Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon Oct 12 14:07:53 2009

>>> Jack,
I understand you sell a device that measures bat speed, but it is my understanding from some of you previous posts that maximum bat speed of some inefficient swings is not necessarily at the point of contact. I am wondering if someone has a device that measures the amount of force or speed at the exact point of contact. (After all isn't this what really counts?)Something like the machines in an arcade that measures the force of someone punching a bag. This seems to me to give a more accurate reading on the effectiveness of a swing. <<<

Hi Kidwell

The "previous post" you referred to stems from tests we ran using a Motion Analysis computer. The computer provided the bat's angular displacement rate for dry swings at any point from initiation to the finish of the follow-through. We found that although the maximum bat speed attained by two batters in the test may be about the same, the power they exhibited on the field could vary greatly.

This was quite puzzling until we studied the test results more closely. A closer study revealed the batters who displayed more power developed their maximum speed earlier in the swing. They attained their maximum speed in the optimum contact zone while batters who displayed less power generated their maximum well after passing through the optimum contact point.

As you point out, the bat speed that counts is the speed attain at (or by) contact. This is why we recommend using a heavy bag with our Swing Speed Radar. The radar will give 1-mph accuracy of the bat speed attained while the bag stops the bat at contact. This combination gives a very accurate contact speed.

For more information read: Does Bat Speed = Pop

Jack Mankin