Softball Weight Training
By Guest Author: Lynn VanDyke
Softball is a popular sport these days. Corporations, adult leagues and inner-city competitions are fueling the demand for skilled and competitive players. While softball may be experiencing a surge of interest, the basic techniques to improve your game and gain a competitive edge have remained the same.
Many do not realize that basic softball movements such as batting and throwing are not a directly related to arm strength. The movement begins in the legs. The power is then transferred into the hips, the torso, the upper back, the chest, the shoulders and then the arms.
A proper softball strength training routine will include an exercise for each muscle group. During the off-season, athletes will be able to strength train 2-3 times per week. Training should be reduced to 1-2 times per week during the season. Each exercise should be performed 8-12 times for 1-3 sets.
Quickness, speed, agility, balance, explosiveness, and power will be enhanced as the strength training program progresses. Below is a list of sample exercises for the commonly used muscles in softball. There are many other exercises you could perform, but this will provide a starting point.
Quadriceps- Squats, One-Legged Squats, Jump SquatsHams & Glutes- Lunges, Explosive Lunges, Bridge on BallHip Adductors/Abductors- Lying Side Leg Raises, Ball SqueezeObliques- Oblique Crunch on BallRectus Abdominis- Ball Crunch, 180 Ball CrunchErector Spinae- Plank PoseDeltoids- Shoulder Press, Military PressPectoralis Major- Chest Fly, Chest Press, Push upsLatissimus Dorsi- Bent Over Row, Reverse FlyTriceps- Overhead Extensions, Skull crushersBiceps- Bicep Curl, Hammer CurlA powerful softball strength training program will produce powerful players. Use a full ROM (range of motion) for each exercise. Generally free weights provide a better ROM than machines, but use which ever feels best to you. The ultimate goal is to create a solid program that will deliver a well-rounded athlete.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn VanDyke is the proud owner of http://strength-training-woman.com . Her expertise in strength training and fitness is quickly becoming recognized by industry leaders. You may grab your free strength training log by visiting her site.
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Free Articles for Softball Coaches
Free Softball Drills
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
Softball drills are what ultimately trains a team to win. It's very important that the various drills are adequate in teaching skills for different parts of the game. As the coach, it's your job to decide which drills will give the team the best practice. Here are some free softball drills that you can use.
Drills for Girls Softball
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
If you're searching for the best infield drills for girls softball, then look no further. This article details two excellent combination drills that aim to improve your infielders' throwing accuracy and pivot skills in both regular play and double play situations.
Teaching Softball Drills To Win
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
Teaching softball drills can be extremely challenging for new softball coaches. Here are a few strategies you can use when teaching softball drills to your team.
Softball Coaching Drills
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
This softball coaching drill is explained as a defensive exercise but the skills that are being used will help to improve the players all-around. The Bubble Drill will help to ensure that your team is a step ahead of the other team. The Bubble Drill teaches the skills that a team needs to make it all the way.
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
Softball drills are what ultimately trains a team to win. It's very important that the various drills are adequate in teaching skills for different parts of the game. As the coach, it's your job to decide which drills will give the team the best practice. Here are some free softball drills that you can use.
Drills for Girls Softball
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
If you're searching for the best infield drills for girls softball, then look no further. This article details two excellent combination drills that aim to improve your infielders' throwing accuracy and pivot skills in both regular play and double play situations.
Teaching Softball Drills To Win
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
Teaching softball drills can be extremely challenging for new softball coaches. Here are a few strategies you can use when teaching softball drills to your team.
Softball Coaching Drills
By Guest Author: Becky Wittenburg
This softball coaching drill is explained as a defensive exercise but the skills that are being used will help to improve the players all-around. The Bubble Drill will help to ensure that your team is a step ahead of the other team. The Bubble Drill teaches the skills that a team needs to make it all the way.
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Youth Softball - Things You Should Know
Youth Softball - Things You Should Know
By Guest Author: Blaine F Johnston
People who love softball often take their family to play this sport, including their children. This activity can enhance their skills, especially if the parents want the children to be professional players. However, there are several things that parents should know before starting to do efforts to make the children like softball superstars.
