What is a Routine?
May 11, 2023
A ‘routine’ is largely seen as a way to create strength and promote health through use of structure and organization. You can use a Routine to organize your throwing program in a way to maximize rhythm and timing, power and strength or touch and feel. Having a routine will also help you condition your arm effectively and control effort. Being able to have a foundation to trace issues back too is another great reason to have a specific routine.
Having no routine while throwing is an ineffective use of time.
Your routine is the best way to track progression and conditioning over time. There are quite a few ways to build routines that stress and reinforce certain aspects of throwing. Listed below are three of the more commonly seen throwing routines:
‘Throwing distance for a volume’ is working quickly back to a longer distance and accumulating the main portion of the daily throws at such distances.
‘Throwing volumes at a distance’ is having a predetermined number of throws at each distance as you go back and come in.
‘Building capacities at long distances’ is only working back and performing a set number of throws at specified distance without working back in. Used more in rehab focused throwing programs.
Do you throw more going out or coming in?
Knowing your end goal of throws for the day can help you space out the correct amount of throws as you go back and as you come back in. We do not want to use the majority of our throws backing up to our peak distance but we also want to make sure we throw enough to become properly loose to get the most out of our command work as we work closer in.
Know the Stress to Control the Stress
Each distance provides its own effort level, but what is equally as important is to know how much you are adding to the least amount necessary. Controlling your effort throughout a routine is dictated by the distance and reps, it is not the amount of stress you physically add to each throw. Let the distance and number of throws at that distance organically be your guide to creating a routine that fits your goals.
Your Throwing Routine should include making the most of building an arm that is conditioned to be accurate and repeat effort at set distances. People can continue to strengthen their arms by building capacities at long distances, but command is achieved when using Volumes at a distance. For a pitcher, the main job and priority is being master of 60 feet 6 inches.
You do not get paid to throw long and far, you get paid for short and quick.
Keep Your Dog on a Leash
Do you know at what distance you use the most effort and why? Know the limits of how much effort is used when your delivery starts to breakdown. This awareness will allow you to learn what needs to be focused on rather than how much effort to put into the throw. Just because you can throw hard does not mean you need to throw hard every throw. Getting the most out of your delivery is postural control and ‘effort on time’.
At what distance do you use the most effort?
Do you throw your hardest going out or coming in?
Hopefully you can take something and immediately apply it. Growth starts right now where your feet are, not tomorrow.
-Rhoades
-Rhoades
