What Should I Do During Practice, Exactly?
/Everyone values efficiency. When we go to the gym, we usually don’t want to spend any more time there than necessary. That’s why we need direction—a specific workout plan that guides us from good to great in the fewest steps possible.
Efficiency isn’t just about getting results; it’s also about how quickly we achieve them. The process is as important as the result because the process brings enjoyment.
Below is my idea of what a good practice should look like, whether you’re planning it by day, week, or year.
My approach is inspired by two key sources: Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, mental game coaches for golf star Annika Sorenstam, who emphasize that "every shot must have a purpose," and Cindy Bristow, author of The Complete Book of Pitching. Additionally, I incorporate insights from other sports psychologists and experts.
Nilsson and Marriott suggest three ways to structure practice:
Maintenance: This involves the nuts and bolts of your pitching mechanics—building fundamentals and neural pathways.
Game Prep: Mental preparation through scrimmages and games—simulation and competition.
Future: Learning new skills, making significant changes, and advancing to the next level, whether in fundamentals or the mental game.
The balance of maintenance, game prep, and future practice will vary depending on the season. As the season approaches, there should be more focus on game prep and less on learning new things. The offseason is ideal for developing new skills.
When you ask, “How much time should I spend teaching my daughter new pitches when she can’t even throw a strike?” refer to the chart below for guidance. You can apply this formula to a day or week of practice, depending on your scheduling preferences.
Neural pathways are essentially muscle memory. Once a pitcher has repeated her motion correctly enough times, she no longer needs to think about it. Remember what I always say in practice: How do you improve accuracy with this pitch? The answer is to focus on the target and throw with full effort. This is how a pitcher establishes her release point. Every time she forgets to focus on the target, her brain also forgets to build the neural pathway that connects what she sees to how her hand moves. Every missed opportunity slows her down and alters her timing, making it a waste of practice.
Here’s how I recommend structuring your pitching practice:
It's clear why a pitcher needs to practice year-round. If she skips the offseason, there’s no time during the preseason to make significant changes that could positively impact her future. Attempting to do so would disrupt her accuracy too much. If she skips preseason training, she won’t have enough time to build the neural pathways for all the new skills she's learned. Pitchers should focus on competition, not mechanics, when in-game. Missing in-season training allows bad habits, which haven’t been reinforced through neural pathways, to resurface.
There is one exception to the manipulation of seasonal training percentages.
Players must reach a certain level of competency, typically after about one full year of weekly pitching school or formal instruction, regardless of age, before they transition into seasonal training. Before reaching this level, there’s nothing to maintain because they haven’t fully learned it yet. That’s why it’s crucial not to wait until in-season to start learning how to pitch. She’ll miss the opportunity for game preparation training and maintenance. As you've learned, maintenance is how pitchers refine their release points, improving accuracy.
Get ready for the launch of our NEW online program this offseason—it's the missing link you've been waiting for. This program will seamlessly connect the maintenance, game prep and future sections of each practice together throughout the seasons. It's designed to help you build strong, lasting habits and give you the confidence that you're on the right track. Plus, you'll receive encouragement and recognition from your coach and teammates as you put in the work. There’s a reason I named it “Practice” Pro—because it’s all about helping you practice smarter and achieve your goals!
