Strength training changes during season?

[PJR202]

I've seen things online discussing the effects of strength training once the season starts, and if it should cease or change. My daughter (9th grade) is a pitcher with two years experience, and we're getting to the last phase of dialing in her accuracy for spots. We mess around with a change-up some, but spots are #1 at this very early stage of her journey.

She's been doing moderately heavy strength training with her catcher 2-3x per week, and I'm now thinking it's time to dial back the weight and/or move to plyometrics. I've seen discussion over the years about how increases in strength and/or hypertrophy can inhibit development of patterns necessary to build accuracy and consistentcy through repetition.

Essentially, small changes in size and strength are changing the basic foundation the brain has to work with.

This was very evident last night at practice as she tried to pitch 90 minutes after leg day at the gym. I also need her to start conditioning. Base cardio and high numbers of plyometric stuff to replicate the dozens of times per game that she'll need to push off the rubber.

This thought also applies to her hitting, which has drastically improved as a result of the weights. But, is it now interfering with her ability to fine tune those patterns?

What do you all do in this situation? How has it affected your athlete's performance for the good or bad?

 

[Towny9]

I've seen things online discussing the effects of strength training once the season starts, and if it should cease or change. My daughter (9th grade) is a pitcher with two years experience, and we're getting to the last phase of dialing in her accuracy for spots. We mess around with a change-up some, but spots are #1 at this very early stage of her journey.

She's been doing moderately heavy strength training with her catcher 2-3x per week, and I'm now thinking it's time to dial back the weight and/or move to plyometrics. I've seen discussion over the years about how increases in strength and/or hypertrophy can inhibit development of patterns necessary to build accuracy and consistentcy through repetition.

Essentially, small changes in size and strength are changing the basic foundation the brain has to work with.

This was very evident last night at practice as she tried to pitch 90 minutes after leg day at the gym. I also need her to start conditioning. Base cardio and high numbers of plyometric stuff to replicate the dozens of times per game that she'll need to push off the rubber.

This thought also applies to her hitting, which has drastically improved as a result of the weights. But, is it now interfering with her ability to fine tune those patterns?

What do you all do in this situation? How has it affected your athlete's performance for the good or bad?

She can (and should) continue to lift during the season. I would dial back the reps some. If she has been doing 3 sets of 8-10 I would have her do 5 sets of 5. Keep the intensity high but the reps low. Stick to the bigger lifts in the season and make sure she is stretching or doing mobility work. You have to be smarter about what days you lift on. Lifting the same day she pitches or the next day will allow for maximum rest and recovery before she throws again.

Was she throwing this off-season while she was lifting or did she take time off throwing and then recently resume throwing?

 

[Vertigo]

This was very evident last night at practice as she tried to pitch 90 minutes after leg day at the gym. I also need her to start conditioning. Base cardio and high numbers of plyometric stuff to replicate the dozens of times per game that she'll need to push off the rubber.

Do you mean she tried to pitch 90 minutes after her gym workout or she tried to pitch for 90 minutes the day after leg day? With dd, I’d see a drop off in her velocity and endurance with pitching the day after weights, so she would not workout in the 2 days before a college camp or showcase.

I, personally, would not have my dd pitching the same day of a workout, even if it is only a lesson or at practice. The muscles need recovery time.

 

[Towny9]

Do you mean she tried to pitch 90 minutes after her gym workout or she tried to pitch for 90 minutes the day after leg day? With dd, I’d see a drop off in her velocity and endurance with pitching the day after weights, so she would not workout in the 2 days before a college camp or showcase.

I, personally, would not have my dd pitching the same day of a workout, even if it is only a lesson or at practice. The muscles need recovery time.

Most trainers who work with college or pro teams recommend lifting after a game or practice on that same day (never before obviously). Most college teams I know who lift in season with their athletes lift right after the game. This is a great article on in season strength training which sums a lot of it up.

The Importance Of In-Season Strength Training For Pitchers - FloSoftball

How do you build strength and velocity with pitchers during the season? Dana Sorensen explains the do's and don'ts of training.

www.flosoftball.com

 

[Vertigo]

Most trainers who work with college or pro teams recommend lifting after a game or practice on that same day (never before obviously). Most college teams I know who lift in season with their athletes lift right after the game. This is a great article on in season strength training which sums a lot of it up.

The Importance Of In-Season Strength Training For Pitchers - FloSoftball

How do you build strength and velocity with pitchers during the season? Dana Sorensen explains the do's and don'ts of training.

www.flosoftball.com

I could definitely see lifting after a practice - but yeah, dd was definitely pretty useless if she tried to pitch afterward or the next day. I should ask her what they have her do at school once the season starts next week.

