Improve Bat Speed

A faster swing is a more powerful swing. If you want to get on base, then you better have a quick bat. With a little bit of effort, you can dramatically increase your bat speed this off-season so you can knock it out of the park next year.

Steps

Perfecting Your Batting Mechanics

  1. Adopt an athletic stance. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and drop your butt to straighten out your back. In this stance, you’ll be able to generate the maximum amount of power.[1]
  2. Grip the bat properly. Hold the bat somewhat loosely. The bat should be touching your hand where your fingers meet your palm. If you hold your bat too high in your fingers, you won’t have as much control over it. If you bury the bat in your palm, your wrists won’t be able to push the bat smoothly.
    • If you tend to hold to the bat too tightly, try gripping the bat with only your middle, ring and pinky fingers. Your thumb and forefinger will naturally tighten when you make contact with the ball.
    • Your dominant hand should be directly above your weak hand and the knuckles of both hands should be lined up.
  3. Drop your elbow. Your front elbow should be down so that the top of your bat is at a forty-five degree angle behind your head. If your front elbow is up, your bat will have to travel further to reach the strike zone slowing down your swing significantly.
    • Make sure your bat isn’t straight up and down or you won’t be able to take a full swing.
    • Your back elbow should be slightly higher than your front elbow.
  4. Relax your shoulders. Try to get rid of all your tension. You may think that tensing up your body helps you concentrate, but in reality all it does is waste your energy and prevent you from having a smooth swing.[2]
    • Save your energy for your swing.
  5. Engage your whole body. The speed of your swing is dependent on how much torque you can generate. Your swing starts in your legs, moves up to your hips and finishes by travelling through your arms to the bat. To perform a smooth, quick swing, your entire body should work together.
    • Torque is the power generated from your body’s twisting motion.
  6. Follow through with your swing. Imagine that you are swinging through the ball. Flip your wrists at the climax of your swing to complete it. You want to drive the ball outward. If you stop your swing midway, it won’t be as powerful.
    • Don’t let your head follow your swing. Keep your eyes on the ball.

Doing Drills for a Faster Swing

  1. Swing a light bat. If you want a faster swing, you have to teach your body what it feels like to swing a bat faster. Choose a bat that is ten to fifteen percent lighter than your normal bat. Swing it as fast as you can for five reps. Do five sets of this three times a week.[3]
    • Remember to have proper mechanics.
    • Don’t practice swinging with a heavier bat or you could alter your swing.
  2. Swing by a fence. Your swing should be compact for maximum speed. Walk to a fence and then measure out the proper length of your swing from the fence. Swing your bat by the fence. If you hit the fence, then your swing is dragging too long.
    • Do three sets of twenty reps three times a week.
    • This drill works best with a chain link fence. It could damage a wood fence.
  3. Cross your hands. Switch the position of your hands. Have someone toss a ball up and practice driving it into the net. This will help you learn how to snap your wrists at the end of your swing and get the most out of the torque energy your body generates.
    • Do three sets of twenty reps three times a week.
  4. Practice swinging your club through the strike zone. Assume a normal batting stance and have a friend toss up a ball. Practice swinging the club of your bat through the ball. Really focus your attention on the club of your bat. This drill will help you follow through with your swing. If you don’t swing through the ball, you can’t have a smooth swing.
    • Do three sets of twenty reps three times a week.

Building Strength to Improve Batting Speed

  1. Work out your legs. Your swing begins in your legs. Exercise your legs so that you can generate more power at the beginning of your swing.
    • Do leg presses. Sit down at the leg press machine and put your feet flat on the platform. Make sure they're about shoulder-width apart. Unhook the safety bar and lower the platform till your knees are at a ninety degree angle. Push the weight all the way up and straighten your legs. Make sure not to lock your knees. Exhale as you push the weight up and inhale as you lower it. Do three sets of twenty reps.[4]
    • Do squats. Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Straighten your back and make sure your hips, knees, ankles and shoulders are parallel. Lower your buttocks while trying your best to keep your knees over your ankles. Push your chest out and roll your shoulders back to keep your body straight. When you get as low as you can, stand back up. Try to focus your weight on your heels so that you don't lean forward. You can do squats with your body weight, dumbbells or even at a weight bench. Do three sets of twelve reps.[5]
  2. Strengthen your obliques. Your obliques are your side abdominals. They help your body achieve a more powerful twisting motion. The stronger your obliques are, the quicker you’ll be able to pull your bat around.[6]
    • Do standing weighted twists. Hold a weight six to ten inches in front of your face and twist your midsection from side to side while keeping the rest of your body still. Your legs should be shoulder width apart. Do three sets of twenty reps.
    • Do windshield wipers. Lay on your back with your legs raised together so that the bottoms of your feet are facing the ceiling. Lower your legs from side to side while keeping your shoulders on the ground. Stretch your hands out to the side to keep your balance. Do three sets of twelve reps.
  3. Tighten your grip. You need strong muscles in your hands and wrists to be able to control the bat and get the most out of your swing. Try squeezing a tennis ball as hard as you can for about ten seconds. Relax your grip and then repeat the exercise with your other hand. Do this five times for each hand.
    • Do wrists curls. Bend your arm. Hold a dumbbell in your stretched out hand with your wrist facing up. Lift the dumbbell using only your wrist so that your knuckles are facing up. Do three sets of twenty reps with each hand.
    • Do reverse wrist curls. Bend your arm. Hold a dumbbell in your hand with your wrists facing down. Lift the weight using only your wrist up so that your knuckles are facing up. Do three sets of twenty reps with each hand.
  4. Be explosive. Your goal in your workout should be to achieve explosiveness in your swing. When you’re working out, you should lower the weight slowly, but lift it in one quick motion. You need to train your body not only to be strong, but to exert a massive amount of force.
    • For example, when you do leg presses, bend your knees slowly but straighten them as quickly as you can.



Tips

  • Always make sure to practice proper mechanics while you’re doing drills so your swing is not altered.
  • Try to make your swing as smooth as possible. It should be one quick motion.
  • Keep your feet parallel to the plate so that your bat swings through the strike zone at the climax of your swing.

Warnings

  • You may need to use lighter weights when training for explosiveness so that you don’t get injured.
  • Don’t practice in high speed batting cages. They’ll throw off your timing and make it more difficult to read a real pitcher.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.leaguelineup.com/mmjba/files/BIOKINETIC06.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.softball-spot.com/softball-hitting-developing-bat-speed/2241/
  3. ↑ http://www.active.com/baseball/articles/a-need-for-speed
  4. ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/leg-press
  5. ↑ http://greatist.com/fitness/perfect-squat
  6. ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ss28.htm

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