Hitting and Hitters Discussion Weighed bat while on deck

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Can someone explain why "dognuts" are not used as much in softball as they are in baseball? I see them sometimes in softball, but in baseball they are use almost all the time. Something I am missing?

 

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At asa usa nationals last year an umpire made us remove one from the dug out said they were illigal in all asa play. Was news to me!

 

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Softball players are smarter then baseball players. ha
The thought I heard was you want to train your muscles to swing as they would at the plate and adding weight in warm ups throws that off.
Never heard they were illegal in ASA.

 

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will swinging a bat that's lighter whilst on deck make ya swing your reg bat faster?

 

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will swinging a bat that's lighter whilst on deck make ya swing your reg bat faster?

............ No, neither will swinging something heavier.......... work hand path and mechanics

 

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Forgot about this. Someone passed along an article that says just what Tim said;

Warming up with a weighted bat does not increase swing speed

By Richard A. Schmidt, PhD, and Craig A. Wrisberg, PhD

For years it has been the practice of baseball batters to swing a weighted bat before taking their turn to hit. The thinking was that this type of warm-up activity would lighten the feel of the regular (i.e., unweighted) bat and improve the speed of the swing. Research examining the validity of this notion suggests that, although swinging a weighted bat may alter batters’ perceptions of bat heaviness and swing speed, it does not influence actual swing speed (Otsuji, Abe, & Kinoshita, 2002).
In this study, eight baseball and softball players attempted three sets of 15 bat swings during which they hit a ball suspended on a cord. Batters performed the first five swings and the last five swings in each set with a regular (nonweighted) bat and the middle five swings with a weighted bat. They were asked to estimate swing speed and bat weight (compared with the speed and weight they perceived during the first five unweighted swings) following the fifth weighted swing and after the first, third, and fifth unweighted swings. Actual swing speeds did not increase following swings with the weighted bat, but batters perceived their swings to be faster and their bats to feel lighter. For five of the eight participants, this illusion lasted for at least four unweighted swings. In another study (Southard & Groomer, 2003), the normal swing pattern of experienced batters was found to be altered and their swing speed slowed down for up to five swings following a warm-up with a weighted bat. The results of these studies suggest that batters would be better off taking warm-up swings with their normal (unweighted) bat than with one that is considerably heavier.

http://www.humankinetics.com/excerp...-a-weighted-bat-does-not-increase-swing-speed

 

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See post above....

A weighted bat, if used correctly, can help you stretch out a bit. Use it when you are in the hole for stretching only and then put it down. That's if you want to use one at all. I don't think it's worth the trouble.

 

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What some dont get that like to talk about going heavier to lighter is that hitting is a game of adjustments, and timing, I want my hands to be able to time in the on deck circle what I am timing at the plate

 

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O boy PhD's must be true!

 

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I believe there is a rule that you can't use anything that becomes unattached from the bat as a warm up aid. I think it is allowed to swing a heavier bat, you just can't use something like a donut or the air wings. It's been a rule ever since I've been involved so you'll need to blow the dust off that area of the book to find it. I never heard a reason I considered to be THE reason they made the rule.

 

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Not been allowed in softball for years. Plus no reason to if you read what Tim posted. New studies show this only helps to warm up muscles and actually hurt you swing in terms of timing. If you read the many baseball forums they will post the same thing that Tim posted above.

 

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I believe there is a rule that you can't use anything that becomes unattached from the bat as a warm up aid. I think it is allowed to swing a heavier bat, you just can't use something like a donut or the air wings. It's been a rule ever since I've been involved so you'll need to blow the dust off that area of the book to find it. I never heard a reason I considered to be THE reason they made the rule.

Donuts have been outlawed by sanctions (e.g. ASA and LL) for safety - they can fly off during a practice swing if they are too large for bat barrel. According to ASA's Certified Equipment list, there are currently 2 allowed warm-up attachments - Pow'R Wrap and SwingSock.

ASA also regulates warm-up bats (Rule 3, Section 2) and certifies them.

 

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That's interesting that they would regulate & certify warm-up bats. Wonder why they do that?

 

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That's interesting that they would regulate & certify warm-up bats. Wonder why they do that?

It appears ASA regulates warm-up bats for safety reasons:
- They must comply with the same safety grip and knob requirements of an official bat to minimize it slipping out of a batter's hands.
- They have to be of 1-piece construction or permanently assembled so nothing comes loose and flies off.

 

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I guess I can see that. It probably was a reaction to it happening somewhere.

 

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What some dont get that like to talk about going heavier to lighter is that hitting is a game of adjustments, and timing, I want my hands to be able to time in the on deck circle what I am timing at the plate

I agree with that. However prior to that you can use a weighted bat to stretch with. No swings, etc. That's the only purpose I could see.