Girls Softball Drills | Speed Ladder Power Bounds
When a girls softball player fields a softball and prepares to throw the softball to the desired location there are certain things the player will, and will not, do with their body. Girls softball players will not square their chest up with their target, but will instead turn their shoulders and rotate with their hips, thigh, and torso to create enough force to accelerate the softball to the desired location. Girls softball drills, like the Speed Ladder Power Bounds, are great for improving this rotational movement and will help girls softball participants increase throwing speed and accuracy, along with their ability to hit the softball for better contact and increased power.
Resisted Lateral Girls Softball Drills
To perform the Kbands Speed Ladder Power Bounds girls softball players will need a set of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and a Speed and Agility Ladder. Girls softball players need to use the correct amount of resistance with the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and decrease, or increase the amount of tension used for the drill as the athlete advances through their girls softball drills. To learn more about the different levels of resistance that can be used with the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands during girls softball drills athletes can go to the Shop Section or Live Chat Section.
After the girls softball players have selected the correct amount of resistance and attached the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands securely above their knees they will lay the Speed and Agility Ladder out on the ground, line up at one end of the Speed and Agility Ladder, and begin the Girls Softball Speed Ladder Power Bounds. Athletes will begin the girls softball drill by positioning themselves slightly to the side of the Speed and Agility Ladder, tap both feet inside of the Speed and Agility Ladder Square, then push off with the last foot to go through the Speed and Agility Ladder so the girls softball player lands on their outside foot. After athletes have landed on their outside foot they will perform the same pushing motion they used with their last step inside of the Speed and Agility Ladder to push their body back toward the Speed and Agility Ladder as they repeat the same motion all the way down the Speed and Agility Ladder.
One trip down the Speed and Agility Ladder counts as one repetition. Girls softball players will perform 8-10 resisted repetitions of the Speed Ladder Power Bounds. After 8-10 resisted repetitions have been performed girls softball players will remove the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and perform 2-4 unresisted repetitions of the girls softball drill before moving into more girls softball hitting drills and girls softball fielding drills. Allow 30-40 seconds of rest between sets of the softball drills.
Make Girls Softball Drills More Effective
To make the Girls Softball Speed Ladder Power Bands an effective softball drill great form and execution must be used to stimulate, stress, and train targeted muscles in the body. It is important to use softball drills that target specific movements and muscles like the hips flexors, glutes, abdominals, and calves since training these muscles will make for a stronger, faster, and more agile girls softball player.
The Kbands Speed Ladder Power Bands are an effective training tool for targeting muscles that control rotational power and explosiveness. First, the Speed Ladder Power Bands trains coordination and explosiveness as athletes tap both feet in each square of the Speed and Agility Ladder before exploding off their inside foot and landing on their outside foot. Second, the push with the inside foot trains the girls softball player to be more explosive during their rotational movement. Third, landing on the outside leg trains another important aspect of softball, balance. Balance is particularly important during any rotational movement due to the athlete moving in a transverse motion, moving their arms across the midpoint of their body. Girls softball players who lack balance will struggle to control their bat swings through the strike zone and will reduce throwing accuracy and power. Performing softball hitting drills that focus on balance in the batters box can be very beneficial for increasing hitting average and power.
As girls softball players move through the Speed and Agility Ladder they need to keep their shoulders, hips, and toes all pointed in the same direction as the flow of the ladder. This will create more tension on the glutes, hip flexors, and stabilizers as the girls softball player lands, and uses a great arm swing to propel their body back to the Speed and Agility Ladder. Girls softball players also need to use a great alternating arm swing while stepping through the Speed and Agility Ladder.
The final notes on form will relate to the use of the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands during the girls softball drill. During all girls softball drills athletes need to control the tension in the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and always work to maintain good body position. Knees should remain in line with the hips and ankles, not be pulled toward the center of the body, and the tempo of the drill should stay at a high level.
Perform A Variety Of Softball Hitting Drills And Other Girls Softball Drills
To be a successful girls softball player, athletes need to practice a wide variety of girls softball drills to enhance and improve on a wide variety of softball skills. Training can also be broken down by the skills that need the greatest improvement. Girls softball teams who struggle at making contact should practice more softball hitting drills.
Ladder drills are an effective way to train multiple aspects of a girls softball players skill set. Ladder drills help to improve footwork, explosive power and quickness, as well as balance and core strength. Girls softball players and coaches interested in incorporating a full ladder workout into their softball training should explore the different ladder sequences in the 1-2-3 Reaction Pro. Reviewing the different training exercises in the 1-2-3 Reaction Pro will give more drills and exercises that girls softball players can perform during training sessions.