Any info that a “doughnut,” weight on bat, or weighted bat is counter-productive while on deck? Particularly if facing a pitcher who throws fast, does a weighted bat help improve bat speed? Someone told me that this is a fallacy and a weight on a bat does nothing to improve preparation before an at bat.

There was a sports science episode about this. I think it said it actually lowers a players bat speed, but you'd have to check. I think its more of a psychological thing than an actual physical improvement.

Say a Fox Sports Science piece that showed exactly that. A doughnut short trem trained a slower swing.

 

They used minor leaguers and showed swing speeds, the swing after the doughnut were slower by a fraction of a second than those that did not follow the doughnut.

 

The palyers clearly got around a littte quicker without the doughnut.

 

It was suprised but it made sense when after I saw it.

Any info that a “doughnut,” weight on bat, or weighted bat is counter-productive while on deck? Particularly if facing a pitcher who throws fast, does a weighted bat help improve bat speed? Someone told me that this is a fallacy and a weight on a bat does nothing to improve preparation before an at bat.

 

 

Fallacy? IMO Most probably so but if you think it helps, then certainly don't stop doing it. Strange how the mind works! Would you teach Joe Morgan chicken wing routine at the plate as he was waiting for the pitcher to throw the ball to a young kid? Of course not, but if Joe stopped doing it, he wouldn't have hit a watermelon, much less a pitched ball. You do what feels best to you, and if it works don't stop!

Issues with bat donuts and barrel weighted devices

Bat donuts are a popular item to use, both with professional and youth batters, but are often used incorrectly. Many youth batters will use a donut to strengthen their core and produce a stronger swing. Actually, donuts and barrel weighted devises slow down a hitters swing by as much as 10% and retards the hitters performance. First, these devices stimulates the hitters slow twitch muscles making them stronger through the whole swing, which is why after using them their regular bat feels lighter. The problem is the fast twitch muscles were not stimulated like in game situation so the hitter is not quicker. The second problem is that donuts put the extra weight at the end of the bat that leads to a hitting flaw called "casting". Casting occurs when a batter's first forward movement is to take their hands away from their body, instead of directly towards the ball. When the end of the bat has the weight and the bat starts moving forward, the natural forces of the weighted bat pull the hands away from the body and the hitter has to exert an opposite or pulling force to keep the hands near the body. As the hitter brings their hands forward the bat pulls away from their body and the hands naturally follow. This creates hitter muscle memory to take the bat in a looping path. What happens when the donut is taken off? The hands follow the muscle memory and bring the bat in this same looping fashion toward the point of contact. The swing slows down and diverts some of the bats energy away from the point of contact producing a slower, less powerful swing. Throw the donut away! Better yet, give it to your fiercest rival :=)

 

http://blog.youth-athlete.org/blog/post/Hitting-Mechanics-Increasing-Your-Bat-Speed.aspx

Very interesting about the fast twitch muscles. I always felt like my bat speed was incredible once I removed the donut.

Regardless of the tests, hundreds of college and professional players use a heavy bat or a bat weight on deck. They seem to be doing just fine. If it slows down bat speed a fraction of a second, ok. But it loosens up the muscles and, as has already been stated, provides a mental edge which many times in baseball, is more key than any tiny physical addition.

Edited April 7, 200917 yr by Ram
Rule 13

Most hitting trainers will tell you that if you want to do drills to increase your bat speed, you should take dry swings (in this order) with an overweighted bat (slow twitch muscles), then an underweighted bat (fast twitch muscles), and then your regular bat (muscle memory).

 

I don't think taking a few swings with an overweighted bat in the on-deck circle will substantially slow down anyone's swing, but I do agree very much that weighted bats whose weight is all near the end causes the "casting" situation outlined above and adversely affects the swing path. If you're going to use an overweighted bat - even in an on-deck circle - there are ones out there that distribute the weight more evenly over the length of the bat and not just all out on the end.

This sums everything up perfectly in my opinion.:thumb:

 

 

Most hitting trainers will tell you that if you want to do drills to increase your bat speed, you should take dry swings (in this order) with an overweighted bat (slow twitch muscles), then an underweighted bat (fast twitch muscles), and then your regular bat (muscle memory).

 

I don't think taking a few swings with an overweighted bat in the on-deck circle will substantially slow down anyone's swing, but I do agree very much that weighted bats whose weight is all near the end causes the "casting" situation outlined above and adversely affects the swing path. If you're going to use an overweighted bat - even in an on-deck circle - there are ones out there that distribute the weight more evenly over the length of the bat and not just all out on the end.

Most hitting trainers will tell you that if you want to do drills to increase your bat speed, you should take dry swings (in this order) with an overweighted bat (slow twitch muscles), then an underweighted bat (fast twitch muscles), and then your regular bat (muscle memory).

 

I don't think taking a few swings with an overweighted bat in the on-deck circle will substantially slow down anyone's swing, but I do agree very much that weighted bats whose weight is all near the end causes the "casting" situation outlined above and adversely affects the swing path. If you're going to use an overweighted bat - even in an on-deck circle - there are ones out there that distribute the weight more evenly over the length of the bat and not just all out on the end.

 

 

Great points. From what I read, this supports the scientific evidence. Too, psychology cannot be taken out of hitting when a batter is at the plate. If a batter feels that it is helping, it probably won't hurt.

I personally liked to use a donut or heavy bat just to loosen up muscles a little. Never took an actual swing with one that I can remember

I personally liked to use a donut or heavy bat just to loosen up muscles a little. Never took an actual swing with one that I can remember

 

Exactly. I'd always loosen up with it swinging one handed in circles, waving the bat in circles behind my back with my hands over my head, and other things of that nature. Then I'd always put that down and take some warm-up cuts with my regular bat. It was more of a thing to get my muscles looser than to time a pitcher.:thumb:

I personally liked to use a donut or heavy bat just to loosen up muscles a little. Never took an actual swing with one that I can remember

 

I like to use doughnuts also, but my eating habits really don't have much to do with baseball.

Now they tell me. Where were they when I was hitting .142 in high school?

Now they tell me. Where were they when I was hitting .142 in high school?

 

Did they have that type of technology such as doughnuts way back then?