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How and When to Rest When Pitching

January 7, 2009

When we rest as pitchers, during a game in between pitches, it is important that we restore our ATP. This can take up to three minutes to completely restore. More ATP in our system means more explosive energy in our muscles. The problem is in between innings we usually get a lot more than three minutes. This means we have more than enough time for our bodies to replenish ATP. The question now becomes when does our bodies begin to shut down and cool off? This happens once your heart rate drops to a resting heart rate. Those of us who have done this understand that this causes our arms and bodies to stiffen and grow sore. When this happens we must start over again and perform a proper warm up to prevent injury. In the heat of the game, warming up again usually doesn’t happen. So we jump back on the mound with that sore, stiff arm and our endorphins take care of the pain. This over time will end a career.

When our heart rate drops to a resting heart rate vasoconstriction occurs.

Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contracting of the muscular wall of the vessels. When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is restricted or slowed. It is the opposite of vasodialation, the widening of blood vessels.

This means the muscle are not being pumped with enough energy and nutrition or being flushed of waste from performance. At this point it is not a good idea to jump into the heat of battle. For example, if a race car had run out of oil or fluids and it hit the race track at full throttle, this would be a disaster for the car.

The best way to prevent your body from shutting down and cooling off between innings is to watch your heart rate. Keep your heart rate from resting to long. Your body temperature will help you measure this. If your body is cooling off then you need to get up and stay warm with resistance bands or easy short sprints. You do not want to fatigue, only keep warm. Wearing a jacket will also help keep the body warm especially the arm. Notice boxers always wearing warm clothes. Pitchers should do the same. Also take this time to put fluids, electrolytes and glucose back in your system. This with vasodialation from keeping your body warm will help replenish your system. I recommend sports drinks like Vitamin water mixed with regular water as a good source for these supplements.

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Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under Pitching Articles 
Tagged: atp, blood vessels, body temperature, body war, disaster, endorphins, explosive energy, full throttle, heat of battle, injury, muscles, muscular wall, Nutrition, performance, pitch, pitcher, pitchers, pitches, pitching, race car, resistance bands, resting heart rate, stiff arm, three minutes, timing, vasoconstriction

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