Just wondering...

I have noticed that in baseball they use a sledge hammer, donut, sleeve weight or something to warm up in the on deck circle. FP softball does not. Why. There are not a whole lot of BB teams that don't have one, but I haven't seen on on a softball field in a long, long time. I had a friend (no smarter than me) tell me that the sleeve type weight were illegal in softball. Is this true? I have always used them and it seemed to help me even if it were only mental. (I could always use the help mentally LOL). Anyone help me out ?

 

some girls do use them... but for the most part alot of the swing weights that are made are too heavy for girls

plus, girls are more apt to use those tools in practice rather than in the batting circle before their at bat

 

As seen on SportsScience on Fox Sports - - They claim/prove that it actually causes players to have slower bat speed after using one. Most people assume that it helps with bat speed yet does the exact opposite.

 

OK, so all these yrs........

......the bball batters use weights on their bats and fpitch kids use weight sleeves on their bats while on deck, and you're gonna listen to some geek on fox about bat speed. Hang on to your on deck batting devices folks. ......wow!, common sense prevails over the nut fixing your computer. If you lift weights before a basketball game and get "studded up" then of course the result will be negative. Power in a swing comes from many different areas, overuse of any of them can bring negative results. But to come out and say that the use of proper weight devices WILL result in less bat speed is, well, no offense intended, but thats ignorant.

 

We have a heavy wooden bat to swing up with, but I think the umps watch the confines closer. We can't have bats laying around, the field is too small. Fastpitch moves at a faster pace, not a lot of time to retrieve bats, etc. I guess what I'm saying is the on deck circle in baseball is far from the plate, but in fastpitch, it's right there. The umps need to allow the girls to swing up with the heavy bat! JMO.

 

I agree with that. There is no way swinging with a donut DECREASES bat speed.

in regards to the first post, we on the Blaze use bat donuts. We're 37-0.

 

Sure it does... until the donut comes off! My daughter does much better after using a weight, or a heavier bat to warm up. But... as another poster stated, some codes and some individual umps don't want to see warm up bats or donuts on the field. It can slow down the game (having to wait while the weight comes off and goes back to the dugout.) Doing it during before-game drills works too.

Then there's the problem that the weights don't go over the knob covers very easily.

 

we know from experience first hand, NSA doesn't allow bat weights in the on deck batters box. The umpire told the opposing team that they WERE only allowed in the dugout, but she didn't want to see them. And she said that since they had been warned, if she seen another one, they would be ejected! They tried to protest her call, even had the site director out there.....to no avail of course...They were not happy.....

One of my DD's teammates just this past spring, was told to take her bat knob cover off her bat because it was an after market alteration to the bat, and was NOT allowed. Even though the thing was MADE by EASTON, and it was on her EASTON STEALTH, they could not be used. They really serve NO purpose anyway......

 

Thanks for the comments but what is truly ignorant is someone who just believes what they think to be true instead of researching for themselves to find the answers. You would have been one that believed the world was flat just because that is what you were told. There are MANY studies that show that bat speed does decrease by using weights or sleeves in the on-deck circle. Bat speed is driven by fast twitch muscles which are slowed down by using weights during a warm up prior to stepping into the batters box. They can serve a purpose during practice or any other time to develop greater strength overall but NOT during warm up in the on-deck circle. Next time before calling someone ignorant and proving yourself to be that way -- RESEARCH !!!!!!

 

This is from a well respected strengthening coach of ML players.; What weight (pardon the pun) one gives it is up to you.

Weighted bats are one of the worst things you can possibly use.

They are fine to use on deck to loosen up shoulders, wrists and other joints, but when used a training device they are harmful to the swing.

Any time you use an impliment 15% or greater (this is even lower if the said individual is particularly weak) your mechanics in that movement change. So essentially when you swing a heavy bat your training a seperate swing from your normal mechanics. (This is true with heavy balls as well. But that's another topic for another day. )

For most hitters this will have a severe negative impact on performance.

At first glance weighted bats are an easy sell because people think that if weight training can make someone "stronger" then a weighted bat will make the swing "stronger".

This is a perfect example of poor application and understanding of how the human body functions. In order to increase bat speed and power one must train certain movement patterns and aspects of strength that can carry over to the swing, Not trying to mimic a specific movement itself. Training the swing specifically for "strength" will simply lead to poor mechanics and a slower swing speed.

Sure the bat feels "lighter" but if you check bat speed it's actually slower after swinging the heavy bat. This is because you just taught your body how to move slowly. Remember you can teach your body how to move slower, just like you can teach it to move quicker.