How Much Is Too Much???

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Jul 26, 2010
3,567
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5 times a week. Quality matters, not quantity. Sometimes the warmup will take longer then the actual pitching session. The important thing is that she "does her homework", IE she has time outside of a game situation to work on the mechanical issues that her pitching coach wanted her to work on that week. If she doesn't do that, you're wasting your money with lessons.

30 minute sessions are usually a good goal at that age, but make sure she's doing quality pitches, working on what she needs to work on, and not just phoning it in. I don't like them to work on all their pitches every single session. Sometimes it's better to focus on one pitch. Closer to game day, she'll want to cycle through all of them which is fine, but make sure she warms each one up properly. This will take longer then 30 minutes.

-W
 
Jan 24, 2013
25
0
New Hampshire
My DD#1 was a D1 pitcher. At 13YOA, she practiced 60 to 90 minutes per day 4 to 5 times a week for 9 months out of the year. THe other 3 months, she probably threw once or twice a week for 60 to 90 minutes.

Sluggers,

Did your DD#1 suffer any injuries from pitching? Was she icing down her arm - hurt or not? Was she in great physical condition? Just curious.
 
Jan 24, 2013
25
0
New Hampshire
IMO, Icing is for pain (usually caused by swelling) and swelling. Icing also slows healing, slows muscle recovery, and stresses tendons and ligaments (that aren't otherwise under stress from swelling).

Icing a pitcher's shoulder that has no swelling does more harm than good, IMO. It slows the recovery.

JDB,

So what's a good alternative to icing?
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
Icing also slows healing, slows muscle recovery, and stresses tendons and ligaments (that aren't otherwise under stress from swelling).

Icing a pitcher's shoulder that has no swelling does more harm than good, IMO. It slows the recovery.

I have heard exactly the opposite :)

...just sayin...
 
Jul 17, 2012
1,091
38
The ice/no ice in the absense of injury is going to turn into a chicken/egg debate. What's more important is to be sure and stretch before and after every pitching session without exeption. Make sure you have her warm up properly before jumping on the rubber and firing pitches. Gradually build up to more frequent workouts. Don't go from twice a week to 6 days a week overnight. And don't forget to add some strength and conditioning to her workouts.
 
Mar 11, 2013
270
0
Jackson, MS
I have heard exactly the opposite :)

...just sayin...
From who?

It's common sense. Icing slows the metabolic processes at the cellular level, constricts vessels slowing bloodflow, constricts and tightens soft tissue, prematurely constricts tendons and ligaments. To what advantage? What is the goal?

Ice baths or icing has always been reccommended for pain or swelling. Some athletes do perform their roles and experience soreness, pain and/or swelling. Other than for that what's the point?
 
Jul 17, 2012
1,091
38
If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. If there's nothing wrong let the body take care of itself.
I agree with you on the Ice concept, but I think that some preventative maintenance should be performed, ie. stretching, conditioning, strength/resistance traiing, etc. Many injuries occur as a result of poor flexibility and mechanical breakdown due to fatigue. Not just softball, but in all sports.
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
DD's PC always promoted icing after the day is over but right when the pitching day is over.

DD has NEVER had any arm/shoulder issues from pitching and she has had her share of 300-400 pitch weekends through to the old age of 17 now.
 

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