Posted by: OC (orlandochapa@attbi.com) on Thu Jun 13 05:52:28 2002

Is it better to have 1. a lower weight softball bat say 26 ounce and
> > > > > swing it faster or 2. a heavier bat that will be swung at a
> > > lesser
> > > > > speed. Obviously the heavier weight will impart more
force
> > > on
> > > > > the ball; however so will having a higher swing speed.
So
> > > what
> > > > > is better swinging faster or swinging a bigger piece of
> > > lumber?
> > > > > > Thank you for any replies
> > > > > To have a great stick requires a combination of both.
> > > > > I think 26 oz. doesn't have enough mass to do you any
good,
> > > > > 28oz. would be a better choice. You should try different
> > > weights
> > > > > to see which is best for you. Your choice of bats is also
just
> > > as
> > > > > important. It won't do any good to have a great stroke
with a
> > > peice
> > > > > of crap bat. Train as heavy as possible during the off
season
> > > to
> > > > > build muscle memory, then go to your light bat as the
season
> > > > > approaches to get your timing down.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > Go to the following website:
> > > >
> > > >
http://www.npl.uiuc.edu/~a-nathan/pob/Parkland/sld001.htm
> > > >
> > > > this is a slide show with information from Dr. Adair's book
on
> > > the Physics of Baseball.
> > > > The sixth slide shows the relationship between bat
weight and
> > > ball speed. One of the preceding slides shows the
relationship
> > > between pitch speed and batted ball speed. Some
interesting
> > > stuff.
> > > > What you will see is that bat weight matters but not that
much.
> > > Batspeed is more important.
> > > >
> > > > "I think 26 oz. doesn't have enough mass to do you any
good,
> > > > > 28oz. would be a better choice." do you really think two
> > > ounces is really significant? if so check the chart and
rethink
> > > your position.
> > > >
> > > > "Train as heavy as possible during the off season to
> > > > > build muscle memory, then go to your light bat as the
season
> > > > > approaches to get your timing down."
> > > >
> > > > why does 'training heavy' build muscle memory? muscle
> > > memory is built by repetition. training heavy would build
stength,
> > > endurance.
> > > > The best way to build batspeed is with
overspeed/overload
> > > training.
> > > > Check out the setpro site sometime for more details on
that
> > > type of training. it is superior to what you suggest.
> > > > However, yes as the season approaches you should do
more
> > > 'real' work - game weight bat, bp vs dry cuts, etc. to get
timing
> > > down.
> > > > it is important to work some timing all the time so the
swing
> > > and the reaction to the ball don't disconnect too much...
> > > >
> > > > Major Dan
> > > Thanks for the baseball physics lesson, its was a good
> > > presentation. Let me explain my previous comment. When
I
> > > said to train heavy, I ment with a heavy bat. At least twice a
week.
> > > This does build strength, but also muscle memory. Once
you
> > > have trained your body to swing that much mass the rest
> > > becomes a physics problem, F =ma. Newton's second law
of
> > > mechanics. The force (F) your body applies during the
swing is
> > > constant (muscle memory). The only thing left to adjust is
(m) bat
> > > weight. As bat weight decreases, bat speed (a) increases.
Your
> > > body is a simple machine. It will repeat what you have
trained it
> > > do over and over again. That's why F=ma works. Michael's
> > > question was about softball, where you have to generate all
the
> > > power and transfer that inertia to the ball. Advanced training
> > > techniques like overspeed training can causes injury if not
> > > perfomed correctly, in my opinion. Strength training is about
> > > control, overspeed training is about pushing to the edge of
> > > control . That can be a bad thing in the wrong hands.
> > > Thanks for your input Dan.
> > >
> >
> > OC-
> >
> > There are a number of other important things going on like
working on fast twitch fibers and trying to get them to all fire
together and to build them up so you have strength at a
high/ballistic(accelerate to escape velocity)speed.I would
recommend you review the stuff at setpro on overload/overspeed
training and neural recruitment.Swinging heavy and light loads
into the bag/tire works well.
>
> OC-
> Anything can be dangerous in the wrong hands. I see no
difference between overspeed and overload training in terms of
danger.
> I do think that lots of repetitions with a heavier bat will train the
'simple machine' to swing at that slower speed caused by the
weightier bat. You may very well be creating a strong slow swing
with your method. Proper overload/overspeed training
surrounding swings with the regular weight bat is a better
training regimen. Reaction training needs to be part of the
equation as well to fully integrate the benefits. But all this is an
advanced level of training that might be 'bad in the wrong hands'.
> Perhaps you should visit Setpro and learn more about this type
of training. I suspect you'd benefit from it.

Dan
Thats not how your body works. Tom said it right in the post
before. You train your fast twitch fibers to swing that amount of
mass. Your body remembers how much energy it required to
swing the bat, not how fast it swung the bat. Your bat speed will
increase when you lower the weight.
Let see if I can exlain F=ma in a different way. Say you have a car
that weighs 2000 lbs and produces 350hp. That car will travel a
1/4 mile pretty fast. Now take the same car and reduce it's weight
by 250lbs. Would'nt you agree that the car will travel that same
1/4 mile at a faster speed . That is Newton's second law of
mecanics.
Physics and Kinesiology, understanding the laws of science and
how your body really works. Science has never failed me, I've
never blindly followed anyone elses advice without fully
understanding the science behind it.