For you who do not have any idea about this sport, you can try to understand that softball is sport game played by nine players in a team. The game needs two teams that alternate between offense and defense. The team who makes more runs than the opponent team will be the winner. In addition, it can be played for both girls and boys, so it eliminates your worries that your kids will be rejected.
This game requires several skills that include strength, teamwork and craftsmanship, eye-hand coordination, and also some position-specific skills like running, pitching, and fielding. That is why the minimum age to play this game is 4 or 5 for tee ball and 7 or 8 for player-pitch teams. A kid needs to be patient and attentive enough to deal with the slower pace of baseball. In addition, the kid should be team-oriented, as the game requires team coordination to win.
If you put your kids to a softball course, you will find that they spend a lot of time lingering in the outfield. Physical activities are not done too often, but the play will become more athletic and aggressive depending on their growth. You should provide the suitable equipment that fit their body well. You can go to stores and ask the shopkeepers or even go there with your kids to know which ones that fit them perfectly. Things you must buy are uniform, gloves, cleats, batting gloves, and batting helmets. The price may vary, but the equipment for beginning players is mostly cheap.
Then, you need to consider the potential injuries that possibly happen during the game. That is why you should know the tricks to prevent injuries, such as using softer balls to reduce injury factors. This kind of ball is often used by younger places as it is well known for the ability to reduce the risk and severity of head injuries. Then, you can also reduce the risk of ankle sprains and other injuries by giving your kids breakaway bases, or also called safety-release bases.
There are several conditions you may find after certain periods of play. If your kids throw too many pitches, they can experience an overuse injury. In a response to this, you can make sure that the kids get plenty of rest for their arms. The coach may even ask you to do this. Further, you can get some tips to prevent the injuries by contacting the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
You can buy a baseball softball pitching machine to enhance your kids' skill of hitting. However, there are also other types of softball pitching machines available on markets that you can choose base on the kids' needs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blaine_F_Johnston
By Guest Author: Blaine F Johnston
People who love softball often take their family to play this sport, including their children. This activity can enhance their skills, especially if the parents want the children to be professional players. However, there are several things that parents should know before starting to do efforts to make the children like softball superstars.
For you who do not have any idea about this sport, you can try to understand that softball is sport game played by nine players in a team. The game needs two teams that alternate between offense and defense. The team who makes more runs than the opponent team will be the winner. In addition, it can be played for both girls and boys, so it eliminates your worries that your kids will be rejected.
This game requires several skills that include strength, teamwork and craftsmanship, eye-hand coordination, and also some position-specific skills like running, pitching, and fielding. That is why the minimum age to play this game is 4 or 5 for tee ball and 7 or 8 for player-pitch teams. A kid needs to be patient and attentive enough to deal with the slower pace of baseball. In addition, the kid should be team-oriented, as the game requires team coordination to win.
If you put your kids to a softball course, you will find that they spend a lot of time lingering in the outfield. Physical activities are not done too often, but the play will become more athletic and aggressive depending on their growth. You should provide the suitable equipment that fit their body well. You can go to stores and ask the shopkeepers or even go there with your kids to know which ones that fit them perfectly. Things you must buy are uniform, gloves, cleats, batting gloves, and batting helmets. The price may vary, but the equipment for beginning players is mostly cheap.
Then, you need to consider the potential injuries that possibly happen during the game. That is why you should know the tricks to prevent injuries, such as using softer balls to reduce injury factors. This kind of ball is often used by younger places as it is well known for the ability to reduce the risk and severity of head injuries. Then, you can also reduce the risk of ankle sprains and other injuries by giving your kids breakaway bases, or also called safety-release bases.
There are several conditions you may find after certain periods of play. If your kids throw too many pitches, they can experience an overuse injury. In a response to this, you can make sure that the kids get plenty of rest for their arms. The coach may even ask you to do this. Further, you can get some tips to prevent the injuries by contacting the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
You can buy a baseball softball pitching machine to enhance your kids' skill of hitting. However, there are also other types of softball pitching machines available on markets that you can choose base on the kids' needs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blaine_F_Johnston
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Softball Drills - Easy Steps to Create Top Softball Pitchers
By Geoff James
Movement, Tempo and Control are all important parts of throwing a great pitch. Here are a few drills to help you perfect all aspects of your throw:
Drills to be done inside:
Practice control by using a rubber ball and your mitt. Stand facing a wall in your stride position. Using only your wrist, flick the ball at the wall. The ball should come straight back to you if you are using proper form and control. Once you have mastered control at that level, repeat but from 8 ft away. When throwing from such a distance use your windmill.
