Bat Speed?

[GA42sDad]

This may be a very out in left field topic, but is there anyway to caculate a person's bat speed. have convince a couple of players on my dd's tb team that they have been swinging to heavy of a bat.

I've thought about using a radar gun, but not sure if this will work. Don't know if this topic has been covered if so i apologize.

Thanks

 

[redhotcoach]

A lot of us use this:
Sports Sensors Swing Speed Radar:Amazon:Sports & Outdoors

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Any reason not to have the kids hit into an open field and let the results speak for itself?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Just a thought ….

Force = Mass x Acceleration.

Is this instrument truly measuring what you are interested in?

Is the instrument measuring ‘acceleration’ … or is it simply measuring peak ‘velocity’?

Is the instrument measuring ‘acceleration’ at exactly the moment of impact?

Acceleration is the measure of the “rate of change in velocity”. Acceleration = change_in_velocity / change_in_time (dV/dt).

The greater the “change in velocity” over a given “period of time”, the greater the ‘acceleration’ …. Or the “smaller the period of time” for a given “change in velocity”, the greater the ‘acceleration’.

The derivative of velocity, with respect to time, at impact, is the ‘acceleration’ at impact … and is what is used to compute ‘force’ at impact.

Question for you … can ‘acceleration’ be greater going into impact, yet be at a slower velocity?

In any event … taking note of actual performance can give a reasonable metric in terms of applied force …… whereas the instrument may not be measuring the correct variable at the correct point of interest. Again … just a thought.

 

[fourts]

Just a thought ….

Force = Mass x Acceleration.

Is this instrument truly measuring what you are interested in?

Is the instrument measuring ‘acceleration’ … or is it simply measuring peak ‘velocity’?

Is the instrument measuring ‘acceleration’ at exactly the moment of impact?

Acceleration is the measure of the “rate of change in velocity”. Acceleration = change_in_velocity / change_in_time (dV/dt).

The greater the “change in velocity” over a given “period of time”, the greater the ‘acceleration’ …. Or the “smaller the period of time” for a given “change in velocity”, the greater the ‘acceleration’.

The derivative of velocity, with respect to time, at impact, is the ‘acceleration’ at impact … and is what is used to compute ‘force’ at impact.

Question for you … can ‘acceleration’ be greater going into impact, yet be at a slower velocity?

In any event … taking note of actual performance can give a reasonable metric in terms of applied force …… whereas the instrument may not be measuring the correct variable at the correct point of interest. Again … just a thought.

Engineer your not; Force also known as energy is E=mass velocity squared! So bat speed is twice as important as bat weight.
Where E is the energy imparted to the ball (the more E the more distance)
Mass is weight of bat (simplified; weight of ball negatively effects some of bat mass)
Velocity is bat speed (swing speed) x2

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Fourts ... is the objective to expand the greatest amount of 'energy', or to direct the greatest amount of 'force'? Think about it.

Force does equal 'mass' x 'acceleration' ... at least for many of us that is the case.

 

[GA42sDad]

Any reason not to have the kids hit into an open field and let the results speak for itself?

FiveFrameSwing i agree with u completely, But trying to convince 12 yr olds is a really hard job. There response when asked why are you using that purple and white bat was " i don"t know".

 

[redhotcoach]

I usually have the swing speed radar set up on tee station. Girls work on their own and compete for fasted swing speed.

It keeps girls working and busy so coaches can give individual focus other places. The best thing it does for us is get the weaker hitters to see there are reasons why our good hitters hit good, and not just think it is because they are strong.

 

[fourts]

Fourts ... is the objective to expand the greatest amount of 'energy', or to direct the greatest amount of 'force'? Think about it.

Force does equal 'mass' x 'acceleration' ... at least for many of us that is the case.

Can't have "force" without energy!!!

 

[mdgtoothy]

I read this a couple of years ago by Daniel Russell, Ph.D at PSU. As a physics teacher I found the article pretty interesting along with the follow on article regarding mass distribution (end loading) of the bat and the effect it has on batted ball speed. Lots of technical stuff, but he writes in an easy to read fashion. I think the same article is referenced in another thread as well.

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/batw8.html