INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Before pitching in fast-pitch softball practice or doing any drills on your own, warm up your body by slowly going through the motions of pitching. That way, your muscles will get warm and will remember the motion once you start to speed things up, which will help you avoid unnecessary injuries. When pitching in fast-pitch softball, you use more force than in soft pitch softball, which puts a lot of pressure on your muscles to perform. Therefore, it's important that you warm up your muscles, particularly those in your arms and shoulders. Going for a quick jog or doing some jumping jacks is also a great way to warm up your whole body to avoid injury. To help you make sure the ball reaches home plate every time you pitch in a fast-pitch softball game, practice pitching at different distances and aiming for home plate each time. Start by throwing a few pitches from the pitching plate. Then, move back about 2 feet (0.61m)after you pitch, staying at each distance until you can consistently pitch the ball fast and accurately to reach home plate. Once you get far enough away that you can't reach home plate at all, start moving back towards the pitching plate. Once you get back to the pitching plate, the pitches should feel easy by comparison. Instead of using 6.25-ounce regulation softballs, try practicing with 9-, 10-, 11-, or 12-ounce weighted balls. This will help build up your arm strength, which will allow you to pitch regulation-weight balls faster and with ease. It's particularly important that you warm up when using weighted balls, as the added weight puts extra pressure on your muscles and can cause injuries if you aren't warmed up. Weighted softballs come in the same size as regulation-weight balls, so you can still practice with your 4-seam grip. Weighted softballs are available online and in most sporting goods stores and generally cost about $15 USD. First, make sure that your arms and shoulders are completely warmed up. Then, with several softballs on hand in a basket or pile next to you, go through about 15 pitches as quickly as you can. Your goal is to do all 15 pitches in less than 1 minute so that your body gets accustomed to the quick motion. While accuracy is always important when pitching in fast-pitch softball, for this drill, concentrate more on speed than distance or accuracy. Once you can do 15 pitches in under 1 minute consistently, make this drill more difficult by doing 15 speed pitches, resting for 1 minute, then pitching another 15 pitches in under 1 minute if you can.

SUMMARY: Warm up every time you practice pitching to avoid injury. Increase and decrease your distance to practice your aim. Practice with weighted softballs to increase your strength. Do a speed-pitching drill to help speed up your pitching motion.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Since you are going to be touching your face, you want to make sure your hands are clean to prevent rubbing dirt and oil on your nose. Clean your hands with soap and water, then dry before handling your jewelry. To effectively remove the germs, lather your hands with the soap for 20 seconds. Be sure to scrub under your fingernails as well. This is the most common type of nose piercing, just a hoop that runs through your nose. There are a couple types of rings, each of which is designed to come out a bit differently. Seamless rings. These rings should have a break in the material. To take it out, bend the ring slightly so the break comes apart, then slide out of your piercing. Segment rings are designed with a separate piece that comes out of the ring. Pull it out in order to remove the ring from your nose, then snap it back in place to close the ring. Because of their size, nose rings can be tricky to pull apart in order to insert or remove. Some companies make opening and closing pliers, special tools to grip the ring, which you might find helpful for seamless rings. These are common types of jewelry consist of a straight post holding a bead or jewel that is visible. The other end is usually another bead that helps prevent it from falling out. To remove, grab both ends and pull apart. Nose bones are similar types of jewelry, but much more difficult to get out. To change the jewelry, you will effectively need to rip it out of your nose. This type of jewelry started in India and has become more popular in the Western world. It consists of a short post that has a hook or "L-bar" at the other end to hold it in place. Just like a stud or pin, to remove you grab both ends and pull. Some types may require you to twist slightly to help the pieces come apart, but that should be fairly easy to get the hang of. If you are having trouble getting your fingers on the jewelry, or have certain types of piercings that you can't remove, go back to your piercer to have them take it out. This is not something you should do often, but if something is stuck, or you are having a problem with your jewelry, the piercer should check it out. When you first get your nose pierced, talk with your piercer about the proper way to remove your jewelry. It would be a good idea to discuss general nose ring care with your piercer as well. If you removed your jewelry in order to swap in another piece, it is important that you make that change quickly. Have the next piece ready to go so you can make the switch. Everyone's body heals differently, so you can't be sure how long it will take for the hole to close up. Even piercings that have been there for years can shrink or close within minutes, making reinsertion difficult, if not impossible.

SUMMARY: Wash your hands. Remove a nose ring. Remove a stud, pin, or bone. Remove a nostril screw. Have a piercer take it out. Switch your jewelry quickly.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Getting stuck in your own head is one of the worst ways you can get in your own way. You need to break free from your cycling thoughts. Taking any action can help you do that! Here are some examples of ways to take action: Go for a walk. Take a small step toward your goal. Meet a friend for coffee. Clean up your workspace. Purchase items you need to accomplish your goal. Being in the present helps you avoid getting caught up in "what ifs" and overthinking. You can ground yourself in the present by focusing on each of your five senses. Here's how: Describe the setting around you. Listen to the sounds you can hear. Smell the air, trying to pick up scents. Notice how your feet feel against the ground or how your bum feels on the seat. Touch the different textures around you. Taste the air or enjoy a flavorful treat. daily for at least 10 minutes. When you meditate, your mind becomes more resistant to overthinking. That's because meditation teaches you to release your thoughts instead of holding onto them. By spending time each day in meditation, you can help yourself overcome thinking that holds you back. Do a simple meditation by sitting in a quiet room with your eyes closed. Simply notice your breath and release your thoughts. Guided meditations can help you get more out of your practice. You can find them online or on an app. There are several free apps for meditation, including Insight Timer, Calm, and Headspace. Getting caught up in future worries or past mistakes will make it hard for you to move forward. This turns you into your own obstacle! Instead, let your mindfulness exercises help you stay in the present. Your life is happening now, so don't miss it. Living in the present doesn't mean you can't plan for your future. However, don't let your concerns about the future stop you from living today. If you struggle to let go of a painful past, work with a therapist to learn to let go.

SUMMARY:
Avoid ruminating on your thoughts by taking action. Connect with the present moment by engaging your 5 senses. Meditate Live in the moment, not your future or past.