Swing Faster. Hit Harder. Optimizing Your Bat Swing
Swinging a baseball/softball bat is an explosive rotational movement requiring a transfer of energy from the ground, through the legs, trunk, shoulders, and finally into the bat making contact with the ball. A faster swing can increase the distance and speed the ball travels after bat-to-ball contact. Muscular power to produce an effective swing depends on timing of the kinetic chain. The pelvis, spine, and trunk must build rotational momentum in a proper timing sequence to produce an optimal bat swing.(2) Force and velocity can be trained through a sports performance program to enhance an athlete’s bat swing.
Rotational movement patterns (bat swing) require incremental stability through the pelvis, spine, and trunk to maximize trunk and arm rotational velocities.(3) The spinal stabilizer muscles need strength and endurance to serve as the foundational base for a high powered rotational movement.(4,5) A training program for baseball and softball needs to address this demand of the trunk musculature to improve batting and throwing.
A recent study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research by Palmer and McCabe (2023) titled “The Effect of a Novel Weight-Supported Kinetic Chain Resistance Training Program on Proximal Core Muscular Endurance, Trunk-to-Arm Muscular Power, and Bat Swing Speed” demonstrates the value of a sports performance program to improve the bat swing.
The study explores weight-supported kinetic chain resistance training (WsKC) – a closed-kinetic chain technique with an emphasis on the synergistic muscles of the kinetic chain that transfers force from the lower to upper extremities. This training style uses functional patterns to build rotational muscular co-contractions from the ground up – mimicking the muscular demands of a bat swing. WsKC uses a unique device called the Finisher. It’s like a table that supports the dumbbells. The athlete, while standing and gripping the supported dumbbells, must use core strength and power to move the dumbbells in various acceleration-deceleration movements.
In the study by Palmer and McCabe (2023), WsKC was compared to traditional weight resistance training in a 7-week preseason program in high school softball athletes.(1) Isometric muscular endurance, muscular power, and bat swing improved in both groups with larger improvements in the WsKC group.
Regardless of the training style used, it is most important to focus on the components of the training program to produce a better bat swing. A well-designed sports performance program for the baseball and softball athlete will involve the following:
Proximal core stability exercises
Perturbation training
Plyometric training
Strength-to-power resistance training
Sport specificity
Want to increase your batting power? Have a sports-related injury? We can build you an individualized program to optimize your bat swing.
Schedule a sports performance training or sports physical therapy session with us today!
References
Palmer, Thomas G.1,2; McCabe, Mathew3. The Effect of a Novel Weight-Supported Kinetic Chain Resistance Training Program on Proximal Core Muscular Endurance, Trunk-to-Arm Muscular Power, and Bat Swing Speed. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 37(11):p 2130-2140, November 2023.
Palmer TG, Uhl TL. Interday reliability of peak muscular power outputs on an isotonic dynamometer and assessment of active trunk control using the chop and lift tests. J Athl Train 46: 150–159, 2011.
McGill SM, Karpowicz AMY, Fenwick CMJ. Ballistic abdominal exercises: Muscle activation patterns during three activities along the stability/ mobility continuum J Strength Cond Res 23: 898–905, 2009.
Cholewicki J, Simons AP, Radebold A. Effects of external trunk loads on lumbar spine stability. J Biomech 33: 1377–1385, 2000.
Baker D, Newton RU. Methods to increase the effectiveness of maximal power training for the upper body. Strength Cond J 27: 24–32, 2005.
Disclaimer: This SciSport blog post is a summary of an article printed in an academic research journal. The purpose of this blog post is to provide readers with academic and educational content in an easy-to-understand format. We take no credit for the material and knowledge presented, and we encourage readers to take a look at the original source provided in the References section.
