5 Easy Softball Pitching Grip Strength Drills

Pitching in Fastpitch Softball takes a lot of raw talent,skill, knowledge of the game, practice and strength to be an elite pitcher. Many pitchers have the raw talent, they gain the skills and the game knowledge from practice. A strong grip can be gained easily at home with these 5 easy steps. These 5 Easy Drills can be done with items you probably already have laying around your house.

Drill 1:

Grab a can of soup or vegetables from the pantry. A small 2 lb weight is also good for this. Any small weight you can fit in your hand.

Hold the can in your hand with palms down. Then raise your wrists up and down 15-20 times. (Increase the weight if you don't feel it in your forearm on top.) Rest 1 minute, then repeat this for 3-5 sets.

Drill 2:

This is a modification of the first drill. Simply hold the can with palms up and raise your wrists up and down 15-20 times until you feel it. Then do one more. Rest 1 minute, then repeat 3-5 reps. (Drills 1 and 2 can be done using a weighted ball just as well.)

Drill 3:

This drill requires a rod about 15 inches long, a length of rope or cord about 24 inches long, a heavy weight aprx 5 lbs.. ( an empty milk jug filled with water works great)

• Tie the weight to one end of the rope, then tie the other end to the center of the rod.
• Hold the rod with your palms facing down and equally spaced on the rod.
• Begin to roll the rod and raise the weight all the way to the rod. Hold it for 3 seconds, then slowly unroll until it is all the way down again.
• Repeat this rolling up and down 15 times. Rest 1 minute and repeat for 3 reps. You should really feel this in your upper forearms and hands. Increase the weight until 12-15 raises is all you can do.

Drill 4:

Use the same contraption used in Drill 3. This time turn your hands palms up and roll the weight all the way up and then slowly down 15 times. Rest 1 minute and repeat for 3 reps. Increase the weight until 12-15 raises is all you can do.

Drill 5:

This one is a little different. Take a 2 liter soda bottle filled about half way with water. Hold it by the top and flip it up and catch bottom end in your hand. Grab again by the top and repeat the flips 15 times. Repeat with the other hand. Do 3 reps.

Drill 6:

Ok here's a bonus drill. Take an old softball, hammer several 16d nails into it until it is about 1 pound in weight. Some of the nails may poke through so you may want to take some athletic tape and wrap around the ball or file the edges dull.

Hold the ball in each of the spin grips you throw and spin the ball as fast as you can 15 times for each grip. Rest 1 minute and repeat for 3 reps.

Extra bonus drill: While you are watching TV or on the phone, take the weighted ball you just made in Drill 6 and flip it up. Hold your arm stiff, use your wrist to flip the ball, not your bicep.

Do these drills 3 times a week and in the off season you will notice a huge increase in grip strength. When fastpitch softball season comes your spins will be significantly faster and it will be easier to grip the ball.

Here is one more bonus drill that most of your college and pro players use to really strengthen the hands, wrists and forearms for pitching, hitting, and general throwing. This One is INTENSE

This Drill Requires:

- 5 gallon bucket - any kind of large bucket or old water cooler

- Dry Rice - buy about 5 gallons of rice from the store and pour it into the bucket, they tell me White Rice is best when new

Here are the Steps in the Rice Bucket Drill

1. Sit on a chair in front of the rice bucket Drive your hands into the rice - trying to work them all the way to the bottom

2. Twist your hands inward as you drive them down into the rice

3. Repeat but Twist them outward Repeat but grab handfuls of rice and dig your way to the bottom

You can think of many variations on this drill