How do I Improve?

[-DisneyFreak-]

okay guys I have a question.So I know it's going to be awhile until softball season.But I need to know how to improve my speed.My coaches say I'm good at hitting and defense but I need to be faster.I Ran/walked/jogged a mile in 11min 50sec(is this a good time?) the other day but its never too early to start conditioning any suggestions? PLEASE!

 

[MickeyisBeast]

I'm a pretty good runner. Last year in gym we would have "The Mile Run" which is 4 laps around our track. I did it in 5 minutes and 30 seconds, around there. I only walked once for a few seconds, other than that I jogged/ran the whole time. Just keep jogging... EVERYWHERE you go.

 

[disneydance]

Honestly I don't know how physcho your coach is and I'm no softball player but from what I understand running a mile for softball doesn't make much of a difference. Sure it will give you more endurance and such but reallistically all you need in softball is the abilitly to sprint. I learned this from my friend who is one of the topped ranked softball players in the Nation. Every college wants her, and she's been offered full rides to schools across the nation. She was complaining one day after a school try-out how the school coach made them sprint non-stop and run miles after miles for no reason at all and how it doesn't do any use in fastpitch. You really want to focuss on being a good sprinter and getting to the ball to the base etc. in time. Don't take my word under a bible since I don't play the sport anymore(I played till I was in 5th grade but quit for gymnastics/dance) but I do have some ok sources on this topic.

 

[tumblrbailey]

I play softball. A lot. What works for me is, the faster you pump your arms, the faster you go. Your legs are in time with your arms, almost always. And sprint when you can. If your bus stop is close to your house, sprint home. Stuff like that. And have fun! My philosophy is, the farther you hit the ball, the slower you can run

 

[skeeterbuge]

I play Softball. And before I played I watched my older sister play every weekend and at camps and ect. As I was at the camps i learned that when you sprint you suppose to run on your toes and have a good fast pase kick. Run the bases on your toes, not heel to toe or flat footed; KICK as you stride forward. Also the more you use your arms and the harder you pump them the faster you will go.

Like I said before i play softball but couldnt play this past summer because of and injury and this coming spring I play high school ball so I have started training. I train doing alot of different things. I run everyday of the week except Saturday and Sunday, sometimes twice a day, I usually do sprints and long distance (one in morning one in night) one day, then distancethe next day, then accually running bases timed and running around the out side of the field timed a day, I do hills a day, and then sprints or distance. Alot fo people dont think doing hills or long distance will help in in running 60 ft. from base to base on a softball field but it does!!
You dont have to run twice a day i just do, because i LOVE LOVE LOVE to run!!