Taking a break

[SamG]

FJR-

I'm just bringing this up for discussion, I'm not trying to 2nd guess you (this is my dilemma). Are you worried about her tryout performance after not picking up a softball for almost a month? Especially pitching... I would think it's almost like a golf swing... "don't use it, lose it".

I'm not opposed to giving my DD a break, but I don't want to spend two months "relearning" everything again. That's why I'm thinking give her a two week break, do fall ball, then another two weeks (MAYBE a month) and pick back up after Thanksgiving. I don't know.

 

[halskinner]

Forgot to answer this... Hands together, then throwing hand drops and rotates backward (to about 7 o'clock), then forward around the windmill.

Her arm was bending at the top and we seem to have gotten that beat, now it's from the T-position forward. Her coach says it's because she's trying to put some extra "oomph" on the ball at the end and that's making her mechanics fail.

I am assuming her stride foot is coming forward of the rubber before her throwing hand even comes forward enough to reach her hip. If so, have her try to delay starting her stride until the hand reaches the hip. And make sure she has that slight bend in the elbow right from the start and all the way through the circle. If at any point in the circle her elbow is straight, that effectively locks out the large muscles in the upper arm from contributing to ball speed, it slows down the arm circle.

That is what it sounds like is happening.

Hal

PS; The last year I played competitively, we played in 2 different leagues during the week, had 2 practices a week and played EVERY single weekends in tourneys from the first weekend in March to the last weekend in September.

We then took Oct and Nov off. We started practicng 2 times a week again in December, again our first tourney was always the first weekend in March.

Give her some time off but give her ample time to get back in the groove before she competes again. Dureing the off time, be her catcher and simply play catch a couple times a week. Dont work on anything in particular, just play catch.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I , personally, did not want time off. If there was no game or practice, I found someone to throw with.

I would keep doing what you are doing, as long as she is happy. What happens if you don't ask her to practice or go to lessons? Does she mention it? If you go 2 days, w/o catching for her, is she asking to throw?

If she wants to throw and hit, let her.

My muscles, hurt after a couple of days of inactivity. It seems like, I have to work out or something starts building in my muscles.

She might want to run a little, too.

 

[greatbasin]

Last year I gave my 10U DD no break. Infact, we ramped up into try-outs in September and buy November she was seeing a doctor for arm pain and then a PT guy until March to get rid of that pain...she had a growth plate, overuse injury. She lost months of team and pitching practice and couldn't play volleyball that winter. Lesson learned...kids especially young kids, need time off, not only for their minds but for their bodies, too.

 

[SamG]

I , personally, did not want time off. If there was no game or practice, I found someone to throw with.

I would keep doing what you are doing, as long as she is happy. What happens if you don't ask her to practice or go to lessons? Does she mention it? If you go 2 days, w/o catching for her, is she asking to throw?

I'd have to go back to the winter/early spring, but no, she wouldn't ask to throw. We'd generally schedule our (as opposed to team) practices in advance... (ex: on Saturday I'd say "OK, we need to pitch two days this week, when do you want to?" When that day got there, I'd say ok, let's pitch and she'd grab her glove). If I didn't say anything she'd sit like a bump on a log in front of the computer or TV. A couple times it seems like she's just going through the motions for me, and I'd ask if she wants to stop pitching and she'd say "no". She likes team practice and pitching lessons... practicing with me, not so much.

If she wants to throw and hit, let her.

She might want to run a little, too.

See note about sitting in front of TV & computer. lol

 

[SamG]

I am assuming her stride foot is coming forward of the rubber before her throwing hand even comes forward enough to reach her hip. If so, have her try to delay starting her stride until the hand reaches the hip.

You're talking about the first time her hand comes forward, right? Just want to make sure.

And make sure she has that slight bend in the elbow right from the start and all the way through the circle. If at any point in the circle her elbow is straight, that effectively locks out the large muscles in the upper arm from contributing to ball speed, it slows down the arm circle.

"loose" arm as opposed to "tense" arm, right?

 

[halskinner]

You're talking about the first time her hand comes forward, right? Just want to make sure.

"loose" arm as opposed to "tense" arm, right?

The force placed against the throwing shoulder at release point is equal to that of your body weight.

I dont know what you weigh, however, imagine a dumbell that weighs what you weigh. You put your hand around the bar and have someone duct tape the crap out of it, enough so it will hang onto your hand without you using any grip, totally relaxed.

Now stand up anmd have a couple guys lift the dumbell for you.

Now have them let go of the dumbell but dont bend your elbow at all, keep it straight. Keep your arm totally relaxed.

Hold that weight up with ONLY your shoulder muscles.

If you even think about trying to do that, you are a fool!.

Why would you want your daughter to have her arm 'Loose' or as relaxed as you seem to be describing?

You keep a slight bend in the elbows so the large muscles, ligamates and tendons help protect against the strain that is caused. If you dont keep it bent and use those muscles, you'll tear your shoulder up, just like you will with that dumbell.

 

[NWIN]

DD got virtually no break last summer (maybe 2 weeks) and started right in with practices/Fall Ball while doing volleyball at same time. Worked out all winter with BP once a week, hitting/fielding once a week, speed and agility training twice a week. Then in spring ran track and played spring season sb season w/younger team and right into travel season with regular team all summer. Has been doing summer gym class 5 hours/day for the last 5 weeks and 2 hours of volleyball conditioning for 2 weeks this past month. We go for MRI next week for severe shoulder pain. Praying at this point it is overuse - sure sounds like it huh? She decided to quit volleyball (thank God). If not a tear she will have to take 4-6 weeks off and do PT anyway. Learned the hard way. The body can only do so much. Looking forward to much needed rest and being a mall rat. PS - she isn't even a pitcher!

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

DD takes a little over a month off (from softball) in December through the first part of January. She still sees pitching/skills coach every other weekend for 2 hours and pitches for about 1/2 hour 3 times per week during this "break", just no 3 hour practices or tournaments. She also plays basketball during the break for the conditioning, and because she likes to play basketball.

When we started softball practice in mid January she was raring to go and hasn't stopped since.

Her coach asked her if she needs a break between spring and summer ball and she looked at him like he was an alien - she said "No Way"!

 

[tmolina]

ttt

my DD is 10 and taking weekly lessons. We took two weeks off during 4th of July break and when she went back to her next lesson she was throwing harder, and her mechanics were great. I think the break did her good both mentally and physically. Give her some time off.