With the Summer Olympics currently underway in London, it’s hard not to think about how this should be, perhaps, the event that young softball players and softball fans of all ages look forward to the most. But for the first time since its inclusion in Atlanta in 1996, softball, as you probably know, isn’t part of the Olympic program.
Read MoreIn this video, I explain and demonstrate proper technique for throwing medicine balls to improve pitching performance. Simply twisting and throwing heavy medicine balls is not enough to improve pitching-specific capacity. These exercises should reinforce proper pitching mechanics, and improve pitching-specific mechanics that many young pitchers struggle to command.
Read MoreThis week I want to hear directly from you guys! If your goal is to play college softball, getting there can be a fun but overwhelming journey. Fastpitch Power wants to connect you readers to college coaches and players to get YOUR questions answered.
Read MoreI’ve heard a number of parents who are trying to teach their kids windmill pitching ask when is the appropriate age for a kid to learn movement pitches. Similarly, parents of my own students have often asked me when we will move on to something new, and the students are likewise eager to tackle this challenge. Since Coach Phil’s last two videos (which can be viewed here and here) gave an overview of how to utilize the throw zone during movement pitches, I thought today would be a good time to introduce this topic.
Read MoreFastpitch Power recently spent time with Cassie Reilly-Boccia, the all-star first baseman for the College World Series Champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide. If you follow college softball at all, you know that Alabama had an incredible year. Their College World Series win was the first ever national championship for the Alabama program and for an SEC (South Eastern Conference) school. ‘Bama ended the season with a 60-8 record and took top honors in all national polls including USA Today/NFCA and ESPN/USA Softball Collegiate. Cassie helped power ‘Bama to the top with a .331 batting average, 48 RBIs and 9 home runs. She hails from Yorktown Heights, NY and upon returning home from her last softball activity with Alabama (instructing at their softball camps) she spent time with us discussing how it all began, how she got to Alabama, how it feels to win the College World Series and what she’s learned from it all.
Read MoreIf you’re a female athlete, parent, or coach, this post should scare you. Females inherit a number of physical deficits that predispose them to sports-related injuries. These deficits manifest during puberty, which is also a time when sports responsibilities tend to increase. Here is a review of what adolescent females must overcome if they want to reach their athletic potential, while avoiding major or chronic injuries.
Read MoreThe technical aspects of the skills involved in fastpitch softball have been studied and developed for a very long time. Yet with all we know now about biomechanics and the development of athletes, I still don’t think there is a great enough emphasis on strength and conditioning, more importantly the RIGHT kind of strength and conditioning, among pre-college softball players. I hear a lot of questions along the lines of, “What can my daughter do to strengthen her throwing arm?” My short answer to that is NOTHING, specifically. A lot of people fall into the trap of trying to strengthen the individual parts of their bodies that they believe are most integral to whatever they’re trying to do. Really though, whenever you focus your workouts on only one or two areas of concern, particularly when those areas may already be overdeveloped from the natural imbalances that occur from playing a sport, you’re asking for trouble. To achieve your maximum potential as a softball player or as an athlete of any sport, it is absolutely critical to strengthen your entire body, including the parts that you may think you don’t really need to use. And to train effectively, it is ESSENTIAL to be evaluated by a strength and conditioning professional.
Read MoreForearm fire is the terminology that we at Fastpitch Power use to describe the proper release of the ball in windmill pitching. Some of you may have heard part of it referred to as “internal rotation,” describing the positioning and movement of the pitching arm, elbow, and wrist as they travel down the back side of the arm circle and move through the throw zone. It’s a natural and powerful movement, and we believe it is critical to pitching with maximum velocity and command while minimizing the chance of injury. Because forearm fire utilizes the arm’s natural articulation together with gravity, many pitchers just do it without thinking about it. For those who don’t, it can be frustrating to learn. Today’s video provides a breakdown, and an explanation of its advantages over upward elbow snap, sometimes referred to as “hello elbow.”
Read MoreCardio, as you know it, is a complete waste of time. Here are the four most popular forms of “cardio” and my reasons as to why a softball player has no business doing them.
Read MoreToday we have another wonderful guest post from former East Coast #1 NCAA pitching recruit Jill Schonberg. Jill is going to share some important wisdom from her years of being a high level pitcher and give you some tips for how to pitch in high pressure situations. Enjoy!
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