Off Season pitching

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Member

• Oct 8, 2009

• #1

This is my dd's first off-season as a pitcher. Yes, I know there's no real off-season for a pitcher. But what I'm looking for is general suggestions on what she should be doing to get better for next year. How often to throw each week, how many pitches, should she work on getting stronger (she's 13), exercises? Any ideas?

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #2

Have her take lessons from a good qualified instructor. Gillis Academy or Hillhouse. Work on not only perfecting certain pitches but being able to go from one pitch to another successfully. This is not always as easy as it sounds. If she practices first and foremost good mechanics and can develop that everything will fall into place. We (dd and I) practice 6 days a week. We use to practice for about an hour but I have cut back to 1/2 hr pitching 1/2 hitting. With pitching we focus on mechanics - form and technique with the different pitches. More of that then actual pitching.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #3

DD sees her pitch coach (Radara McHugh) once week and usually throw 3 more days a week, focusing on long toss and tweaking the mechanics. She works on spins and wrist snaps daily, usually 30-50 each. Each pitch session will last between 1-2hrs. She also works on conditioning 4 days a week, really focusing in on the legs.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #4

My daughter's pitching coach recommends a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 offseason pitching workout 3-4 times a week. It seems to work well for her. These workouts last about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
1/3- fundamentals
1/3 speed drills
1/3 spins and spin drills
He also stresses the importance of physical workouts (depending on the age of your daughter) to get bigger, stronger, and faster physically.

Depending on when your daughter's season starts ( high school or summer) then you gradually begin to switch to more full pitching, location, and so forth.

The biggest thing is to have a plan and stick to it.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #5

Agree with all above. See a good private instructor weekly to make sure the mechanics are sound, you don't want her practicing bad habits. We pitch 3-4 times a week in the "off-season" with alot of strenthening drills. Don't forget the defense, that is a big problem with some pitchers. They spend all their time working on pitching and then they can't field a ground ball.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #6

Not saying it works for everyone, but we had our DD take about 2 months off from softball after the summer travel season ended. She played basketball in the winter, so it was a nice change of pace practicing/playing b-ball for a couple months. Sports medicine studies have shown that by over-using certain muscle/tendon groups can cause damage. The "extra practice" could actually do more harm than good. Cross Country, swimming, shooting hoops - anything completely different is great for the rest of the body.

The other plus for the break was a mental rest, and simply "let her be a kid". Go to the pool & hang out with friends. Then come back in a couple months rested, refreshed - with a clear mental approach. I compare it to a vacation from a very hectic job. If she's an athlete, she won't miss a beat.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #7

Sammy said:

Not saying it works for everyone, but we had our DD take about 2 months off from softball after the summer travel season ended. She played basketball in the winter, so it was a nice change of pace practicing/playing b-ball for a couple months. Sports medicine studies have shown that by over-using certain muscle/tendon groups can cause damage. The "extra practice" could actually do more harm than good. Cross Country, swimming, shooting hoops - anything completely different is great for the rest of the body.

The other plus for the break was a mental rest, and simply "let her be a kid". Go to the pool & hang out with friends. Then come back in a couple months rested, refreshed - with a clear mental approach. I compare it to a vacation from a very hectic job. If she's an athlete, she won't miss a beat.

Click to expand...

Agree with this. Pitching requires so much time year round we back off some in the fall, let her play another sport and pick it back hard after volleyball season is over.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #8

My DD usually works anywhere from 3-6 days in the "off-season'. It literally depends on her schedule then mine. It's focused on mechanics, strength, speed, and amount of revolutions of the ball. Her practices can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. Usually in November her practices start to get back into a routine.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #9

I agree with taking a break. Generally anywhere from 1-2 months if possible. Very important especially for younger pitchers.

Unfortunately as they get older that does not always work out. This year as a sophomore my daughter will pretty much have to go straight through with no break due to events like the Queen of Diamonds south, a couple fall showcase tournaments, and some college prospect camps, followed in January by Queen of Diamonds north. Those breaks we have taken in the past will hopefully pay off this year.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #10

Time off is key! DD pitches best after a bit of a break. She takes the HS Volleyball season off from pitching with the exception of wrist snaps. Those are an everyday thing. Then back at it 3-5 days a week, focusing mostly on drill work to sharpen mechanics. DD is 16 and been pitching a while so we see coach every other week.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #11

msutt1 said:

My daughter's pitching coach recommends a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 offseason pitching workout 3-4 times a week. It seems to work well for her. These workouts last about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
1/3- fundamentals
1/3 speed drills
1/3 spins and spin drills
He also stresses the importance of physical workouts (depending on the age of your daughter) to get bigger, stronger, and faster physically.

