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Softball Speed and Conditioning Drill
By: Softball-Spot.com
over 4 years ago
Category: Baserunning, All Ages
This drill is used to help condition players and to increase their running speed.
All players line-up at home plate. The coach will blow the whistle to signal the first player in line should begin. Once the first player gets a third of the way to first then the whistle should be blown and the next player should begin. This should continue until all the players are running around the bases.
The players should change their running style at each base.
From home to first the players should be kicking their behind. They should be kicking up their heels and kicking their bottoms with their heels. The goal isn't to go fast from home to first. The goal is to kick their rear ends as many times as possible.
From first to home the players should be running with high knees. They should be kicking their knees up so that their knees come up above their waist. Again, the goal isn't to go fast from first to second; the goal is to kick up the knees as many times as possible.
From second to third the players should use the "hop/skip." Players should skip and kick up their knees one leg at a time. As they kick-up their knee they should also bring-up their arm on the same side. For example, as they kick-up their right knee they should be bringing up their right arm.
From third to home the player should sprint as fast as possible.
This drill takes a lot of energy if it is run correctly.
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I can hardly wait for the snow on our field to melt. I want to try this one, to change it up a bit for our base running drills.
sounds like a good drill but it sounds hard but ill mention it to my softball coach
My 8U team loves this drill--not really but it does do what it is suppose to do--instead of hop-skip i have them shuffle from 2nd to 3rd.
wow!!!!!!!!!!!
I ran these drills in track. Its to exaggerate running form reinforcing motion for sprinting. Bring the back leg forward you want high knee and kick for a long stride. The hop is to spring off your foot when it lands, and kick behind is a follow thru.
I think you mean from first to second, not first to home. Sounds like an interesting drill -- however I would like to learn more about the first and third parts of the drill. (kicking bottoms with heels and hop/skip.) What benefit do they provide?
The drill sounds great except for hop/skip, aka high kneel skip, which needs to be done opposite arm with opposite leg not the same side arm and leg. This teaches bad running form for track kids as well as all other sports. Just FYI .
I did this drill with my 14u team. They really enjoyed it...