Why do pitchers run either after just pitching a game or the next day?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
We generally do this to increase our heart rate and promote blood flow throughout the body, to reduce and perhaps get rid of lactic acid that's been building up in the arm and elsewhere, and to start the all-important repair and regeneration process.
It's also a good idea to consume nutrient dense foods or a recovery shake immediately following a game (30 minutes) and throughout the next 24-48 hours.
It's also a good idea to consume nutrient dense foods or a recovery shake immediately following a game (30 minutes) and throughout the next 24-48 hours.
dont run right after you pitch, ice your arm. run the next day. running after you pitch causes you to tear apart your muscle fibers in your legs ( which always occurs when running) and than instead of using all the possible energy and nutrients your body has to repair the arm it repairs the legs and then your slowly digging a hole where your arm wont fully recover.
for example how many major league pitchers disappear into the clubhouse to run after they pitch, none? ive almost always seen them sitting in the dugout icing watching the game.
for example how many major league pitchers disappear into the clubhouse to run after they pitch, none? ive almost always seen them sitting in the dugout icing watching the game.
quote:Originally posted by gimages:
Why do pitchers run either after just pitching a game or the next day?
Because coaches dont like pitchers. They get in the way during practice, and are marginal shaggers at best. Sending them off for a half hour run or so gives the coaches a chance to work with the real players for a while...
quote:Because coaches dont like pitchers. They get in the way during practice, and are marginal shaggers at best. Sending them off for a half hour run or so gives the coaches a chance to work with the real players for a while.
I love it!!
I have to disagree - coaches love pitchers - who else chases the foul balls down the street and into the poison oak?
.
.
quote:Originally posted by bakstop007:
dont run right after you pitch, ice your arm. run the next day. running after you pitch causes you to tear apart your muscle fibers in your legs ( which always occurs when running) and than instead of using all the possible energy and nutrients your body has to repair the arm it repairs the legs and then your slowly digging a hole where your arm wont fully recover.
for example how many major league pitchers disappear into the clubhouse to run after they pitch, none? ive almost always seen them sitting in the dugout icing watching the game.
I thought I read somewhere that Johan Santana rides a bike for 30 minutes after he pitches. I agree that icing the arm is a must but waiting until the next day to run? Any other comments on this? Steve what is your take on this?
quote:Originally posted by Fungo:quote:Because coaches dont like pitchers. They get in the way during practice, and are marginal shaggers at best. Sending them off for a half hour run or so gives the coaches a chance to work with the real players for a while.
I love it!!
I do too! Pitchers like being pitchers, they get to run while others have to put up with the shag BS on the field at practice.
Everyone is different, generally what works for one may not work for another and may depend on pitch count, etc.
quote:Originally posted by bakstop007:
dont run right after you pitch, ice your arm. run the next day. running after you pitch causes you to tear apart your muscle fibers in your legs ( which always occurs when running) and than instead of using all the possible energy and nutrients your body has to repair the arm it repairs the legs and then your slowly digging a hole where your arm wont fully recover.
Huh? Steve Ellis has it right. Running after pitching reduces the lactic acid promoting recovery. Bum, Jr. has always run after pitching and he has never had a "repair" issue as you mentioned. Those major-leaguers you see disappear into the clubhouse are jumping on cardio bikes to do the same thing.
Quote: I agree that icing the arm is a must but waiting until the next day to run? Any other comments on this?
Keep in mind that not everyone ices after pitching, nor it is a MUST. Most do it, but some pitchers prefer to not ice. One pretty good pitcher who never ices comes to mind. He once said "My dad likes to say that ice is only good for two things, rehabbing injuries, and my drinks." The guy that said that is a little guy who's never had any arm troubles, and he's not too shabby.
His name is Tim Lincecum.
Keep in mind that not everyone ices after pitching, nor it is a MUST. Most do it, but some pitchers prefer to not ice. One pretty good pitcher who never ices comes to mind. He once said "My dad likes to say that ice is only good for two things, rehabbing injuries, and my drinks." The guy that said that is a little guy who's never had any arm troubles, and he's not too shabby.
His name is Tim Lincecum.
I agree with Steve Ellis. It is also important not to run too hard as that builds up lactic acid. Icing is not a must but it also helps speed up repair. It is also important to ice properly and not to over ice.
quote:Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
I agree with Steve Ellis. It is also important not to run too hard as that builds up lactic acid. Icing is not a must but it also helps speed up repair. It is also important to ice properly and not to over ice.
Lactic acid is good and not bad.
Who said it was bad. It causes stiffness and aching when it is not flushed properly but won't kill you.
quote:Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
Who said it was bad. It causes stiffness and aching...
This has been shown to not be the case.
See the article "Lactic Acid is Not Muscles' Foe, It's Fuel"...
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/health/nutrition/16run.html
quote:...when it is not flushed properly but won't kill you.
Therefore, there is no need to flush it out of the system.
That is correct if you don't mind a little stiffness, muscle ache plus a longer recovery time.
I have never heard anyone say not to let lactic acid occur. Sounds like a sales pitch.
I have never heard anyone say not to let lactic acid occur. Sounds like a sales pitch.
One thing Bum, Jr. has always done the day before pitching is alternately ice and heat. He will ice 10-15 minutes, then heat 10-15 minutes, etc. for 3 cycles. It seems to help him loosen up the muscles in the arm.
deemax-
I thought it was because they didn't know how to fight
I thought it was because they didn't know how to fight
Can anyone tell us the state that lactic acid comes into play? I find it hard to believe that lactic acid is an issue for a pitcher if you understand energy systems.
Is long distance running good or bad for baseball players?
