A couple of years ago one of our most promising students injured her shoulder while lifting weights at school. She spent months in therapy. The very same thing happened with another pitcher a year later. While lifting weights something popped and she was never the same.
During that same time one of our bright young prospects was taking part in a very popular exercise program. She injured her back and spent months in therapy. Another student came to see me after a few months’ absence saying she had taken some time to build up her muscles. She developed shoulders like a linebacker and was so tight and stiff that her form had completely fallen apart. These incidents made me realize how much confusion there is about strength training for softball players.
Softball pitchers and players have very specific needs. How do you address these? It takes someone very familiar with the specific needs of the female athlete and who is knowledgeable about the latest advances in strength training.
Most pitchers do not need to get a lot stronger, but to focus on muscle balance, stability, flexibility, and mobility. Our focus should be on doing the right things for her, in the right way, and at the right time.
It is important that she know how to exercise. We often see kids trying to do an exercise, but because they were not trained properly, they are compensating. In other words, they are putting too much stress on the wrong part of the body, building more strength in areas where they are already strong, and neglecting areas that need to be developed. Even if she does the exercise correctly, often she does too many reps or does not allow proper recovery time. The benefit is not realized, and it can cause harm in many cases.
It gets confusing. This is why we began the Softball Performance Network. We want you to know how to exercise properly. We begin with a basic program that works the entire body, primarily helping you learn about technique, recovery times, to activate dormant muscles, and to establish the self-discipline that goes with a good program. But, for those who are ready to take it to the next level, we will soon be talking about customization. How can we identify your specific needs and design programs just for you. Details are coming soon. For many of you, this is the most important part.
When in doubt, do nothing. Doing the wrong things can have serious consequences. For more information, check the Strength Training tab on our website.
