How much time do you take off for pitcher in the offseason

We're getting to the end of the fall season. Im trying to be smart on how we manage that off season, and Im looking for opinions on whats an adequate amout of down time for my DD. By down time, time off to recharge and rest the body. Ive heard this is probably recommended.

Also, if we take a month or more off, would experts recommend some type of weight training or excersice program during that period.

Speed and agility classes are prime right now.

Softball Scholar Great Post. I was just about to ask something similar. Last year, DD pitched through til mid Dec when she strained a shoulder muscle. We didnt touch a ball and did PT for 10 weeks and she came back better than ever. I now realize how lucky we were that it was only a minor injury. This year, we are doing some mechanics adjustments until Dec. We then plan to shut it down and do general training strength core and flexibility until February-ish. Definitely would like to hear what others are doing.

The mental break is just as important as the physical break. My DD usually takes 3 - 4 weeks off twice a year. One around Thanksgiving - Christmas and another in Late May - Early June. Enough time to heal physically and recharge mentally. I never really set a specific time. Just stopped having her throw and when she was ready she would pick up the ball. I knew it was effective as while she was growing she would more often than not come back with increased velocity.

I believe it all depends on age, experience and what still needs to be developed. After 12u my dd would take off from last tournament in November and not pick up a softball til late Feb early March. Once she was being g recruited it was almost year round because of camps, coaches coming to practices and things of that nature(during winter months). Would still take off from throwing Thanksgiving to after New Year, just condition ing and weights. But each kid is gonna be different.

DD has always taken time off from her last tournament in November until the first or second weekend of January depending on when New Year's falls. Her pitching coach encourages her to rest so she can recover mentally and physically. She always comes back stronger and with new fire. Rusty first week back but game ready within 2 weeks. She is a freshman this year and will not take time off until mid December because she is attending a couple of camps. I would like her to take off through at least mid January, preferably end of January. Problems is her 16u travel team wants to start practice second weekend in January and then have some scrimmages and play one tourney before having to shut down mid February when high school starts. I am really not sure why this is necessary? During her short down time, she plays either soccer or basketball.

We like to "shut down" pitching activities from Thanksgiving through the first of the year. It has worked well in the past, but last year we ended up going to college camps during the break, so my DD ended up pitching all year. Looking forward to some down time in a month!

DD's orthopedic surgeon's opinion is this: if an athlete is doing a single, repetitive motion (such as, in DD's case, softball pitching), then the athlete needs to take 4 months off each year. This doesn't mean sitting around watching "vampire diaries" - it means four months of an alternate activity: agility, weights, yoga, soccer, biking, whatever they enjoy and makes them feel happy and active. For some kids, this means goofing around riding bikes. For others, it means intensive agility and weight training, or anything in between. Four months off sounds extreme, but a doctor's job is to keep the patient healthy throughout her entire life, so this is the angle from which they are seeing things. There is a movement to stop overuse injuries, complete with website: STOP Sports Injuries | Sports Injury Prevention

DD missed almost her entire high school season this fall. She had gone straight from TB to her high school season, starting off the season by pitching six games in three days. She was sidelined with two bulging discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1) and several "stress reactions" - basically tiny cracks and weak areas in the bone which are the precursor to full on stress fractures. I don't attribute this entirely to overuse only - DD was very weak in her core and is still actively growing (at age 16), which was definitely a contributing factor.

Anyway, I don't think there is a complete formula which should be followed for EVERY kid - as others have said, it does depend. I do think, though, that kids should get time off from a single sport and allow their bodies and minds to recover. Interestingly, DD is now cleared for limited pitching after 7 weeks of intensive PT and she's throwing harder than she ever has before.

Indiana said:

DD's orthopedic surgeon's opinion is this: if an athlete is doing a single, repetitive motion (such as, in DD's case, softball pitching), then the athlete needs to take 4 months off each year...

Click to expand...

Pure fantasy for an elite level pitcher. The best way to avoid so called "Overuse Injuries" is for the athlete to be properly conditioned and have a proper training and nutritional regimen.

I agree with you, riseball, it is an extreme viewpoint. I do think that it is worthwhile advice for kids whose bodies are still growing. Elite pitchers are in an entirely different category. Sometimes doctors ask for more than they think they'll get - ask for 4 months off to get 2.