In-Season Guide for Pitchers

Hey There Friend!

So the training season is most likely over for you and it's time to finally PLAY BALL...yippee! If you've started playing, how is it going? Is all the "extra" time you spent training this spring showing up for your team? I sure hope so! Now, how to you plan to continue to grow and improve during your competition season? Here's 5 things that I believe are a MUST for every parent, coach and pitcher to remember:

1. Rest for 2 days out of every 7-day span.

• Rest is as important as practice throughout a busy competition season. Make sure to take 2 days completely off from pitching each week. For example, if you play Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you may take Monday off, do workouts on Tuesday and Wednesday, and rest on Thursday to be fresh and ready to go again on Friday!

2. Continue to throw bullpens and work to get BETTER!

• You work hard during training to gain SPEED, SPIN and CONTROL. Just because you are competing, you can't lose focus on those things during practice! I often see pitchers abandon the things they did to improve during training as soon as they start games and things rapidly go downhill for them. Workouts should still be very challenging! Make sure to include something to work speed, spin and control during each bullpen session.
• Need ideas for each of these things: SPEED: HERE are some quick 5-minute power workouts that can be added at the end of any practice session. SPIN: Use a spin trainer of some sort (my favorite is a SPINNER) to continue to check and improve your spins. CONTROL: If you've been following my blog this spring, I've given you LOTS of ways to work on targets. HERE are a few options to try!

3. Have someone chart games and review these at the end of the day.

• Keeping consistent charts will help pitchers stay focused on PROCESS goals throughout the season. HERE is an easy way to chart AND evaluate after each game. Seeing is believing...showing results helps a pitcher understand things to focus on during practices and the NEXT she competes!

4. Use bullpen sessions to improve areas you identified during the last game or tournament.

• Use the results from your game charts to set practice goals for the week. Let's say your first-pitch-strikes were only at 30% over the weekend. One goal for practice the next week should be to improve how to get that 1st pitch in the zone more often! Maybe you need to have a conversation with your pitcher and catcher about getting too fine on the corners on the first pitch OR maybe you are using the wrong pitch to open counts a lot. After working on it all week, charting the next game will let you know if you were able to make progress on improving!

5. You only get 1 body, take care of it!

• All pitchers that train with me are given a pre-throwing routine that includes jumping rope, dynamic stretching and band work. Those routines (or something similar) should continue throughout the season. If a pitcher has muscle soreness after a game, ice the area that is sore to help reduce the pain/inflammation. Create routines that include consistent arm care during practice or game days throughout competition season just like you do during training!

Committing to these 5 things will keep your pitchers IMPROVING and HEALTHY throughout the season. I hope you are enjoying the chance to get back to the ballpark after an extra long break. If you've gotten to play, what is the thing you've missed the most during your time away Friend? I've sure enjoyed seeing all the smiles in the pictures I've gotten of my kids getting to do what they LOVE again! I hope you are seeing lots of those wherever you are too!

Have a fabulous weekend! If you're at the ballpark, send me a picture or video of YOUR pitcher doing her thing! I'd love to see it!

All my BEST,
Myndie