5 Aspects of a Great Softball Swing
Hitting is one of the most important aspects of softball. If your team cannot hit the ball to get around the bases effectively, almost all of the other parts of softball lose their relevance. It’s not only important to be good at hitting as a team but as an individual. A coach appreciates a player who is reliable at the plate and will almost always find a way to get them into the line-up. Hitting is a softball players job security. We are going to explore some aspects that should be taken into consideration when improving the technique of a swing.
Grip
Breaking it right down to basics an important start to your swing is the way you pick up the bat. The bottom hand is considered the control hand to lead the bat, with the top hand following for support. When gripping the bat, it’s important to rest the handle with equal pressure on your fingers and not your palms. The even pressure on the fingertips allows a broader range of motion in your wrists instead of restricting yourself. For a shorter, more direct swing with less power, it’s suggested to choke up and move your hands closer to the barrel of the bat. On the apparent contrary, sliding down to the knob of the bat will give you a lengthened, more powerful swing.
Control
Having control when swinging is an important aspect of hitting. Control of your swing and pitch choice, yes, but also your entire body. If a swing is not controlled, such as your front shoulder pulling out, everything else follows in a negative way. It then becomes difficult to keep your head in, and eye level balanced when trying to track the ball from the pitcher’s hand. Your back shoulder will then drop down creating an indirect path to the ball. Once that back shoulder drops, naturally your hands will also drop forming the loop you see in some softball players swings.
Balance
A swing starts with the legs and hips and follows with hands and shoulders. If a hitter is unbalanced, it is likely will have trouble making their swing smooth and powerful. Keeping hips parallel to the ground while rotating starts movement in your body and helps transfer your weight while your hands follow. It’s also important to not be bending too far forward or backward at the waist and remained with feet comfortably apart.
Contact
The point of contact is critical especially when progressing in the level of play in softball. Making contact in a specific spot of your hitting zone can help you place the ball in different spots on the field. If you bunt, slap, or like to get base hits, placement of the ball upon contact can help get you more balls into play exactly where you need to for a situation. Part of being a versatile hitter is important to playing smart softball and keep the other team on their toes and always wondering what you’re going to do next. You become much more dangerous at the plate if you can hit the ball where it is pitched to you and hit it hard. This is where you look to see a “V” at the point of contact and have full extension of both arms.
Follow-Through
No swing ever stops after the point of contact. A great hitter pushes through the ball with the bat and swings all the way through the zone until the hands finish near the shoulder. After contact, the wrists will be rolled, and your chin will finish on your back shoulder. As for the bottom half, your front leg will become straight and firm in the follow-through and you should be able to see your back shoulder, hip and knee aligned.
