would like opinions

[son who is sidearm]

this past year my son(now 13) was finally given the chance to pitch in LL and he did very well i would say. he made it a piont to let me know he wanted to pitch and make school team. so i made it a piont once LL was over to work with him as much as possible.

he has not stopped throwing for the past year. thru out the past year we would long toss at least 2-3 times a week with 10 throws from 45,60, 75 and 90 ft and throw from the mound at least once a week with about 50-60 pitches. in the fall the H.S. pitching coach saw him throwing with me and invited him to work out in a after school lifting and long toss program. he is still doing the lifting at home 3-4 times a week (isometric lifting by the way core and upper body)and now that he has made the school team and is a pitcher only and throws every other day throwing 30-40 pitches and warm ups every day.

i know he will want to play babe ruth when it starts up and if allowed to pitch he is maxed to 7 innings a week.

i have read so much about kids hurting their arms and possible growth plate problems.

we already have 1 kid on the dl with elbow problems(8th grade player) and 1 kid out with a shoulder problem (basketball injury)

my son is not big by any means he is 5'3 and maybe 90lbs soaking wet. but throws in the mid 60's. he was gunned at try outs throwing [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 61 and hit 66 once throwin nothing but fastballs. he throws 4 seam 2- 2seams and a cutter (still working on change up).


he has not complained of pain in his shoulder or elbow. soar but not pain

my question is should we countinue with his off season routine this year or slow it down

[devilsadvocate]

Take a look at this presentation by Dr. James Andrews. Dr. Andrews is the foremost Tommy John surgeon in the country (world?) and this presentation will give you some good insights from a medical perspective.

Here is the ASMI position statement on things like pitch counts, periodization, etc.

With young kids, I personally believe in the concepts of short-term and long-term overuse. Based on my experiences, preventing short-term overuse isn't enough to prevent long-term overuse. Therefore, I highly recommend periodization (taking at least 2 months off each year) for kids.

[glovemedic]

Take a look at this presentation by Dr. James Andrews. Dr. Andrews is the foremost Tommy John surgeon in the country (world?) and this presentation will give you some good insights from a medical perspective.

Thanks for posting the link to the presentations. I just got finished looking at all 3 and there is clearly pause for reflection. As an aside, the work presented by Dr. Andrews and his colleagues does meet the criteria of the scientific method and we should all feel compelled to track down the "data rich" studies published in the Jour Sports Med referenced in the presentation for further consideration.

[son who is sidearm]

devil its funny u should mention dr. andrews since his clinic is in my state. i also have his booklet on pitching which has exercises to do and throwing regaments. i had forgotten i had it. when i got it i put it up cause my son was not pitching at that time but thought it might come in handy later.

also so u know when he says he is soar we dont do any kind of work lifting or throwing

[Go Cardinals]

devil its funny u should mention dr. andrews since his clinic is in my state. i also have his booklet on pitching which has exercises to do and throwing regaments. i had forgotten i had it. when i got it i put it up cause my son was not pitching at that time but thought it might come in handy later.

also so u know when he says he is soar we dont do any kind of work lifting or throwing

Lifting at 13?

[son who is sidearm]

yes card he lifts a few times a week using light weights. either 5 lbs dumb bells, e-z curl bar with 10-20 lbs and a olympic bar with maybe 10 lbs on it. he sometimes skips a week if he is tired or just dont want to lift. most of his work out is isometric and light weight and 3 rep type

[APPpitch]

Turn isometrics into plyometrics and reverse the ratio of long tossing and pitching off a mound, and you'll be set in a good direction for the rest of the year.

Pitch 1 game a week. Tired is good, sore is a warning, pain is your fault for not heeding the warning. Monitor, encourage and learn so that you can teach him. Don't rely on others to get him through.

Keep it positive.

-scott

[Go Cardinals]

yes card he lifts a few times a week using light weights. either 5 lbs dumb bells, e-z curl bar with 10-20 lbs and a olympic bar with maybe 10 lbs on it. he sometimes skips a week if he is tired or just dont want to lift. most of his work out is isometric and light weight and 3 rep type

I was worried he was heavy lifting at 13... that wouldn't be too smart, lol

[son who is sidearm]

card ya i go strictly what the HS pitching coach says on the lifting nothing but light weight he wont start doing more till he hits HS. and the coach told me yesterday no lifting till he says .

appPitch i do not throw with him since the junior high PC took over who is also being instructed by the HS PC on what he wants done. from what my son tells me he throws from the mound every other day. 30-40 warm up throws from 60, 75, 90 and then 30-40 from the mound and light warm ups on the days he does not touch the mound and runs 10-20 poles a day

[Jake Patterson]

card ya i go strictly what the HS pitching coach says on the lifting nothing but light weight he wont start doing more till he hits HS. and the coach told me yesterday no lifting till he says .

T's, Y's and I's are really the key for pitchers. this is done with light weights (5lbs) Again, Doyle and MAxx can provide more information.