Drills To Increase Bat Speed

The majority of hitters in baseball have two types of stances: starting stance and a loaded stance. To gain more bat speed, the top-class hitters will either raise their elbow up or at the backside. Normally the bat’s barrel should be faced upside and the front shoulder is supposed to be slightly turned in. The batting stance of all players cannot be the same. There are a lot of examples when the famous hitters are seen breaking their overall stance into a starting stance and a  loaded stance. The position when they load is the position from where they are going to swing. So, all professional hitters incorporate similar fundamental mechanics of the rotational swing. In this article, we are going to discuss the various drills that can be used to increase the bat speed. Here we will see about Drills To Increase Bat Speed 

Drills To Increase Bat Speed

Players who enter professional baseball matches incorporate various kinds of drills to increase their bat speed and their swinging velocity. The drills that can increase the bat speed significantly are mechanics workouts, hip separation, crunches, stability balls, and landmines, medicine ball, isometrics, rhythm, one-handed, fundamental technique, windshield wipers, fence drill, high/low tee, behind the back, behind the backdown drills, etc. The following will bring up the perfect batting stance.

Mechanics workout

There are some measurements that coaches analyze nowadays in modern baseball which are launch angles, exit velocity, point of impact, and bat speed.It is very important that the bat’s speed to the distance a ball coversTo increase the bat speed the body can be trained by strengthening proper swing mechanics. Good swing styles and enhanced bat speed usually begin from the bottom top. So good swings start from ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and finally the head. A light bat can be grabbed for this drill and you need to assume the correct stance of batting. Your target is to practice swinging from the bottom up and reach your shoulders and then the head with power. You can practice 12-15 swings per day and focus on the torque mechanics.This should improve your hitting stance a lot.

Hip separation

The main purpose of this drill is to develop the hips at the time of the swing to gain more power. You can start with an exercise band which ought to be attached tightly around your ankles. Then place a baseball close to your plant food and your stride foot has to be placed in front of the baseball. Now with your shoulders and chest, load the swing and then stride towards the pitching mound with a force. The key thing in this drill is your hip’s mechanics during the contact point. It is quite necessary to maintain the proper swing position of your shoulders and chest so that the hips create power.

Crunches

During a swing, it is the muscles of the abdomen that produce the most power. So, if crunches are performed with weights, it is highly beneficial in developing muscle tone and core energy. You are supposed to lie on your back and lift your legs up. Bend your knees and make sure they are perpendicular to the torso. Then hold a weight above your head. Try beginning with a lighter weight and then you can try to increase the weight as per your requirement. Make sure your back rests on the floor and then put your upper torso in the air. Perform at least 3 sets of 20-30 reps per day.

Isometrics

The main goal of this drill is to build up strength throughout the hitting zone. It is a great exercise as it incorporates real-time movements and gestures of batting. This kind of resistance drill is an amazing way to aim for precise muscle development. Resistance workouts are the best compared to a 30-minute full upper torso workout. Just get a friend who can hold the barrel of the bat when you perform the swing in slo-mo. Then return the bat to its initial position and repeat this exercise assuming a proper batting stance.

Landmines

This drill might look easy but it is not. This drill mainly targets the obliques which are quite vital to rotation swings and strength. First support an Olympic bar against a wall. Then begin with a weight placing it at the free end. Just like a baseball stance, take an upright stance but keep your feet wide compared to your shoulders. Now as you push the weight towards your back rotate your hips and the midsection. If you think that the weight is unbearable, try lessening the load. During the process, keep either of your arms straight and keep rotating from one arm to another arm trying to force the weight towards the wall. Perform at least 3 sets with 5 reps. This is a heavy workout and thus should be done a maximum of three times a week.

One-Handed

To perform a powerful swing, arm strength is very much crucial. Many coaches have been teaching the one-handed batting drill to baseball players for several decades. You can perform this drill with a hitting tree. But if you have a friend with you, it is easier to perform. The hitter has to sit placing one knee on the ground and has to place the bat in the arm observing the pitcher. Another arm should be placed behind the back. So, the front arm becomes the guide while the back arm is there to produce power. The main purpose of this drill is to increase the strength of the forearm and produce power using the back arm. You can try switching hands or sitting on either of your knees or even standing if you want to create variations.It is important to know if the bat speed equals power or not. Some modern hitting coaches tend to consider these metrics exaggerated. While many other coaches feel the speed of the bat during the impact which results in a high velocity of ball exit. 

Fundamental Technique

It is necessary to develop the fundamental batting techniques to generate force and increase bat speed. If a player wants to hit the ball with power he must have an ideal rotation of hips, legs, arms, and torso. Good swing mechanics make use of specific muscle groups to produce collective energy through the strike zone. The three core concepts that professional hitters need to develop to create a powerful swing are power launch position, proper swing mechanics, and swing mechanics specific to each muscle.

Windshield Wipers

To develop immense strength through the strike zone, the forearm and wrists need to be very much strong. You can use your regular weight bat and then presuppose a proper hitting stance. Hold the bat away from your torso and place the bat in such a way that the barrel is facing up. Then start rotating the bat to your left and right as far as you can. Keep a proper stance throughout the drill. With such a simple exercise you will be amazed by the results. Perform about 15-20 reps each day and try to increase the weight of the bat after each week.

Fence Drill

This particular drill helps you to acquire a quick and strong swing through the strike zone. Besides this, it also helps a player recognize the inside pitch. The hitter needs to face the fence placing himself at just a bat length from the fence. Now you need to imagine an inside switch and begin setting up the swing. The head of the bat needs to be dragged behind the hands until you notice that it is out in front of you. Imagine a ball and extend the bat head towards it..

Heavy Bag Knockdown

Batters are supposed to have good mechanics during the swing. In this drill, the player needs to presuppose a good batting stance standing in front of a tee but without a ball. The position of the tee should be in the middle of the plate. Now you need a partner for this who can move the bag to various locations around the tee. Now the batter can practice the swings coming as close as possible to the top of the tee but not hitting it. So in each dry swing, the batter has to focus on stance, swing, load, technique, and follow-through.

Conclusion

Be it the hitters of the baseball of the present or the past, each of them has made use of the rotational force of their body in a tricky way to generate immense power as well as speed. There are hitters like Aaron and Trout who use the powerful muscles of their hips, legs, and torso. It is very much important for a hitter to understand that they should not direct the initial movement of their hands toward the pitcher. The key is to keep the hands back and let the rotation of the body generate the power needed. Players perform tons of drills and workouts to increase their strength and consistency.