Hitting Tips
First off, there are so many variables in hitting, we
could pretty much write a complete book just on the art and science of
Fast Pitch Softball Hitting.
You have all of these factors and more to consider.
1. What type of Bat to use?
2. What size is right?
3. Do Batting Gloves help?
4. What is the proper stance?
5. What is the best grip to use?
6. What is the proper swing tecnique?
7. Where do I stand in the Batter's Box?
8. What can I do to make me a better hitter and be more
consistant?
9. There are so many people teaching hitting and none
of them are exactly alike, who should I listen to?
Bat Selection
There are countless Bats being sold today, all claiming
to have developed the advantage for the Batter.
We have seen all varieties being used and have seen some
really good hits being produced by players using them all.
We will not get into product evaluation here on this
site, we will leave the Brand Name up to your Personal Preference.
We will however explain some basic mechanics, to help
you decide which bat is best for you.
1. Bats are measured in inches and weighed in ounces.
In Fast Pitch softball power is generated through Bat
Speed.
The bigger and stronger the player, the longer and heavier
the bat can be. The smaller the player the shorter the bat should be.
This is also based on personal preference and the bat
should feel comfortable when you swing.
Keep in mind that you do not want a bat to be too long
or too short for you.
Check out several lengths and weights to see which is
the best for you.
You will notice on the bats a number such as -11 or -9,
this is commonly known as the Bat Drop, it is really the bat length to
weight ratio.
The bigger the number, the lighter the bat will feel
on the end of the barrel as you swing.
2. Single Wall or Double Wall
The lighter single walled bats are generally designed
for Maximum Performance, as the thin single wall is designed to cave in
upon impact with the ball and rebound sharply, throwing the ball forward
with more power.
One down side of this is, the metal becomes fatigued
more quickly and the bat has a shorter life expectency than the thicker
walled bats.
Several companies have doubled the walls, or lined them
with other materials in order to lengthen the life of the bat.
As said before, we will leave the science and technology
of the bats to the experts and the companies who market them.
As you talk to other players you will find girls that
swear by one bat or another.
All we will say is this-----
We had a player whose father saw her struggling at the
plate, so he went out and bought her a very expensive bat in order to help
her hit the ball harder.
She started using the bat and there was no noticeable
improvement in her hits.
The father was talking to us and asking if he should
take the bat back, because it did not seem to be working like he thought
it should.
Before we could answer, the girl responded,
"Dad, it is not the Bat, it is the Hitter"
Remember------No Bat on the Market
will overcome weak hitting mechanics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You first have to have the proper mechanics first, then
the Bat will Help you.
Mental
Hitting Preparation On
Deck Preparation Proper
Swing Mechanics
Practice
Drills
