Bat Speed Development
Bat speed is defined as the speed of the sweet spot or barrel of the bat at the moment of impact. It is a critical metric when evaluating and developing hitters.
Why is bat speed important?
A crucial component of hitting, bat speed is often one of the key differences between average hitters and elite hitters. With that being said, what makes it so important?
More time to make a decision
According to a study posted in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a 90 mph fastball will reach home plate in about .42 seconds. A hitter will spend around half that time determining location, speed, and pitch type, along with making a decision of whether or not to swing. Undoubtedly, time is of the essence, so the faster a hitter can swing, the more time he will have to make this decision. A hitter with a slow bat will have to commit earlier, which can lead to chasing bad pitches, while a hitter with higher bat speed will be able to make this decision later, when he has obtained more information about the incoming pitch.
Higher exit velocities
The main reason we want to develop an increased bat speed is because it will produce higher batted ball exit velocities. This is one of the most important components of being a good hitter — the ability to hit the ball hard consistently. If you do not think exit velocity is important, I recommend exploring Baseball Savant’s hit probability breakdown, which details a number of stats based on exit velocity (and launch angle) parameters. The aforementioned study found a significant correlation between bat speed and batted ball distance, with a 60 mph swing speed corresponding to 325 feet of distance while a 70 mph swing speed led to a batted ball of 375 feet. A number of studies dating back to the 1960s have illustrated the importance of bat speed.
How is bat speed measured?
The best way to measure bat speed is to use a bat sensor, such as Blast. The sensor measures the velocity of the spot six inches below the end of the bat (the sweet spot) at contact, according to Blast. Using a bat sensor is a great way to objectively measure and track bat speed (and many other metrics) on a daily or weekly basis.
How can bat speed be developed?
Bat speed is absolutely something that can be trained and improved. Two primary ways for increasing bat speed are through strength training — specifically power development, and via overload-underload training.
In the weight room
In the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, it was mentioned that studies found significant increases in bat speed in individuals who performed resistance training. Furthermore, hitters who performed additional medicine ball exercises — both rotational and whole-body — had even greater bat speeds. Another study, using bench press, found a strong relationship between upper body strength and bat speed. To increase a hitter’s bat speed, it would be a good idea to include at the very least deadlifts, bench press, squats, pull ups, and medicine ball throws in his strength program.
Using overload and underload bats
Another well-researched method for increasing bat speed is overload and underload training. A number of studies have shown that swinging overload bats (heavier than the hitter’s game bat) along with underload bats (lighter than the hitter’s game bat) in training will lead to a higher bat velocity. The table below shows results from some of these studies. Each study saw a significant increase in bat speed at the end of the trial. More information supporting overload and underload training can be found in this study.
Overload bats are beneficial because they force the hitter to be efficient. With the heavier load, the body must sequence itself properly in order to make consistent solid contact. Put differently, the overload bat does a great job exposing or exaggerating issues within a hitter’s swing.
Underload bats are great for teaching the body how to move fast. The lighter load increases the use of fast twitch muscle fibers and uses the hitter’s Central Nervous System to help him be more explosive.
Another benefit of using weighted bats is the development of proprioception, which, simply put, is body (and barrel) awareness. The changing of implements forces the hitter to be aware of what he is swinging and where the barrel is in space.
A combination of both overload and underload is an excellent recipe for increasing bat speed. More on using these methods to train hitters on Driveline’s blog.
Previously, we would make our own overload bats using pennies or washers and tape. For underload bats, we would use a fungo or buy softball bats secondhand. We now use the speed trainers by Axe Bat, which are powered by Driveline. I can’t recommend these enough, as they come with a barrel-loaded, handle-loaded, and underload bat, along with a training program. They also have Axe handles, which have a number of added benefits.
How to apply overload-underload to practice
There are a number of resources out there to help implement a bat speed program. The good thing is, there really isn’t one method, and you can get as creative as you want when programming. We change up the sets, reps, and environment often, adding in things like plyo balls, angled toss, or a rhythm component (such as the walkthrough drill). It is important to note that when using weighted bats, intent is key. Each swing should be taken at full speed, as we are training to be explosive.
A hitter’s individual bat speed work for a day might look something like this:
- Tee work — walkthrough drill — overload bat: 3 sets of 5 swings
- Front toss — angled drill (pull side) — overload bat: 3 sets of 5 swings
- Front toss — angled drill (oppo side) — underload bat: 3 sets of 5 swings
- Front toss — mixing speeds and including plyo balls: 3 sets of 3 swings with overload, 3 swings with underload, 3 swings with regular bat
This is just an example, as the possibilities with weighted bats are pretty much endless.
Measure it!
The most important part of implementing a bat speed program is to objectively measure and track progress. Test bat speeds early on to determine a baseline, and then every few weeks to ensure that improvement is taking place. If you implement a program but do not hold it accountable by retesting, you don’t have the proper feedback to know if the program is effective or not. An easy way to track the data is through a Google Sheets or Excel document. Make sure to include columns for the metrics you choose to track as well as for the difference between test sessions. A line graph is another great way to illustrate the data and the direction in which a hitter is trending. More on this type of graph in a previous post, Baseline Testing Part 2.
In conclusion, high bat speed is a critical component of being a great hitter. Any hitter who might be lacking in this department should absolutely make it a priority in their training, be it through a better weight lifting program, swinging overload and underload bats, or preferably, a combination of the two.
