The Don’ts

1. As you bring your arms up for the pitching motion, your pitching arm will make a 360 degree circle while your balance arm will go up about 90 degrees and come back down. Do not let your balance arm swing off to the side; it will diminish the power of the hip snap.

2. Do not lean over as you bring your arms up. If you do, your natural 360 degree arm circle will begin out front and cause you to let go late.

3. Do not land side ways on your stride leg. If you do you are likely to develop knee, hip, or ankle problems.

4. Do not release the ball out in front of the body (except on the change-up). The ball should be released behind the shoulders.

Here are some tips for fastpitch pitchers to improve or adjust your Drop, Rise, and Curve and change up.

Pitching a Fastpitch Drop

• Try taking a shorter stride to raise your release point.

• Keep your pitching arm close to your body to avoid injury

• Lean a bit forward when releasing so that your head and shoulders are over you front foot. Land on the ball of your foot.

• To drop your ball more decrease your speed to 90 percent of your maximum speed.

Pitching a Fastpitch Rise

• To increase the rise in your fastpitch pitch try spreading your fingers more and squeezing the ball out of your fingers as you release. Doing this will give your pitch more spin.

• A sideways spin will flatten out this pitch.

• Don’t try to force the ball to rise; it is the spin that should control this.

• To make the ball rise in a fastpitch pitch instead of curving try one of these solutions while pitching;

• Look to see that your elbow is not distancing itself from your body when you release.

• Look at your right shoulder to see if it is too high when you release.

• Your wrist snap may be sidewaysPlay with different grips or finger pressures and try to relax them.

• If the ball is rising to high while pitching your fastpitch rise try one of the following solutions;

• Shorten your stride.

• Monitor where you are releasing the ball and make sure you are not holding on to the ball too long.

• Relax your grip, focusing on the thumb pressure.

• Lower your shoulders to get under the ball instead of bending at the back and getting behind the ball.

Pitching a Fastpitch Curve

• Pay attention that you don’t lean to much to the side your glove is on. Otherwise you may lose control and throw a drop ball instead. Allow your wrist and shoulders to create a spin. Also remember that while pitching a curve ball in fastpitch your palm should be facing the sky when you release.

• When pitching a curve ball in softball keep in mind that it is not about the speed of the pitch, it is about the spin that you put on it. If your ball is hanging in the air you may be trying to pitch to fast. Also make sure that you are dragging your back foot and not stepping as that would cause your shoulder to bring your shoulder forward.

•  Has your ball been rising instead of curving? Adjust your pitching arm so its not folding against your side when you release. Let your elbow move away from your body. Also raise your pitching shoulder.

• Visualization tools may help as well. Before you start your pitch visualize a line or series of dots from your mound to the outside corner of the plate.