough times as you learn will help you in the end. Mental toughness can be earned simply through practice. Practice with a catcher until you feel comfortable on the mound. After that, move on to live batting practice with the boys or girls on your team. Having a live batsman helps to get a sense of what a real game situation would feel like. Then, of course, when you feel comfortable enough (and your coach feels comfortable enough with you) you will move on to a real game situation. Nothing builds confidence like a few good games against decent teams. Naturally, you’ll also find bad games, but remember that this is also what builds the poise you need to succeed. Those bad games will teach you all the things you shouldn’t do, and the good ones will teach you all the things you should do. Being able to step onto that mound with confidence and a slight touch of arrogance will produce results, I guarantee it.

Finally, I’ll talk about having the stamina you need to strike out people. Pitchers have to work harder than anyone else on the field, so having the strength to play a complete game is very important. Cardio workouts are a must. Most pitchers should run at least a mile every day and then run again each time they pitch. Other cardio exercises I would suggest are things like stairs, sprints, jumping jacks, etc. Next, you will need to train with weights. While still emphasizing cardio, you can train with weights and build strength, which will not only make you last longer, but also help improve the speed of your throw. I think weights are important in all sports, but different sports weight train differently. In softball you will still emphasize endurance, but at the same time you will build muscle mass. Do light weight and high reps. This simply means, for example, instead of doing four sets of twenty pounds, do eight sets of ten pounds. This gives you a wider variety of exercises all in one, and builds long, lean muscles. Now, to focus on the areas of the body, we need to incorporate everything. Some theorize that the legs are the most important, some say the arms, some even say the wrists. Personally, I think that everything is as important as the other. Your core is often left out, but along with your legs, arms, wrists, buttocks, and neck are important components. You’re using your entire body to throw, so it’s vital to success.

Now, you have the three main areas to focus on in order to become a successful fastpitch softball pitcher. Good mechanics, mental aspects and physical fitness will lead you to a lucrative career if you put in the necessary hard work and dedication. It’s not easy being a pitcher, but being the hero of a team is worth everything you put into it.