How to Hit a Softball
The key to hitting a softball is to focus on the proper stance, including how you hold the bat.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Softball Cleats
- Softball Bats - Bottle And Semibottle
- Softball Batting Gloves
- Softball Fielding Gloves
- Softball Batting Helmets
- Plastic Softballs
- Breakaway Bases
- Softball Donuts
- Softball Equipment Bags
- Softball Glove Conditioner Cream
- Softballs
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1
Start with a comfortable stance. Balance your weight on the balls of your feet. Keep your knees slightly flexed, with a slight bend at the waist.
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2
Hold the bat with your front elbow down and relaxed, and your back elbow at a 45-degree angle, pointed at the ground.
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3
Grasp the bat at a 45- to 90-degree angle with the middle knuckles of one hand aligned with the middle knuckles of the other hand.
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4
Keep your hands at the top of the strike zone, and near your back armpit. Make sure the bat is between the catcher and your back shoulder.
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5
Keep your head straight, with your eyes focused on the pitcher at the release point of the ball (the side of the pitcher's leg, for example).
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6
Shift the weight onto your back foot as the pitcher goes into the windup.
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7
Take a stride forward with the front foot on the release of the pitch, being careful not to bring any weight forward on the stride. This is called a soft step.
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8
Start to pivot the back foot so that your back heel is facing the catcher, and transfer your weight forward to the middle of your body.
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9
Launch your hands last, with the knob of the bat going toward the pitcher's feet.
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10
Be careful not to drop the barrel of the bat below your hands at the start of the swing.
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11
Hit the ball and drive it, following through with your hands swinging to the opposite shoulder.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Develop your batting ability with drills. Have a partner stand behind a protective screen and toss balls to you underhand.
Do the partner side toss. A partner kneels alongside you and tosses the ball up for you to hit. Alternatively, try self-tossing the ball.
Softball is a physically demanding sport that could result in serious injury. We recommend that you seek the proper equipment and training before undertaking this activity.
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Comments
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softballgirl10
Jul 10, 2009
if you are swinging to late get in the back of the box. if you are tyoo early get in front. -
Vette
Oct 02, 2008
Great post! When I first learned how to hit a slow-pitch softball, I was swinging too soon. A friend of mine told me to pull my cap down some on my head, then, keeping my head level, wait until the ball was in sight over the plate, then swing. This helped tremendously with my timing.
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Vette
Oct 02, 2008
Great post! When I first learned how to hit a slow-pitch softball, I was swinging too soon. A friend of mine told me to pull my cap down some on my head, then, keeping my head level, wait until the ball was in sight over the plate, then swing. This helped tremendously with my timing.
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Treads04
Mar 11, 2008
At some point when you swing your bat, your elbow will drop. I see a lot of batters drop their elbow before they swing the bat. Even though their elbow is up when they are in the stance. As soon as they start to swing they drop the elbow and then swing.
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Treads04
Mar 11, 2008
At some point when you swing your bat, your elbow will drop. I see a lot of batters drop their elbow before they swing the bat. Even though their elbow is up when they are in the stance. As soon as they start to swing they drop the elbow and then swing.
