bat speed

[FiveFrameSwing]

RichK - you do have to watch for it - they need to get the front foot down to walk off the back foot as the hands are throwing the barrel at the same time - you won't get lunging...unless they lock out the rear knee

The learning curve is bending the rear knee as they walk off the back foot....most try to walk off and dont bend their rear knee....and push laterally....the rear knee bending gets the hips turning....

Just read an article quoting Jack Nichlas....he said todays clubs are lighter so most youth dont learn how to use their lower body properly...back in his day the clubs were much heavier so you learned to start your downswing with the lower body....sound familiar?

Bold above ... yes, sounds very familiar. Mike Epstein has frequently stated the same issue wrt the baseball/softball swing ... blames such issues on the introduction of light weight bats.

As for bending the rear knee ... I'm against 'scrunching' as a loading mechanism ... and believe that those that advocate a firm, semi rock-solid rear leg, as a platform for the hips & lower core to work against, have it right.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Well, after my first attempt trying this I failed. Now I know how the girls must feel sometime.

I went to the local cages and used a 32" 30 oz baseball bat in a 65 mph cage, then in a 50 mph cage.. When I focused on the mechanics I couldn't hit the ball. When I focused on the ball I couldn't feel the mechanics. When I focused on both I couldn't do either.

I will try this again from a tee. I'll also try to find a heavier bat. Other than discovering my wrist and forearm muscles are out of shape the heavier bat didn't seem to offer too much resistance.

FYI ... I only use a training bat while performing "long-tee" and "head-on soft-toss".

 

[SBFAMILY]

Bat Weight, Swing Speed and Ball Velocity Understanding the technical part of bat speed.

 

[softballphreak]

Bat Weight, Swing Speed and Ball Velocity Understanding the technical part of bat speed.

So at 5'3" a player should swing a 29 oz bat? 63/7 + 20.

Haven't had time to read the whole article, but I don't think so.

 

[RayR]

I am talking about the rear knee bending as the rear heel lifts. No scrunching. If the knee does not bend the hips cannot turn effectively and slide...

Bold above ... yes, sounds very familiar. Mike Epstein has frequently stated the same issue wrt the baseball/softball swing ... blames such issues on the introduction of light weight bats.

As for bending the rear knee ... I'm against 'scrunching' as a loading mechanism ... and believe that those that advocate a firm, semi rock-solid rear leg, as a platform for the hips & lower core to work against, have it right.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I am talking about the rear knee bending as the rear heel lifts. No scrunching. If the knee does not bend the hips cannot turn effectively and slide...

Honestly, I've had more success getting the proper rear knee action by not stressing that action directly and instead stressing 'uncoil' ... that is, for me, the rear knee action is a 'result' of the 'uncoil'.

 

[RayR]

trying to get a player to not spin the back foot and instead "walk off" is lots of fun....the first thing they all do is lock the rear knee....most likely because they focus on not spinning the foot...

Another thing I will do is work on the front leg ER....much like throwing....or a golf swing.....and you cannot effectively ER the front thigh if you do not IR the front thigh at least a little....

 

[Eagledad]

ER and IR stand for what???

 

[Ade's Dad]

ER and IR stand for what???

External rotation and internal rotation.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Need to read it, since he is talking slowpitch data, softballphreak, before you post. He has many studies on this web page and we are talking physics and actual scientific data, based on baseball and softball bats. If you go to his web site, he has many studies done in the lab that are very interesting. He covers your question in detail about MOI and weight of the bat, that many do not understand when you read posts on here about what bat should my dd swing.

Sorry here is the correct web site that you can research many of his studies . http://www.kettering.edu/physics/drussell/