How to Throw a Changeup in Softball for Beginners?

Before telling you how to throw a changeup in softball, one thing we have to discuss first. Let’s take a look at a clear picture of softball.

For starters, we want you to have a clear idea about this particular game. If you already know everything about softball, you can skip to the main section below.

But some may not know every necessary thing about it. So it’s our job to provide you with everything we know.

Let’s not waste any time. Start reading about how to throw a changeup in softball.

What is softball?

Across America, softball is a really popular game. But don’t confuse it with baseball!

Softball indeed originated from baseball. But softball is slightly different from its predecessor.

Softball originated in Chicago, Illinois, in 1887. After that, it gained immense popularity.

Here’s an important distinction for you. When it comes to baseball, the ball is thrown either sidearm or overarm.

But in softball, the ball is thrown underarm. This is a significant difference to watch out for.

You can say that softball is a narrow interpretation of baseball. Softball doesn’t require as much grandeur as baseball does.

We must say that the basics are not that different if you compare these two sports. Softball even announced its grand entrance in the Olympics.

If you are just new to this softball sport, you must know a bit more about what a changeup is.

Well, first thing first. Softball comes in two versions. One is fast pitch, and the other one is slow pitch.

The latter is mostly seen, though fastpitch softball is quite famous.

When it comes to softball, there is a term called pitch. When a player throws a softball towards an opponent, that is called pitching. This is really important as this is how a softball game usually starts.

What is a changeup?

A changeup is a kind of pitch where you might think that the ball is coming fast. But in reality, the ball is actually coming slow.

Changeups are normally practiced to meddle with a batter’s mind as well as his timing. He will never know what is coming to him.

In case someone masters the art of throwing a changeup, he will be able to occupy the batter’s mind. Changeups are usually seen in fastpitch softball as well as baseball.

If you are already familiar with the game of cricket, you would know that a changeup is very similar to a slower delivery.

It isn’t easy to distinguish between a changeup and a regular throw when you are a batter. That’s because the pitching action remains the same. It’s the speed that is quite hard to measure up.

The importance of changeups in softball

When you are just starting your career in softball, you have plenty of things to learn. But learning to throw a changeup is not one of them.

First, you need to stick to the basics and become a pro at those. Then you would be prepared to acquire a new skill.

But are there good reasons for acquiring this new skill?

Yes, there are. When you are a pitcher, a must-have requirement of yours is agility and the ability to alter it from time to time.

When you are a batter, you constantly grow and learn with time. Your experience becomes so important that you can adjust with ease.

But when you are a pitcher, you have to find new ways to step ahead of the batter. You need to have the batter off-guard. You won’t know what hit him.

But you cannot develop this particular skill overnight. It generally takes a pitcher months to learn how to throw a changeup in softball.

By the time you would be able to acquire both of those, you are unstoppable. That is why changeups are of grave importance.

Sometimes you will see that changeups are mandatory when it comes to softball. So now it is up to you to come up with a plan. The plan is about learning how to throw a changeup in softball.

But now that you have stumbled upon this article, you can relax.

Changeup pitch

In the last section, we will tell you how to throw a changeup in softball. But before that, there are so many things yet to discuss. Don’t go anywhere!

With the help of this article, you will learn how to throw a changeup in softball. But first, let’s try to take a good look at the changeup pitch.

Why is this changeup pitch so effective in softball?

Well, previously, we told you that as a pitcher, you need to furnish yourself with great instruments. But there are other things to try out. So why do you have to choose changeups?

You know that all sports are played with the mind rather than the body. There are some psychological aspects that matter in the end.

When a pitcher perfect pitches a changeup, that act does create some fear in the batter’s mind. But more importantly, by using this fear, the pitcher gets a chance to be in the driver’s seat.

It would help if you gripped the softball to pitch it. This grip is very similar and will think you are throwing a fastball.

This is a quite effective pitch because the opponent finds it hard to differentiate. Rather they don’t get much time to do it as the ball hits the ground and takes a turn in no time.

So you can understand why this particular technique is so effective.

How to grip a changeup with perfection?

