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Life Lessons Life Lesson #55: Off-Season Throwing Loads Use the off-season / winter ball months for development This is an excerpt from Dan Keller?s new book: Coaching the Beginning Pitcher, Version II. With new chapters on coaching Mound Presence, Picks, Fundamental Drills, Pitcher?s Mentality, and Training and Taking care of the arm, Coaching the Beginning Pitcher will be available mid-September. The book is available through the Lifeletics.com products pages. Earlier, the topic of arm health was discussed relevant to a spring baseball season. A coach?s responsibility at that time is to guide pitchers through a structured throwing program, building arm strength, increasing pitch counts, and developing stamina over the course of a 4- to 5-month spring season. Things are different in the off-season months, when athletes should be allowed to rest and recuperate to ensure a healthy and strong arm for the following season. By significantly limiting off-season inning and pitch count levels, coaches can allow room for growth without requiring a young arm to maintain a full throwing load for an entire calendar year. The off-season is a time for pitchers to work on mechanics and mound fundamentals. Focus on creating efficient mound time developing an offspeed pitch, throwing inside to opposing batters, changing speeds and locations, etc. Outings should be limited to 35 to 55 pitches, enough to allow adequate mound practice time without wearing down the arm. It is useful to look at throwing load for a full year. A young athlete?s throwing load will increase significantly during the beginning months of the spring baseball season (January to March). Peak throwing loads are reached through the heart of the in-season months (April to June). A steady decline in workload follows during the summer and into the winter months. It is during these months when pitch counts should be held much lower than in the spring. Winter league games and practices provide the opportunity to sharpen skills in an environment fostering growth and progress. There is no need for an athlete to throw complete games in the winter or in an off-season tournament. Really, what good does it do? The arm cannot physically maintain a full throwing load throughout the year? it?s simply too much stress on growing muscles and joints. Keep pitch counts low, and work mechanics. Leave the heavy throwing for the spring! A final component to the pitcher?s year is rest. The young arm needs complete and total breaks. Good times to find 3 to 5 weeks for total rest are immediately following the spring season (or allstars), as well as the end of the calendar year. |
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