A good practice schedule for fastpitch softball pitching takes a fair amount of planning. You must work your practices in between game days and off days, then divide them up into long, short and medium practices and recovery.

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Long Softball Pitching Practice

Schedule this as far in advance of the next game as you can, usually on the day following an off day. In season, you will only have one long practice per week and three or four during the off-season.

• Warm up.
• Pitch until you notice a breakdown in mechanics.
• Take a short break.
• Pitch again until your mechanics break down.
• This should take around 45 minutes in conditioned players. If a pitcher cannot last 45 minutes, add conditioning exercises such as sprints to the practice.
• Do not continue to pitch after the second breakdown.

Short Softball Pitching Practice

Done after practice days and before games, short practices are used most frequently during the season to conserve energy for games. They should include an extended warm up—about twice the length of your pre-game warm-up—and 20 to 50 pitches, focusing on balls and strikes for under 30 minutes, followed by a stretching routine. In the off-season, use this type of practice during the first several training sessions to ease your body into more demanding training.

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Medium Softball Pitching Practice

Do this when you have three or more practice days in a row. Combine the long warm-up of the short practice with one set of pitching-until-breakdown of the long practice. You may do a conditioning program afterwards for endurance training, or a stretching routine to save energy.

Recovery

This is for between game days or if pitchers need a day to relax. It includes a pre-game warm-up routine, 20 to 30 fastballs, long toss and a stretching routine.

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Here are weekly practice examples for fastpitch softball pitching practice.