Softball Hitting: Lower-Body Mechanics

If you want to add more pop at the plate, it’s important to work on your lower-body mechanics.

Want to add more power to your swing? It takes more than just working on your arms and shoulders.

It can all start with your hips and legs. By focusing on your lower-body mechanics, you can boost the force behind your swings.

“In hitting, the lower body is our power source,” Junior National Team Gold Medal-winning Softball Coach Pam Newton says.

Once you get into your hitting stance, you will want to have the proper lower-body mechanics to power your hit. Remember to:

• Drive your back hip through the zone.
• Rotate your back knee toward your front knee, with a firm front side.
• Finish with your heel over your toe on your back foot.

BACK FOOT DRILL

To work on your lower-body swing mechanics, run through this drill in practice:

• Place a ball or object near the heel of your back foot.
• Practice swinging so that your heel will go up and over the object as it turns up and out while you pivot on the ball of your foot.
• If you hit the object, you know you’re not getting the most out of your lower half.

“Remember: use your lower body to maximize the power in your swing,” Newton says.

When you step into the batter’s box, you will want to be ready for whatever the pitcher throws at you. Check out these videos from Pro Tips to be ready for pitches thrown to the inside, the outside and down the middle.