How do you keep your body intact over the course of a weekend tournament?

y-o-y

New Member
** I posted this same question on Reddit at r/softball, so if cross-posting is against the rules, please delete this - and if you replied over there you can ignore this one! **

After a nearly 20 year break, at age 46, I started playing in a local league this season. I am pretty healthy so despite my age (and the degraded speed that comes with it), I still play in the outfield and I run the bases pretty hard.

My team plays two games every Sunday, sometimes with an hour between games, sometimes back-to-back. Early season I was pretty sore the next day, but now my body has adjusted to the pattern and I am sure to get everything warmed up and loose before play with a focus on my lower half.
This past weekend, we had a 90 minute break between games and my body freaked the f out. Knees, hips, hamstrings all went nuts the first time I hit the gas to track down a liner in the gap.

I have 2 weekend tournaments coming up, 4 GG each. With more play and longer waits between games, I am not confident my body is going to hold up without employing some specific strategies and tactics to help.

What does the collective wisdom of this forum recommend I do to keep my body operational during these weekend tournaments?
(The answer for next season is "incorporate sprinting into my regular fitness program so your body is adapted" but that won't help me next weekend!)
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
I'm not quite as old as you (42), but I feel the pull of old age while playing softball as well.

Hydration is probably the most important thing. If you aren't drinking enough water you'll notice stiff/sore muscles and joints, like you mentioned. Dehydration happens fast. You can go from feeling great to feeling weak and sore in no time. Make sure you drink at least a liter of water before your first game, and continue through the day as needed.

Take an anti-inflammatory like Aleve in the morning after breakfast before a tourny. I find something like that helps a lot to alleviate soreness throughout the day. Don't go nuts with these. 1 will do.

Also, softball can't be your only source of exercise. Run or ride a bike regularly, as well as stretching. Get your body used to moving around regularly. Only being active 1 day a week won't cut it, and you'll continually be sore after softball. Stretch for 5-10 minutes before your first game. Also, take a jog around the field to get everything moving a little. Sprinting won't be necessary. Just get your legs loose to the point that you can run easily without stiffness or pain. If you have a long break between games, jog a little to stay loose. Sitting in cold weather for 3-4 hours between games does nothing but make you stiff again.

Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, especially if it's really hot out. A couple beers won't hurt, but don't let yourself get dehydrated by drinking beer. If you do have some beers, mix in water and Powerade as well.

Do NOT drink alcohol the night before leagues/tournies. I find that doing so leaves me dehydrated and disrupts sleep. Nothing worse than waking up before a tourny feeling really tired and stiff.

Work out during the offseason. Integrate some basic weightlifting as well as walking, running, and bicycling. For weightlifting, I recommend low weight, high reps. Also, do things like walking lunges and squats with dumbbells. They make a huge difference in keeping your legs strong and loose.
 

y-o-y

New Member
Thanks for the great feedback above. The good and bad news is I am doing a lot of this already
  • I'm AF, so none of the problems beer introduces before, during or between games
  • I walk 3 miles every morning and workout 5x weekly with a mix of cardio and bodyweight training/calesthenics using a push/pull/squat model
  • I dedicate 30 minutes to pre-game warm-up - most of it lower body with a little throwing to top it off
  • I try to maximize hydration, but it is not the first thing on my mind.

I will definitely be even more intentional about hydration and experiment with a prophylactic anti-inflammatory.

One other thing I picked up on reddit not mentioned above is "don't go all-out all the time". I am full-effort player, but save a little by not going for the hustle double or trying to beat out an infield single on either side of a blow-out, especially when playing 3+ games per day for two consecutive days.
 

ogWarlock78

Addicted to Softballfans
????????? The summer I turned 42 is when my serious playing time took off - as a shortstop!
Hell, I don't remember turning 42!
I'm 67, play LCF on my 65 tourney team (pinch run when Im not already on base) and play 2B on a .45+ league team. I just have to smile at pups wondering how to survive anything. (hopefully no offense...none intended. This thread just made me smile as I think of days gone by)
 

defos

Well-Known Member
I'll be 68 next month, and I still play 3rd vs the young guys. Sunday, one of the guys we were playing was talking to the ump about getting old. I think he said he's 42. The ump is about my age. We laughed at the guy. He said, "Anybody over 40 is old out here!" He needs to take another look. 40 isn't old in that league. Aside from a couple of young teams, it's probably about the average.
 

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
It's amazing how much whining the youngsters do on the field. My body didn't start really breaking down until I was closing in on 50. smh.

