Moving on to the fourth edition of this series, swing speed and power is the natural next step. Swing speed, which positively correlates to exit velocity (0.823 according to Driveline’s 2019 article, “Debunking Bat Speed Myths”), is one of the leading predictors of success for hitters when they make contact (wOBACON). Everyone has heard the old adage, “hit it hard, and good things will happen.” Heck, I tweeted it the other day in response to a statistic on hard hit balls during the World Series. As tired as we may be of hearing that phrase, it is 100% true. When examining hard hit ball data at the major league level, the hitters with the hardest hit balls result in the highest slugging percentage of all batted balls. For an even simpler representation of my point, check out this link from the 2015 season.
Now that we all have a decent idea of the importance of swing speed, we must train for it effectively. Obviously, a great deal of training to increase swing speed is tied to getting bigger, faster, and stronger on the strength and conditioning side of things, but even that is not an all-encompassing solution. In order to maximize swing speed, hitters need to train at top speeds, maximize force output, and utilize efficient swing mechanics.
Swing speed, I believe, can fill many gaps in a hitter’s overall success. Swing speed training can be beneficial as both an introductory piece of programming, as well as the cherry on top. For athletes with lower training ages, training for speed can often correct several mechanical flaws. Simply by applying greater intent to the task at hand, swinging faster will result in better weight and energy transfer and improved directional awareness, resulting in improved force application into the baseball.
As for programming, once we address initial mechanical fixes and players experience an uptick from an introduction to swing speed training, players will then work through both lower and upper body mechanical groups. If they check all of the boxes in those realms, they get right back to swing speed training for some real power development.
Swing speed training at its core is training to maximize athleticism in the swing. Mechanics certainly play a role, but such training functions as the new tires, spoiler, and exhaust system to get this vehicle going faster than ever.
The groundbreaking study for swing speed training was performed by Coop DeRenne in the late 1995, in which he examined the effects of overweighted and underweighted bat training with high school and collegiate baseball players. DeRenne found that swing training with implements less than or greater than 10% of a load difference from the athlete’s standard game bat do not improve the athlete’s swing speed.
In more recent years, Driveline Baseball in partnership with Axe Bats has taken the same study and sensationalized it. They have taken a few steps to make it their own by operating with a 20% load difference, as well as variable load locations, such as handle loaded or end loaded. Although with slightly different programming than DeRenne’s seminal study, Driveline’s programming, paired with their strength and conditioning programs boast swing speed gains of 3-5 mph over a 4 week period as opposed to 4-6 mph over 12 weeks.
As Driveline’s training has become popularized throughout baseball, Axe Bat training bats have become increasingly popular as well. That said, they are not the only manufacturer offering over and under weighted swing speed trainers. In my work, I use Phoenix Bats for my swing speed trainers because they use over and under weighted bats that stick to DeRenne’s study prescription of a 10% load difference as the golden range for speed training.
Our programming with Phoenix Bats consist of a slight variation off of DeRenne’s prescribed swing volume. In DeRenne’s program, he suggests 150 total swings, 50 with the heavy bat, 50 with the light bat, and 50 with regulation bat 4 times a week for 12 weeks. I significantly lessen the number due to the daily grind of making that many swings in a single day, and then adding that up over time. Although an unpopular opinion, I often think collegiate hitters take too many swings in a given week. Sticking true to my assertion, I cut the swing speed program into 60-90 total swings, 20-30 with each bat.
The 60-90 swings in my swing speed protocol are then to be performed between 3 times per week to manage swing intensities. My general rule of thumb is every other day, but there are times we’ll adjust depending on the team practice plan, the individual’s schedule, and if the player feels he needs more time for recovery from the prior swing speed training session. As for results, by following this program, our players have experienced the same 7 mph swing speed increases on average with only half the volume of swings in the DeRenne protocol in just two thirds of the time (8 weeks).
Taking my twist on the swing speed program one step further, I encourage using the bats during other drills or even during batting practice. The only set rules are to follow the order (heavy, light, regulation) and to swing with max intent. If those two stipulations are met, the programming meshes perfectly within nearly any drill in our drill set. Whether it is working from the launch position, performing golf swings, the Cano drill, or countless others, there is no reason to separate overload/underload bat training from the rest of practice.
Now, our swing speed training does not stop with a weighted bat program. I will forever maintain that Sir Isaac Newton is the most influential sport performance coach to ever live. Force = mass x acceleration drives nearly every aspect of the way we program performance improvement. Changing mass would include body weight changes or a swinging a lighter/heavier bat (i.e. weighted bat program), but changing acceleration does not stop with the implement. Acceleration training can be altered by playing with different movements incorporated within the swing. A perfect example is the Happy Gilmore drill discussed in my lower body mechanics post.
As we continue to talk about force development, another key component to what we do is our medicine ball drills. Very few are specific to just hitters, but we will increase the dosage of these drills for those most focused on building speed. From a previous recording done with my teams, I have found that the stationary medicine ball push (medicine ball shot put) performed with a 15 lb medicine ball has a .56 correlation to exit velocity, ranking it as one of the most transferrable exercises.
We then play with stimulus of the med ball push by assesses whether it is a strength or athleticism issue. For those who need more explosiveness, we drop the med ball weight to 4-6 pounds and focus on shuffles or run and guns, and we put them on the radar gun.
For those who need more power, we focus on step back, jump back, or small build up movements. The medicine ball for these exercises will stay between 10 and 15 lbs.
Other medicine ball drills we perform include medicine ball scoop variations and “medicine ball hitting.” Many programs perform various medicine ball scoops, but they may not entirely understand their purpose. Due to the mechanics of the scoop, these exercises are fantastic for energy transfer and deceleration, especially if there is a “catch and stabilize” component to the exercise. For these exercises, I tend to prescribe weights between 4 and 12 lbs depending on the athlete’s specific needs.
“Medicine ball hitting” is a slightly different take on the traditional medicine ball scoop. Instead of a lefty hitter starting with the right hand under the ball and the left hand on top, the athlete will start in the opposite position. Additionally, instead of beginning with ball near waist height, the ball will begin near shoulder height, mimicking the swing. Due to the motion, we stay super light with this exercise. We use anything from a volleyball to a 2 lb medicine ball.
The various medicine ball exercises explained above can be used within daily batting practice or separately as part of strength and conditioning. As stated previously, I increase the dosage of these exercises depending on the needs of the athletes. Therefore, the swing speed group will often be performing at least one of these exercises as a station during their daily work.
Although discussed after lower and upper body mechanics, swing speed is the ultimate goal. While swing speed and exit velocity are not the sole determinant of a hitter’s success, proven time and time again, athletes with higher hard hit ball percentages and higher peak swing speeds/exit velocities can get away with more at the plate. Training for speed certainly involves efficient mechanics, but often it requires pushing the athlete to new limits. Through maximum intensity swinging with overload/underload bats, increasing force development, and challenging athletes’ explosiveness and power, swing speed is without a doubt a key component of the complete hitter and can be trained seamlessly in the team setting.
Thank you,
Adam Moreau, MBA, CSCS
Director of Player Development and Recruiting Coordinator
Eckerd College
419-250-7243
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