Learn How To Play Softball With Kbands | Elite Softball Ladder Exercises

Elite softball drills such as ladder exercises and other plyometric exercises will help softball players build the athletic skill set needed to be successful and learn how to play softball at a higher level. A great combination of strength, speed, and lateral quickness need to be trained, and then implemented into sport specific training routines to help developed skills translate into more success during competition.

From the time an athlete learns how to play softball they should be using sports specific training to enhance their athletic skills. As softball players mature and progress in their training they will be able to add more resistance training into their softball workout routines. At a younger age athletes should focus on learning how to play softball, as well as performing plyometric exercises like jumping, to increase explosiveness, and ladder exercises, to improve footwork and short explosive movements. These plyometric and ladder exercises will help young softball players focus on the proper form of training for developing the key athletic tools which will help any athlete become an elite softball player.

As softball players grow in age and skill level they should add new and challenging forms of training into their softball workouts but should always take time to utilize ladder exercises and other plyometric exercises which focus on developing the fundamental athletic skills to become and elite softball player.

Elite Softball Ladder Exercises

To complete the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises athletes will need a set of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands, a Speed and Agility Ladder, and be familiar with three different ladder exercises. The first of the ladder exercises is the Speed Ladder Power Bounds. In this ladder sequence softball players will laterally shuffle both feet into the square on the Speed and Agility Ladder, exploding off her trail leg and landing, under control, on their opposite leg,

The second of the ladder exercises is the Kbands Lateral Knee Drive. Softball players will line up at one end of the Speed and Agility Ladder and perform a lateral high knee moving down the Speed and Agility Ladder. Softball players will place both feet inside of each square on the Speed and Agility Ladder.

The third sequence of the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises is the Speed Ladder Lateral Hops. For this elite softball ladder exercise athletes will jump from side to side down the Speed and Agility Ladder. As athletes laterally hop they will switch landing with their lead foot outside of the Speed and Agility Ladder, while their inside foot lands to the inside of the square. Softball players will hop both feet into each square before advancing down the Speed and Agility Ladder.

Executing The Elite Softball Ladder Exercises

One time down and back on the Speed and Agility Ladder is one repetition for each of the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises. Athletes will perform 6 resisted sets of each of the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises before removing the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and performing 2-3 unresisted sets of the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises. Athletes can perform the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises in a few different ways. Athletes can either perform one repetition of each of the ladder exercises before moving onto the next of the ladder exercises. In this fashion athletes would perform 6 resisted sets of each of the ladder exercises before removing the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and performing the unresisted repetitions of the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises.

Athletes can also perform the ladder exercises one after the other, completing all 6 resisted repetitions, and 2-3 unresisted repetitions, of one of the ladder exercises before progressing and completing all repetitions of the next portion of the ladder exercises. No matter which format is chosen for the execution of the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises athletes who are performing these ladder exercises as a team or group softball workout should have a continuous flow of athletes moving up and down the Speed and Agility Ladder. Softball coaches should have no more than 3-5 athletes per Speed and Agility Ladder so there is little wait time between repetitions of the ladder exercises. Softball training groups of 6 or more should use multiple Speed and Agility Ladders or combine additional plyometric or core strengthening exercises that can be performed in the same circuit as the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises.

For further demonstrations and tips on form and execution during the Elite Softball Ladder Exercises go to the Softball Training Section. Softball players and coaches can also go to the Shop Section to learn about the different levels of resistance for the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands. Additional plyometric and core strengthening exercises can be found in the Training Section.

Don’t Forget How To Play Softball

Resistance training, ladder exercises, and core strengthening drills are all great ways to improve on athletic skills that will make an athlete successful at softball. However, athletes and coaches need to make sure they do not only focus on the strength, speed, and quickness training aspects of softball workouts but also continually add softball specific training drills that can be performed alongside ladder exercises and other plyometric exercises. The fundamentals of throwing, hitting, and fielding all require timing. Elite softball players will be able to build great timing with additional speed, strength and quickness. A softball player who learns how to play softball can be strong and fast but errant throws, strikeouts, and errors in the field will greatly limit the success of the most athletic softball player.

In addition to maintaining athletes’ ability to perform the fundamentals of softball, elite softball players will need to practice additional stretching and recovery techniques to help the athletic skills achieved in ladder exercises and other plyometric exercises translate into greater success during elite softball competitions. The Recovery Foam Roller and Stunt Strap are great tools to pair with dynamic stretching to keep muscles and joints healthy and injury free.