On tournament day I bring a big gallon thermos of water mixed with Sunkist lime powdered mix, Propel powdered mix, and some type of energy mix. Nature's Valley crunchy oat bars and some jerky type substance. That's it until we Win or go home. Never eat a lot during the day and stay hydrated. Never have an issue during the day, but cramp up like a MOFO on the way home, usually. lol

I would definitely look into TCB balls for BP in small spaces for long layoffs. We always came out flat if we didn't stay active.
 

scottydoesnt

Extra Hitter
Diet and exercise obviously plays a huge role in overall body longevity. It's a shame many wake up one day when they are 50 and overweight wishing they took better care of themselves. It takes years to fall into real bad shape and only gets harder as we age.
My goal is to be a badass 70yo so when I walk down the beach, younger people just think "good for that guy, he looks good".
 

clementeunknown

Addicted to Softballfans
Hydration starts a few days before, not the day of. Carb loading and a B12 supplement helps a lot too. I'm 42 about to be 43. I play with a few B players and I can still keep up with them but everything has to be in order, it's getting more difficult.
 

defos

Well-Known Member
I used to eat 2 hot dogs for lunch before my games on Sunday. I stopped eating hot dogs and my play has gone downhill ever since. There might be other factors at work, but I see a definite correlation here.

I retired a year and a half ago, and lost 20 pounds the first year mostly because I don't eat, especially snack, on a schedule like I used to. I also don't eat as much at lunch or supper. When I last got weighed 5 months ago, I was down to 177 from 197. I haven't weighed under 180 since I was a sophomore in high school. I always thought I felt best at 192-197, but I might have been wrong.
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
I used to eat 2 hot dogs for lunch before my games on Sunday. I stopped eating hot dogs and my play has gone downhill ever since. There might be other factors at work, but I see a definite correlation here.

I retired a year and a half ago, and lost 20 pounds the first year mostly because I don't eat, especially snack, on a schedule like I used to. I also don't eat as much at lunch or supper. When I last got weighed 5 months ago, I was down to 177 from 197. I haven't weighed under 180 since I was a sophomore in high school. I always thought I felt best at 192-197, but I might have been wrong.
This is how I stopped smoking. Removed the routine until I didn't care anymore. I've reduced assume snacking this way, but it's not working immediately like I'd like.

I take two Aleve before tournies. They say not to exceed three in 24 hours so I don't take the third at night unless we're eliminated and I'm hurting bad. I do Motrin other days of I'm hurting. I avoided them all my life until I got a prescription anti inflammatory after my last knee surgery. They actually do lessen the grinding some I've noticed now.
 

stang7222

Addicted to Softballfans
I just played 4 in a row yesterday in the heat and humidity. I'm 41, in good shape, and played all 4 games at 3b. I always take 2 aleve Friday morning, 1 in the afternoon, 1 before bed, and 1 as soon as i wake up. It helps. A Dr. friend told me you need to saturate your body with Aleve for it to work to full effect, usually 3 doses.
I definitely didn't eat enough before the tournament and didn't bring snacks. I did drink 96oz of Gatorade but that wasn't enough. By the 4th inning of game 4 I was really dragging.

This morning behind my knees are sore. But, what really got me is raw skin and chafing from the swampass. That's a first for me and I used to do a lot of distance running.
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
I carry baby powder for this very reason. I learned it in the deep south, but I guess as I get older it is something I have to do more often even when it's not as hot.
 

stang7222

Addicted to Softballfans
I carry baby powder for this very reason. I learned it in the deep south, but I guess as I get older it is something I have to do more often even when it's not as hot.
I always have to learn things the hard way. When I was distance running I learned the hard way to always run with tp in my pocket.

Baby powder or gold bond? Or is there something even better?
 

nike33kjk

Addicted to Softballfans
There actually is a "monkey butt" powder.

Hydrate and ibuprofen. Just started adding Aleve to the regimen as well.
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
I'm not a fan of monkey butt, but it's not terrible.

There's actually a gold bond BP. It's pretty good. I don't mind gold bond, either turn, but it costs more and it tingles. If you're not ready for it, or apply too much it feels like it's burning.

I mainly just go with j&j baby powder. I use the cornstarch when it's hot out, but have some old style talc when it gets cooler. I think that's best for friction, but not great if you're sweaty. Cornstarch is much better when you're sweating imo.

If you Google it, the lawsuit over talc stopped them from harvesting it using asbestos so any newly purchased should be safe.
 

basilray

Active Member
I'm not a fan of monkey butt, but it's not terrible.

There's actually a gold bond BP. It's pretty good. I don't mind gold bond, either turn, but it costs more and it tingles. If you're not ready for it, or apply too much it feels like it's burning.

I mainly just go with j&j baby powder. I use the cornstarch when it's hot out, but have some old style talc when it gets cooler. I think that's best for friction, but not great if you're sweaty. Cornstarch is much better when you're sweating imo.

If you Google it, the lawsuit over talc stopped them from harvesting it using asbestos so any newly purchased should be safe.
Extra strength Gold Bond right on the sack. Apply sparingly until you dial it in.

It feels like 10,000 tiny ice fairies kissing your scrot. Nothing better on a hot day before you hit the field!
 

ShortYellowBus

Well-Known Member
Just smear a little Vaseline in the devils driveway. Avoid wearing heavy cotton under garments; use the blended polyester fabric underwear that has drying properties to absorb moisture away from your skin.

Talcum powder isn’t the only solution. Like it was mentioned earlier, it was harvested from asbestos originally, and frankly you don’t know if the powder you have now is 1 year old or 10 years. That stuff sits in warehouses all over the world.
 
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