How much rest for pitchers after the season?

[Down and Out]

I have recently been reading articles & posts in the archives about repetitive & overuse injuries.

I have a 12 year old DD who as been in weekly private pitching lessons since she was 8. I can count on 1 hand the number of lessons she has missed over the last 4 years. During the season which runs from January to November we throw 5 to 6 days a week. When it starts raining we will drop to 2 - 3 days per week. She has never complained of soreness from pitching, which I attribute to proper technique, but as she starts throwing harder, I don't want to see her get hurt. I also don't want to see her loose the "edge" by taking a month off completely.

How much time off do you give your DDs? And do you shut down completely or just back off a little?

If it were up to DD we would not slow down at all.

PS. Our last tournament is this weekend. Season is over, but I have already prepaid for lessons thru November.

 

[chinamigarden]

I know we are not the norm but dd usually takes a long break. She hasn't picked up a softball since September. Sunday she has a practice. Every year we do this it takes a few sessions to get control back but right away she has speed. Of course she has been playing volleyball and now basketball all along

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I use to be a big believer in "a little" time off but not too much. Like you I was concerned about losing the edge or falling behind.

But mine was off an entire calendar year from an injury. I thought she was done from ever being in the circle again. I figured no way she could overcome that injury AND return where she was when we left off. And I was right, she came back better than where we left off. The situation may be different, but it's still a year off. So it kinda has changed my views on the negative thinking of time off.

She asked to take this fall off from TB, first time since 8u. College will have her on their TB team for the summer, they do a good many fall games and then the spring season. I guess her theory was "I better take this last break before HS ball cranks up and I'm committed full time after that". ( for the record I can tell she misses fall TB, just in the last few weeks it's pretty clear )

When she was in good shape we usually took off mid Nov to first of January completely. Everyone needs time to recharge the batteries.

 

[nanotech14]

that means if she averaged 3 1/2 days a week for 4 years. She would be 2 days shy of throwing for 2 years straight. Now you have to ask. What would you do for two years straight, without taking a break? Plus she is still growing. I think I would find that to be a little much. When I use to lift weights, my body needed to take a break and sometimes I wouldn't and now I pay for it or it is because I'm over 40yo

 

[nanotech14]

also like goingdeep, my dd missed the spring and summer, because of a injury and she has never looked so good now. But she did fire her old PC and hired a new one, That darn Bill Hillhouse took my only student from me. I guess I should feel good about her firing me, she did replace me with one of the best PC

 

[redhack]

One month after spring/summer TB season, until fall ball starts. 3 weeks in Dec. most of fall is about fixing issues and learning new pitches, working on details. DD seems to respond real well to time off. Always comes back more focused and stronger.

 

[Down and Out]

I'm hearing you. It makes sense, but its freaking me out. This is my dilemma. Our last tournament is this weekend. Half the girls move up, so the team is breaking up. Try outs for other teams are scheduled for end if month or 1st of December. Then practice with new team starts. Don't want to miss making new team, don't want to miss new team practices. Don't know what to do. Maybe a week off before try outs.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

^^^^^^ Only Cali has tryouts in December. Now I see your position, whole different world out there. Better get you one of those medical cards for anxiety.

 

[undergroundga]

My dd has been pitching for about a year and a half and just turned 10. We are in our third year of playing year round. Every year I have made her take 3 weeks off after tryouts. For the three weeks she did not even look at a softball. She absolutely hates it, but I think it really helps. I really try to make sure she gets lot's of breaks from pitching. Some days we'll just throw and field grounders.I try to watch her and see where she is mentally. She loves softball, but there are stretches where her heart just isn't in it and I don't see pushing the issue. I try to make sure she always makes it to her lessons and practices. But for the next month she is playing basketball, so if she has to miss a lesson here and there, so be it. I think letting her have breaks really keeps her loving the sport. But things are a lot less competetive in So. Il as opposed to Cali. I don't let her skip lessons/practices/workouts just to sit around and watch tv but if there is a good reason why not. Most of the year we go after it pretty hard and there are few girls I have met that are as dedicated to softball as my dd is and work as hard as she does. Major leaguers recognize the need for a break, even during the season, so why shouldn't a young athlete.
That 3 weeks off like to have killed her.
I wouldn't give her the week before tryouts off, but the week after...... how about giving her a few days off here and there. I think that works pretty good.

 

[FrozenRope]

I contemplate the same question. I am SOOO afraid to shut it down for any extended period. DD Just started pitching late this summer, and she's doing pretty well by standards I see in our league. Last month we took a week off between her lessons due to circumstances out of my control and it showed. She had a rough time during her lesson. I am chiming in on the question of the OP to see if the answwer is the same with a brand new pitcher trying to get ready for the upcoming season. Does it change if your DD is just starting? My opinion is that as long as DD is willing to go down in the bassement and throw... I'll sit on the bucket. In fact, I just built a protective screen for the ductwork in the basement so she can fire away. It's getting pretty cold in PA this time of year!! I managed to create a 40' lane for her to throw. I noticed during the first few sessions, her velocity was down due to the basement environment and pitching with the 9 ' ceileng staring her in the face. She seems to be getting used to it little by little as the speed is coming back after about 4 or 5 sessions.