Depending on when your daughter's season starts ( high school or summer) then you gradually begin to switch to more full pitching, location, and so forth.

The biggest thing is to have a plan and stick to it.

Click to expand...

Our DD's must have the same pitching coach.

 

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• Oct 8, 2009

• #12

why batting practice thought she was a .500 batter?

 

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• Oct 9, 2009

• #13

Ballglove, I assume your referring to my post since I am the only one who mentioned hitting. My DD is not a .500 hitter. But we practice to become as successful as possible. For the pitchers that practice even three or 4 days @ one to one and a half hours. If you add it up you will see that your DD is probably doing 60 to 70 thousand arm circles a year. Just add it up. With practices and pitching in games along with warm ups. I never realized until I added it up one day. Even the ones that take a few months off you make up for it. I have read articles that stated taking time off and coming back can cause more injuries since most people do not gradually start back into a routine.

 

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• Oct 9, 2009

• #14

what are some of the strengthing drills out there for a 10u to work on over the winter. We do wrist snaps, weighted ball.

 

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• Oct 9, 2009

• #15

Find a hobby ballglove.

 

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• Oct 9, 2009

• #16

Although it's really not an "apples to apples" comparison, do some research on what MLB pitchers do in their "off season". There comes a time when you need to step back and evaluate your progress. That time is generally from about the first of August to the first of February. That's 6 months time to do all the little things needed to improve your skills as a pitcher. Endless hours of "pitching lessons" is not necessarily the answer. Downtime is VERY important. So is sports specific strength training along with cardio/conditioning. Find a trainer who KNOWS exactly what fastpitch softball pitchers should be working on, because many conditioning programs - while good for the general athlete population - may contain exercises/lifting routines that are a total waste of time for pitchers.

DD used many exercises recommended by her pitching coaches. The 5 gallon rice bucket, wrist snaps, thera-bands - all specific for softball. A key thing that is often overlooked is simply "being in shape". At 16u, get your hands on a college level workout handbook that provides benchmarks for incoming recruits. These are minimums. Be sure she can perform all of these - PLUS have excellent pitching mechanics.

 

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• Oct 11, 2009

• #17

There have been posts on here about limiting innings pitched in competition. After reading this thread I would think that would be the least of anyones worries.

10 - 12 months a year, 4 - 6 days a week, acouple of hors a workout? Are you kidding me? If that amount of work does not result in some kind of physical or mental breakdown before their career is over I would be amazed.

Down time, cross training and or multiple sports much more effective IMHO.

 

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• Oct 13, 2009

• #18

That sounds about right, Spirit1. I'm still conflicted about down time and getting the dd prepared for next year. Although, she doesn't seem concerned about it.

 

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• Oct 13, 2009

• #19

DD"s pitcoach wanted them off from Aug until Nov. Unfortunately, with tryouts, Fall ball, elite practices, etc. not likely to happen. The first weekend of fallball, after DD hadn't thrown more than 50 pitches in practice, she pitches a game and a half. I about came unglued, but 2 of the other pitchers weren't there, so......DD missed about a week due to the tendininitis,,,,,What is ironic? Same morning had watched Outside the Lines about Tommy John/pitching injuries, and the doctor who started it all said boys AND GIRLS need at least 2-3 months off as their bodies are growing to grow right and heal. I shut her down after that. We go back to pitcoach right after Hallwoeen. Head coach not real happy, but he doesn't pay my kids medical bills, and won't pay any of her tuition either....

 

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• Oct 13, 2009

• #20

Spirit1 hit the nail on the head as after several years working with my oldest we found Quality over Quantity to be a much more effective training tool (though she never went 6 days a week 2 hours at a time)more like 4 days a week at about an hour each.Her offseason now is 2 sometimes 3 ,1 hour long 20-20-20 workouts along with 2-3 days of riding the bike, lifting light weights and shooting hoops or something.