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jscoda
123 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 12:15:34
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Does running after a game help a pitcher (or any other player) remove toxins in their muscles? Win or lose, does running have any positive impact on the players? If so, do the Braves run in a secret area after the game? This is the reasoning behind our coaching staff and running after games. |
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Hammer
15 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 18:06:16
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I know it is used as an alternative to icing by some coaches for their pitchers. According to the articles I have read, running as late as the next day will help as much as an immediate postgame run. I'm not sure there is enough study to absolutely say that running should be done in lieu of ice. |
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Pronate
156 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 23:45:25
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JS/Hammer
Running and/or icing after a game has the same effect, Running is an active blood flow activity. Icing is a passive blood flow activity. Personally, I don't like to see teams lining up doing sprints after games. There is a certain amout of adrenaline that goes with playing a competitive baseball game. After a game, the last thing I'd want to do is run. I can't imagine that the kids want to run after a game. I do think it's a good idea to incorporate running into every pratice and all players should do speed-ups before the games.
Now let's move on to my favorite subject - pitchers.
Some believe that pitching is an anaerobic activity and thus creates lactic acid. It is this lactic acid that jogging after you pitch or icing is supposed to remove. The work to rest ratio in pitching is too great, however, to qualify pitching as an anaerobic exercise. Therefore, there is no lactic acid to rid the body of. Think of pitching as a ballistic activity.
There is, however, a certain amount of trauma in the traditional pitching motion. Therfore, it probably is a good idea to have the pitchers ice or go for a slow jog around the outside of the field after a game or after they pitch. To make pitchers feel special, I would have them all jog once around the perimeter of the field at some point during or after a game. After a gut wrenching loss, I would not have kids do any jogging.
As for icing, I'll spare you the science but make sure the kids place the ice in 1 gallon zip lock plastic bags and place the ice directly on the skin. It does no good to have a t-shirt between the bag of ice and the skin. You should leave the ice on the skin for about 20 minutes after you feel the pain sensation. If pitchers want to ice after a game, I would certainly let them. If they don't I would not make them. The jog is probably better anyway but I do get a kick out of seeing kids with ice on their arms.
Icing does not restrict blood flow as many believe.
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Edited by - Pronate on 05/13/2008 10:30:24 |
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