Field Drills:
Ball Juggling can be done with two pitchers or a pitcher and a catcher. Give the girl on the mound two balls and the player at home one. The pitcher throws the ball to home, and after the release but before catching it the catcher returns a pitch with her ball. The goal is to keep balls constantly rotating so the players can throw as many pitches in one minute as possible.
Making sure that pitchers have proper form is important especially in their early stages of learning. Have pitchers stand just a few feet from the pitching coach and slowly go through the windmill motions, trying to pull their arm far behind them and touch the sky before releasing. Focus on weight distribution and proper rotation through the windmill but especially at the point of release. Once the pitchers have proper form in close range, move them back 25 feet. Go through the cycle again, then have them pitch full speed from the mound.
Get the girls who try their hardest in practice and during games softball medals as a thank you for all their work each season.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Geoff_James
Movement, Tempo and Control are all important parts of throwing a great pitch. Here are a few drills to help you perfect all aspects of your throw:
Drills to be done inside:
Practice control by using a rubber ball and your mitt. Stand facing a wall in your stride position. Using only your wrist, flick the ball at the wall. The ball should come straight back to you if you are using proper form and control. Once you have mastered control at that level, repeat but from 8 ft away. When throwing from such a distance use your windmill.
Field Drills:
Ball Juggling can be done with two pitchers or a pitcher and a catcher. Give the girl on the mound two balls and the player at home one. The pitcher throws the ball to home, and after the release but before catching it the catcher returns a pitch with her ball. The goal is to keep balls constantly rotating so the players can throw as many pitches in one minute as possible.
Making sure that pitchers have proper form is important especially in their early stages of learning. Have pitchers stand just a few feet from the pitching coach and slowly go through the windmill motions, trying to pull their arm far behind them and touch the sky before releasing. Focus on weight distribution and proper rotation through the windmill but especially at the point of release. Once the pitchers have proper form in close range, move them back 25 feet. Go through the cycle again, then have them pitch full speed from the mound.
Get the girls who try their hardest in practice and during games softball medals as a thank you for all their work each season.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Geoff_James
Monday, June 14, 2010
Coaching Fast Pitch Softball
Throwing and Pitching Trainers at SoftballrUs.com
Fast Pitch Softball Coaching Tips
By Judy Halaby
Coaching fast pitch softball is an art form. Let's face it, a large part of coaching is drills. And drills are BORING! But the key to being a successful coach is to make drills more engaging.
First, drills alone are not a practice. You must intersperse drills with fast pitch softball games so that your players stay engaged.
Second, drills are not boring. You can try to make them more fun. For example, make them competitive. A successful drill is one in which there is a healthy competitive component added.
Third, explain the purpose of the drills to the players. If they understand what skills they are building with each drill they will be more engaged and may even participate more enthusiastically.
Fourth, and most important, an effective fast pitch softball drill builds confidence. While doing the drill the player should be complimented on what they are doing right. Keep the feedback simple, just a "awesome" will suffice and keep a player engaged.
Your practice
The first job of coaching is getting the players to practice on time. The best incentive to get players to practice on time is to give them a sequential number when they get there and that is their number in the batting line up...which is every player's favorite part of practice.
Second, warm ups. Keep warm ups fun and engaging... stretching is a necessary evil, but a game of tag or relay race is a good way to get players warmed up and keep them engaged as well.
Third come drills, as mentioned above, keep drills as fun as possible. They are a necessary evil to every player's game. Make each drill a game and keep the drills to two or three per practice. Any more than that and your players will get bored and tired.
Finally, end the practice with a scrimmage. This is the player's favorite part of practice and keeps them most engaged in fast pitch softball.
Judy Halaby is a softball fanatic and wants to see it in the 2012 Olympics!
http://www.fastpitchsoftballbats.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Halaby
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