FASTBALL
- Keep your arm as long, loose, and fast as possible.
- Get a big push/pivot with the drag foot and a long/quick stride. Use your stride foot as leverage. Plant it firmly transfering your weight and use your glove hand to pull yourself through the pitch quickly.
- Keep your hand behind the ball at the bottom of the armswing, snap and follow through with your elbow pointing to the catcher's glove.
- Hit your locations by moving your feet. Visualize stepping into the catcher's glove wherever she puts it, inside or outside. The height of the pitch is also determined by the feet. For a higher fastball, take a longer stride. Take a shorter stride for a pitch below the knees.
- Get a good lean into the pitch at the beginning to start your momentum, then explode up and out, staying tall throughout the rest of the pitch.
Here's a great example of the initial lean forward you should get at the beginning of each pitch. It's important to put your body in this "runner's" position for optimal leg power. Notice how she's not bending at the waist. Bending instead of leaning can cause back problems when done repetitively.
Change Up
Change Up