End of the year layoff from pitching AND hitting?

[GoCaboNow]

10 yo DD has thrown well over 20,000 pitches in the last 12 months. The only pain she has ever experienced was the day after her first long toss workout.

She loves pitching in practice, games, lessons, but we will shut her down for six weeks starting the end of November.

Her team has offseason batting practice twice a week. Between machine, and various toss and tee work, she probably gets in 150-200 cuts per session? She enjoys the hitting and, especially, camaraderie of these sessions. What is everyone doing? Shutting both down? Just pitching?

 

[JAD]

I highly recommend shutting down pitching from Thanksgiving to after New Years. The only year we have not shut down was last year when DD was going to college camps.

 

[JJsqueeze]

No pain? Pitch another 20K....I don't care if they can brush their hair when they are 30 but they better throw 65 by 15.

 

[JJsqueeze]

but seriously....my DD just took a month off. No harm at all, came back just fine. Rest is a good idea. Our rest month is August though.

 

[grcsftbll]

I don't think we'll be taking a full month off. My DD's 9 and obsessed. I doubt I could stop her. But we'll be slowing down and also working on some strength stuff. Probably Thanksgiving through New Years drop to a couple of relatively easy pitching practices per week then pick it back up full speed in early January. This is my kid's first year pitching so I'm still figuring things out The team will have indoor practices all winter so we'll not do a whole lot in between those for at least the last month of the year.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

10 yo DD has thrown well over 20,000 pitches in the last 12 months. The only pain she has ever experienced was the day after her first long toss workout.

She loves pitching in practice, games, lessons, but we will shut her down for six weeks starting the end of November.

Her team has offseason batting practice twice a week. Between machine, and various toss and tee work, she probably gets in 150-200 cuts per session? She enjoys the hitting and, especially, camaraderie of these sessions. What is everyone doing? Shutting both down? Just pitching?

Really comes down to where a player is relative to where they wish to be.

A #3 pitcher targeting the #1 spot may need to take advantage of the 'off-season'.

A #1 pitcher way ahead of the pack may think differently.

For many (like your hitters that are hitting twice/wk during the off-season) the game never really stops.

 

[JAD]

For many (like your hitters that are hitting twice/wk during the off-season) the game never really stops.

Pitchers can still workout in the off season - speed and agility, core strengthening, weight training, ect, but I would recommend taking at least a month a year off with no windmill pitches.

 

[grcsftbll]

I hope our #1 and 2 pitchers take it easy this winter because my dd is on fire to catch them

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I hope our #1 and 2 pitchers take it easy this winter because my dd is on fire to catch them

Exactly!

I divide the year into three seasons .... pre-season, in-season, and off-season. The biggest grains are made during the off-season.

 

[JJsqueeze]

wise farmers know the advantages to be gained from the crop rotation and letting fields lie fallow. This game never stops BS is what is ruining youth sports. Take as much time off as you want from your normal practice...go do yoga for a couple of months, or skiing, or swimming or surfing....or cross fit...stay active and do something different. Come back refreshed and ready to attack practice and you will see better gains than the kid that is practicing one thing constantly. You will be rusty for a week and then you can take advantage of the stronger thighs/better balance/extra endurance etc you gained by doing something different. Desire is the best softball skill a kid can have and absence makes the heart grow fonder.