How to Correctly Hold a Softball Bat

How you hold your softball bat will influence swing speed and power, which determine the speed and distance the ball travels after contact. Your hand position and grip will also affect the plane of your swing, which will determine the trajectory of the ball in flight. There are a few different grips recommended by softball hitting authorities; however, the foundations of a good grip are the same.

Things You'll Need

  • Bat
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grip the bat with your less dominant hand. Hold the bat with your dominant hand just above the handle section of the bat. Spread the fingers of your less dominant hand flat, and place a lower portion of the bat handle (close to the butt) across the middle section of your four extended fingers. Curl your four fingers around the bat, and wrap your palm and thumb around the handle making a fist around the bat.

    • 2

      Grip the bat with your dominant hand. Place your dominant hand on the bat just above your less dominant hand; they should be touching but not overlapping. As in S1tep , grip the bat fingers first and make a fist around the bat.

    • 3

      Align your knuckles. While maintaining a relatively firm grip on the bat, twist your upper hand slightly to line up the knuckles of your two hands (an alternative grip is to offset the knuckle lines of your two hands; do whatever feels more comfortable).