This article is about how to throw a changeup in softball. But first, you must know how to grip the ball. So now we are writing about that.

For starters, you better know that there are several kinds of gripping for a changeup. But our time and space are limited, as you are already aware.

So in this section, we have decided to write about some selected gripping. You cannot just stick to one gripping and go with that. You must know at least some of the grips before deciding what would be appropriate for you.

Knuckleball changeup

Again, if you are familiar with some of the cricketing terms, you know what a knuckleball is. But a knuckleball is a grip used in softball.

Though knuckleball is pitching on its own, you can use your knuckle to throw a changeup. It does have some benefits, like it doesn’t contain that much spin.

So naturally, the ball cannot go out of the park even if the hitter does a good job.

Adjust the gripping with your knuckles. Use two or three of your fingers to grip the ball on the seam position.

Open palm changeup

If you can master this particular technique, you don’t need extra. This technique alone is ready to take on anything.

It is very different to learn how to open your palm. You have to train hard to acquire it.

Forget the fingers. Here you need to hold the ball in the back of your arm. The rest is similar to what you do with a fastball.

Turnaround changeup

Turnaround is also known as flip. This particular technique is seen everywhere though it is not easy to master it.

This is quite similar to a fastball, but not really. When you will release the ball, flip your hand at the last moment. Then the ball will fly towards the catcher.

Shove changeup

This is another version of open palm change. But here, you don’t have to tighten the wrist. Lower the elbow just a little and push the ball.

Circle changeup

This particular technique is for those who are new to this changeup pitch. It would help if you used the edge of the thumb and the forefinger. By using these two fingers, you have to create a circle.

Either it would help if you held this circle towards the catcher when throwing the ball, or you have to make sure the wrist is steady at the time of delivery.

How to throw a changeup

Now finally, it’s time that we told you how to throw a changeup in softball for real.

But before that, we would like to give you some important advice.

You can use your knuckles to throw a changeup. You can also use your multiple fingers to do the same. The choice is entirely up to you.

But it would help if you were delivering a changeup disguised as a fastball. If you fail to do that, your hard work will be for nothing.

So as long as you are okay with it, your changeup deliveries will bring you a lot of good.

Again, there is another thing for you to check out.

Here are some regulations before we teach you how to throw a changeup in softball.

The first and the most significant one is that you must not delay your arm movement.

The second one is that you must not alter the length. As you do with a fastball, do the same with this one.

The third one is that nobody should be able to figure out that you are about to throw a changeup by your body movement. That is an absolute no-no.

The fourth is that you must not do something different with the gripping.

But do you know what a perfect changeup looks like? If you don’t know, we are here to inform you.

A perfect changeup is what is exactly similar to a fastball. In that case, it would be extremely difficult for someone to identify.

Similarly, you are doing an extremely bad job if your changeup can be easily identifiable.

So before throwing a changeup, these two things are absolutely important.

Whenever you are about to throw a changeup, you will get into the opponent’s head. You have to make them think that this is just a regular fastball. But you already know this.

It would help to concentrate on your legs and arms, especially when they are going forth. It would help if you kept in mind that changeups are about altering the position of the arm.

So you understand that the real magic is concealed under the gripping. Yes, the velocity is also important, but the grip makes changeups so effective.

But if you want to become a specialist in changeups, training is a must. You have to practice it with utter dedication.

Here’s a tip for you about how you can do the practice.

Stand at least 5 to 7 feet farther from the catcher and prepare yourself for the pitching. Then separate the wrist and the arm. Now move your arm backward and strongly draw at the seam position.

Then do it again. Practice like this for a few days, and the rest will be a piece of cake.

Final thoughts

Throughout this entire article, we tried our best to tell you how to throw a changeup in softball. But before saying goodbye for today, one more thing is yet to tell.

None can decide what would be the perfect technique for you to throw a changeup. You need to figure that out on your own.

We don’t know which technique you would be most comfortable with. So we did what we had to. We explained the techniques along with the other things.

Now it’s time for you to decide and practice more than ever. But don’t forget to send us your valuable feedback about this article.