Throwing Slow-Pitch Batting Practice
Also known as: throwing batting practice, throw batting practice, pitching batting practice, pitch batting practice, slow pitch batting practice, slowpitch batting practice, throw bp, throwing bp, pitch bp, good bp
Good slow-pitch batting practice looks like a game pitch. Throw from game distance, 50 feet for adults under USA Softball and USSSA rules, with a steady arc inside your league's legal range. Put most pitches over the plate so hitters can groove their timing, then mix in other arcs and locations. Protect yourself with a screen or a face mask.
Batting practice helps only if it trains the timing hitters need in games. A flat, fast toss or a sky-high lob teaches the wrong thing. Throw the arc your league's pitchers throw.
Use game distance. Adult slow pitch is pitched from 50 feet under both USA Softball and USSSA rules. Keep the arc legal for your league. USA Softball requires each pitch to reach at least 6 feet and no more than 10 feet above the ground, or 12 feet in senior play (Rule 6C, Section 3H). USSSA requires at least 3 feet of arc after release and a peak no higher than 10 feet (Rule 6, Section 6).
Start with strikes. Early rounds should use the same arc and location, landing on or just behind the plate. That lets hitters groove one timing pattern. Then vary it with higher and flatter arcs, inside and outside pitches, and the odd ball so hitters practice taking.
Give each round a job, such as line drives up the middle, driving the ball the other way or hitting behind a runner. Keep rounds short so hitters stay fresh, and keep a full bucket so nobody waits on balls.
Protect the pitcher. Throw from behind a protective screen if you have one. USA Softball's rules let any player wear a face mask (Rule 3, Section 5D).
Tips by skill level
Pick one arc height and repeat it. Hitters learn more from ten similar strikes than from ten random pitches.
Once hitters are timed up, copy the arc of the pitcher you face next, and mix in pitches that miss the zone so hitters practice laying off.
Example
Before a Tuesday game, a coach throws ten pitches to each hitter from 50 feet, all with the same medium arc. In the second round he mixes higher and flatter pitches, and each hitter tries to drive them to the opposite field.
Why it matters
Hitters time what they practice. Game-like distance and arc build timing that carries into games, while random lobs build habits that fail against real pitchers.
Common mistakes
- Throwing from too close, so the arc and timing are not game-like
- Throwing a flat pitch, or a lob higher than your league allows
- Changing the arc every pitch before hitters have found their timing
- Throwing without a screen or face mask
Frequently asked questions
How do I pitch batting practice for slow pitch?
Throw from game distance with a steady, legal arc, and put most pitches over the plate. Once hitters are timed up, vary the arc and location. Use a screen or face mask for protection.
How far away should you throw slow pitch batting practice?
From game distance. Adult slow pitch is pitched from 50 feet under USA Softball and USSSA rules, and practicing from there keeps the timing game-like.
How high should I throw slow pitch batting practice?
Inside your league's legal arc. USA Softball allows 6 to 10 feet above the ground, or 12 feet in senior play. USSSA allows up to 10 feet, with at least 3 feet of arc after release.
Sources
- USA Softball, Official Rules of Softball 2026, Rule 2 Sec. 1, Official Distance Table (adult slow pitch pitching distance 50 feet), p. 24
- USA Softball, Official Rules of Softball 2026, Rule 6C Sec. 3H (arc at least 6 feet and no more than 10 feet from the ground; 12 feet for senior slow pitch), p. 73; Rule 3 Sec. 5D (any player may wear a face mask/guard), p. 37
- USSSA Slowpitch Rule Book and By-Laws, 2026 Edition, Rule 1 Sec. 3B (pitching distance 50 feet for men and women), p. 8; Rule 6 Sec. 6 (arc of at least 3 feet after release, no higher than 10 feet), p. 35
Related terms
- Arc Height RegulationArc height regulation defines the required minimum and maximum height a slow-pitch delivery must reach — 6 to 10 feet under USA Softball rules, and up to 12 feet in senior and international (WBSC) play — to be called a legal pitch.
- Timing the ArcTiming the arc is tracking a slow-pitch delivery from release through its descent. The swing starts so the barrel arrives just as the ball reaches the zone.
- Pitching DistancePitching distance is how far the pitcher's plate is from home plate. Adult slow pitch is pitched from 50 feet under both USA Softball and USSSA rules, and USA Softball's youth divisions use 40, 46 or 50 feet by age. USA Softball lets Class C, D and E/Rec pitchers start up to 6 feet behind the pitcher's plate, or 10 feet in senior play. USSSA requires the pivot foot to touch the plate when the ball is released.
- Adjusting to a High ArcAdjusting to a high arc means triggering the swing later and steepening the bat path slightly. The pitch peaks near the legal maximum and drops sharply.
- Adjusting to a Flat ArcAdjusting to a flat arc means triggering slightly earlier with a flatter bat path. The pitch peaks near the legal minimum and arrives faster and flatter.
- Strike Zone – Slow-PitchThe slow-pitch strike zone (USA Softball) is the space over home plate between the batter's back shoulder and front knee. A strike is a legal, properly arced pitch that passes through that zone in flight. Senior play replaces the zone with a strike mat: a pitch that lands on the plate or mat is a strike.
Related guides & benchmarks
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