Baseball is a power sport with many short explosive bursts of energy. Long distance running works your aerobic energy system, a system that is never used in baseball. Some studies show that it can actually cause a decrease in speed. Sprints are a much more effective when designing a conditioning program for baseball players.
Some people argue that long distance running helps get lactic acid out of your arm, especially the day after you pitch. The problem with that is there is very little if any lactic acid in your arm after a pitching performance. For lactic acid to build up, you have to perform at full effort for at least 20 seconds consecutively. PItchers use one explosive burst for less than one second at a time and then rest for at least 12 seconds. There is no lactic acid build-up. The soreness in your arm is more likely caused from a bunch of micro-tears in your muscles from the repeated explosive movements. Doing a series of longer sprints will get the blood flowing to these micro-tears just as well as a long distance run.
Personally, through research and my own personal experience ice DOES do more damage than good.
If you have a muscle injury, then yes, ice is good. You do not want to get compartment syndrome, therefore ice helps.
However, a lot to most of baseball injuries, especially pitching, involves tendons and ligaments.
If it comes to tendon or ligament injuries, which a lot of sports injuries are, then ice is bad. Tendons and ligaments have a very limited blood supply. In order for the healing process to occur, we want blood, we want blood flow. Heating an injury that involves a tendon or ligament brings blood to the area to increase and speed up the healing process.
It is thought that pitching produces lactic acid because of the pain that can result after pitching. This cannot be though. Only anaerobic exercise creates lactate which is caused by fermentation after glycolysis if there is an oxygen debt. This oxygen "debt" comes from the rest interval not being great enough in relation to the work. In pitching, the work interval is far less than 1 second and usually around .2 of a second. The rest interval is usually somewhere in the neighborhood of usually around 12 seconds, but can be even greater or lesser, it depends on how fast the pitcher works. Rest to work inteval of 12 to 1 is NOT anaerobic. If the work interval is less than 1 second, like closer to .2, then you can see that the rest to work interval gets increased. Again, NOT anaerobic So as you can see, pitching is NOT and cannot be anaerobic and CANNOT produce lactate.
Therefore, running, which would turn lactate back into pyruvate and thus eliminate the pain associated with lactic acid in the muscles, CANNOT help a pitcher recover because pitching is not anaerobic.
Hope this helps everyone.
Is long distance running good or bad for baseball players?
Baseball is a power sport with many short explosive bursts of energy. Long distance running works your aerobic energy system, a system that is never used in baseball. Some studies show that it can actually cause a decrease in speed. Sprints are a much more effective when designing a conditioning program for baseball players.
Some people argue that long distance running helps get lactic acid out of your arm, especially the day after you pitch. The problem with that is there is very little if any lactic acid in your arm after a pitching performance. For lactic acid to build up, you have to perform at full effort for at least 20 seconds consecutively. PItchers use one explosive burst for less than one second at a time and then rest for at least 12 seconds. There is no lactic acid build-up. The soreness in your arm is more likely caused from a bunch of micro-tears in your muscles from the repeated explosive movements. Doing a series of longer sprints will get the blood flowing to these micro-tears just as well as a long distance run.
Personally, through research and my own personal experience ice DOES do more damage than good.
If you have a muscle injury, then yes, ice is good. You do not want to get compartment syndrome, therefore ice helps.
However, a lot to most of baseball injuries, especially pitching, involves tendons and ligaments.
If it comes to tendon or ligament injuries, which a lot of sports injuries are, then ice is bad. Tendons and ligaments have a very limited blood supply. In order for the healing process to occur, we want blood, we want blood flow. Heating an injury that involves a tendon or ligament brings blood to the area to increase and speed up the healing process.
It is thought that pitching produces lactic acid because of the pain that can result after pitching. This cannot be though. Only anaerobic exercise creates lactate which is caused by fermentation after glycolysis if there is an oxygen debt. This oxygen "debt" comes from the rest interval not being great enough in relation to the work. In pitching, the work interval is far less than 1 second and usually around .2 of a second. The rest interval is usually somewhere in the neighborhood of usually around 12 seconds, but can be even greater or lesser, it depends on how fast the pitcher works. Rest to work inteval of 12 to 1 is NOT anaerobic. If the work interval is less than 1 second, like closer to .2, then you can see that the rest to work interval gets increased. Again, NOT anaerobic So as you can see, pitching is NOT and cannot be anaerobic and CANNOT produce lactate.
Therefore, running, which would turn lactate back into pyruvate and thus eliminate the pain associated with lactic acid in the muscles, CANNOT help a pitcher recover because pitching is not anaerobic.
Hope this helps everyone.
Thanks Essex- You nailed alot of misconceptions from the science side. Baseball is slowly evolving into real science. People are finally getting away from static stretching before an activity and using dynamic stretching while raising the core temperature.
Excellent post Essex.
I have heard that before and that is why our pitchers don't run or ice unless a tough outting which is arobic. We generalluse a 4 inning bench mark.
Long distant running is differet than a ligth jog which won't build up lactica acid. Lactic acid is good for strenuos pitching but if you donot flush with a light jog you will feel stiff. Proper icing is used to cool down and should be applied at intervals. Icing doesn't mean you freeze the arm. That is a common misunderstanding. Micro tears are injuries and cooling does help.
Long distant running is differet than a ligth jog which won't build up lactica acid. Lactic acid is good for strenuos pitching but if you donot flush with a light jog you will feel stiff. Proper icing is used to cool down and should be applied at intervals. Icing doesn't mean you freeze the arm. That is a common misunderstanding. Micro tears are injuries and cooling does help.
