training question

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gvm

Sep 3, 2010
311
18
i was wondering what everyone thinks is a better approach. do you think it is better for development to pitch in games year round? or is it better to try and peak for the big tournaments? some say to take some time off? some say to have off season training,to work on speed and spins? so i'm wondering if we should try to peak at a certain time for the big tournaments? or is it better to play all year,like the warmer climates do? should you do strength training and drills. and hopefully in the summer months it all comes together? or play in games all year? but then you always have to worry about throwing strikes?
 
Jan 4, 2012
3,852
38
OH-IO
Depends on what age you are talking about, but if you can play year around, that would be best...IMHO You should have some strength & speed stuff she does all the time anyhow. Squats, stair push-ups, and 4-8 pound medicine ball drops, every other day... running up a hill, then running down a hill, every other day year round, playing or not.
 

Carly

Pitching Coach
May 4, 2012
217
0
Pittsburgh
How old is the pitcher in question? It makes a huge difference. A 17-year-old highly advanced pitcher who already commands all her pitches (meaning, she's decided which she throws and isn't learning more pitches) will likely benefit from pitching year round. That sort of pitcher would likely also be strong enough to integrate strength training into her regular routine without getting too tired to practice/throw in games.

A pitcher in the 12-15 range needs an off season to learn new things and experiment in ways she can't in games. It's also easier to try to work on strength training in the off season if you're not as accustomed to strength training yet.
 

halskinner

Banned
May 7, 2008
2,681
0
Back when I was still competing, we always took October and November off. I would still go over to my catchers house and just throw for an hour or so and he would practice his popping up from the squat and throwing to 2nd during the hour. We would get together every week or so.

Our team would start practicing indoord in a HS gym starting the first week of December. Our first tourney was always in Monterey in the first week of March. Most of the other teams in our area did not start to work out together until a month or so before that first tourney. It definitely showed too.

You also need to consider the nurnout factor, that is different for each individual kid/pitcher. There are llots of other things you can work on in the off season as others have mentioned. You can work on her defense / self-defense skills along with a little pitching. Search this sight for "Pitcher / batter self defense drills" for mor ideas.

We would play 140 to 160 games a year. We had league games twice a week, practice twice a week and a tourney every weekend from March through September so at the end of our season, we were pretty fried. We were ready for some time off.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
Year round? Never. Every time my dd takes a break from pitching she comes back stronger. You have to let them try other things and give their muscles a rest.
 

gvm

Sep 3, 2010
311
18
the reason i'm asking this question is...alot of the elite college pitchers are from warmer climates. so i wanted to ask now,and not wait until she is 17 and then it's to late. we had an opportunity to play year round this year,but we had her take a break to get stronger and work on some strength training. but like carly said,when is my daughter gonna have time to learn other pitches,if she does'nt take time off to learn them? we worked on some curveballs and riseballs just to keep it fun this year. but all i was thinking was"oh boy,we'll put that one away till later" but of course out loud i said"NICE PITCH honey, but let's go back to some fastballs ok"? HAHAHA
it's sounds like i might be on the right track for now,by taking some time to heal and to get stronger. work on mechanics and new pitches
 

Carly

Pitching Coach
May 4, 2012
217
0
Pittsburgh
Being from the Northeast, I don't have a clear picture of what actually goes on in those warmer climates, but I'm guessing that softball is more POPULAR because since it's warm year round it's more pleasant to play?? Then because it's more popular there is a larger pool of athletes to choose from, so the very best of those are often better than the very best of the top of a smaller pool. Their younger pitchers probably still take an off-season to work on things, though it might be an advantage that they can always pitch outdoors off a rubber in dirt rather than spending half the year on some less than ideal indoor surface.

Can someone from a warm place confirm or deny this? I'm genuinely curious.
 

gvm

Sep 3, 2010
311
18
Being from the Northeast, I don't have a clear picture of what actually goes on in those warmer climates, but I'm guessing that softball is more POPULAR because since it's warm year round it's more pleasant to play?? Then because it's more popular there is a larger pool of athletes to choose from, so the very best of those are often better than the very best of the top of a smaller pool. Their younger pitchers probably still take an off-season to work on things, though it might be an advantage that they can always pitch outdoors off a rubber in dirt rather than spending half the year on some less than ideal indoor surface.

Can someone from a warm place confirm or deny this? I'm genuinely curious.

that's kinda what i was hoping also,that someone from a warmer state would chime in? of course we say,take some time off? we really don't have much of a choice.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
Im sure you will hear valid opinions on both sides of this argument, however, if you look at the current years college softball d-1 top 25 list. You will find that 20 of the top 25 are warm weather climate schools. This implies that the majority of those who work year round will have more success. Now I realize that the whole team is evaluated and not just pitchers, but the theory is the same. My pitchers work year round with small breaks mixed in throughout.
JMHO, James
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Im sure you will hear valid opinions on both sides of this argument, however, if you look at the current years college softball d-1 top 25 list. You will find that 20 of the top 25 are warm weather climate schools. This implies that the majority of those who work year round will have more success. Now I realize that the whole team is evaluated and not just pitchers, but the theory is the same. My pitchers work year round with small breaks mixed in throughout.
JMHO, James

Interesting logic. A+B=C, therefore D must be true!?

That aside, here's one to think about. You have 2 college pitchers on the same team who have identical speed, movement, control, mechanics, and effectiveness (,.e., same ERA, WHIP, W-L), the only difference is that pre-HS one lived and played in a warm southern climate and the other grew up and played in a cold northern climate. With respect to: a) over-use injury; and, b) potential for greater achievement, which pitcher do you favor and why?
 

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