The Process of Long Toss-Part 3

We are now on the third post in regards to the long toss process.  How far you should throw a baseball during your long toss program and how much time you should spend throwing during a long toss program have already been discussed.  So let's move on to the next process...

How Often Should I Throw?

The question you really want to ask is how often should I not throw.  Becoming a successful pitcher in baseball is obviously a very tough thing to accomplish.  The amount of work that needs to be put in over the years is truly astounding.  Of course, it is never truly work if you love the game and are enjoying the process, but time spent is definitely needed.  Whether you are a young athlete in little league or a more established pitcher at the college or professional level, you should be throwing at least four to six times a week during the off season and five to seven times a week in season.

Now, this is where an individual pitcher and maybe even their parents, depending on their age, need to monitor what is going on.  Even though I say you basically need to be throwing everyday of the week in season and off season, there needs to be a complete resting period as well.  After the end of a season there should be an extended period of complete rest.  This means do not throw a baseball at all.  The amount of time a pitcher should take off is really up to them.  The questions you could ask yourself are how long was the season, how many innings did you throw during the season, and how long do you have before the next season begins.  A rule of thumb would be somewhere around three weeks.  For a young little league athlete, taking time off could be easier because they usually are playing different sports throughout the year and so time off of baseball virtually takes care of itself.  However, if you truly want to become an outstanding pitcher, don't wait until the next baseball season to start throwing again.  Take your needed time off after the season is over but then work in throwing sessions while you are still playing the other sports.

What I am referring to when I list the amount of days during a week a young kid or adult athlete needs to throw in the off season is when they are gearing up for a season.  A high school, collegiate or professional athlete may need two months or longer before a season begins.  A little league aged athlete may only need a couple months or less prior to a season.  For a little league athlete it really depends on how serious they are at becoming a prospective collegiate or professional athlete.  If so, they may want as much time to prepare for a season as a professional.  I have heard stories of kids throwing all year around from very early in their lives.  However, if you have taken some time off between seasons and from your throwing schedule, take your time as you first start out working back into throwing shape.  Start with a smaller amount of days that you throw during the week and work up to more.  Also, make the workouts less intense at first until you know you are in shape to handle more.  Once you get back into the flow of things and you know you are in top throwing shape you could add in mound sessions to work on things for the upcoming season.