 

[Towny9]

I could definitely see lifting after a practice - but yeah, dd was definitely pretty useless if she tried to pitch afterward or the next day. I should ask her what they have her do at school once the season starts next week.

A lot of young athletes relate, soreness with having a productive workout. That is definitely not the case. You can lift and not be sore and still get a lot out of it. Each athlete is a little different and they need to find what works for them. For example, if I lift on a Monday, I feel really good on Tuesday but they delayed onset muscle soreness Hits me Wednesday pretty good.

Lifting after a game or pitching lesson actually allows for maximum recovery before you have to do it again.

Another added benefit:
It took me a while as a player to figure this out, but let’s say Sally pitches a bracket game on Sunday and lifts Sunday evening. Usually Sallys team will not practice on Monday. This means Monday can be a total off day for Sally instead of her, having to worry about getting a lift in.

 

[Vertigo]

A lot of young athletes relate, soreness with having a productive workout. That is definitely not the case. You can lift and not be sore and still get a lot out of it. Each athlete is a little different and they need to find what works for them. For example, if I lift on a Monday, I feel really good on Tuesday but they delayed onset muscle soreness Hits me Wednesday pretty good.

Lifting after a game or pitching lesson actually allows for maximum recovery before you have to do it again.

Another added benefit:
It took me a while as a player to figure this out, but let’s say Sally pitches a bracket game on Sunday and lifts Sunday evening. Usually Sallys team will not practice on Monday. This means Monday can be a total off day for Sally instead of her, having to worry about getting a lift in.

With dd it wasn’t an issue of soreness, it was more that the muscles were fatigued so she didn’t have the same strong drive or endurance off the mound afterward if she pitched the next day after a workout.

 

[Towny9]

With dd it wasn’t an issue of soreness, it was more that the muscles were fatigued so she didn’t have the same strong drive or endurance off the mound afterward if she pitched the next day after a workout.

Totally understandable. There is a lot of good information out there on the N season strength training. A lot of what we “used to know” has changed. For a long time basketball players did not lift during season for fear of messing up their shot. Now they all do. The secret is to continue to shoot while lifting and the changes are so gradual the body adapts quickly. The same goes for pitching. That’s why I asked if she took a while off from pitching this winter. If so, it may take her a bit to adapt to the new strength and body changes.

 

[Tatonka]

Great topic and timely given that my DD's just wrapped up their first full week of "official" team practices. I've been of the belief that lifting should decrease overall as they come into the season. Focus should be more on plyos, stretching, dead hangs, rowing (pyramids/HIIT), sprints, etc.. Talked with both DD's (same team) this morning and both were sore from throwing so much. Both had been lifting and working out regularly but my Pitcher hadn't been throwing as much live, full distance and my catcher had taken a few months off from hard, overhand throws due to a shoulder issue. So, a bit of soreness/fatigue is predictable and not especially troubling at this point.

I like Dana Sorenson's stuff (thank you Towny9 for sharing that!) and appreciate the depth which they go into with explanations. This will be the first "full" year for the new Head Coach at my DD's school and haven't been able to really get a handle on her philosophy as it pertains to this subject. I'll be curious to see how they approach it this year, given that the HC was pitcher herself (and is still relatively young) maybe her mindset isn't as old school as mine was.

Carry on with the discussion...good stuff!

 

[Towny9]

Great topic and timely given that my DD's just wrapped up their first full week of "official" team practices. I've been of the belief that lifting should decrease overall as they come into the season. Focus should be more on plyos, stretching, dead hangs, rowing (pyramids/HIIT), sprints, etc.. Talked with both DD's (same team) this morning and both were sore from throwing so much. Both had been lifting and working out regularly but my Pitcher hadn't been throwing as much live, full distance and my catcher had taken a few months off from hard, overhand throws due to a shoulder issue. So, a bit of soreness/fatigue is predictable and not especially troubling at this point.

I like Dana Sorenson's stuff (thank you Towny9 for sharing that!) and appreciate the depth which they go into with explanations. This will be the first "full" year for the new Head Coach at my DD's school and haven't been able to really get a handle on her philosophy as it pertains to this subject. I'll be curious to see how they approach it this year, given that the HC was pitcher herself (and is still relatively young) maybe her mindset isn't as old school as mine was.

Carry on with the discussion...good stuff!

What really resonated with me was the “strength verse speed” continuum. In season, softball practices are almost entirely beard towards the “speed” side of the continuum. The pitching motion would fall on that side. It’s important athletes maintain the “strength” side during season also.

This is, of course, if they truly have a vision to be the absolute best player they can be. If not, then none of this lifting in season stuff really applies You can’t get ahead of everyone else if you do what everyone else does (which is only lift/workout during the off-season).

Edited to add: all of these things, like most life lessons, I wished I would have learned earlier in my own career.