Discover how to increase bat speed and improve hitting power with these tee drills for baseball and softball youth players as young as 8 years old.
“Blocking” Like Jose Bautista: A Baseball Hitting Drills For Bat Speed Experiment
Question: Does Landing Bent with the Front Knee & then Straightening it, Add Bat Speed?
Using the Zepp (Labs) Baseball app, I wanted to use the Scientific Method to analyze if“Blocking”, or using Ground Reaction Forces (GRF), produces a significant gain in bat speed.
Background Research
Check out this YouTube video from ZenoLink about “Blocking”, or GRF:
CLICK HERE for a Wikipedia article defining Ground Reaction Forces. Quote from post:
“The use of the word reaction derives from Newton’s third law, which essentially states that if a force, called action, acts upon a body, then an equal and opposite force, called reaction, must act upon another body. The force exerted by the ground is conventionally referred to as the reaction, although, since the distinction between action and reaction is completely arbitrary, the expression ground action would be, in principle, equally acceptable.”
CLICK HERE for another baseball hitting drills for bat speed post I did about Edwin Encarnacion: A How-To “Blocking” Guide.
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
Based on the above baseball hitting drills for bat speed research and study, I think “Bent Knee Blocking”will produce more bat speed than “Straight Knee Blocking”. For some of you, this may be obvious. But the data comparing the two is quite interesting to see.
Baseball Hitting Drills For Bat Speed Experiment: “Blocking”
Yellow dimple ball feedback markers = my bat length, plus two baseballs
Distance from plate = end of the bat touching inside corner of plate, and knob of bat touching my mid-thigh.
SwingAway was set slightly behind the front feedback marker, and ball height was about the hip.
First 101 baseballs were hit with a landing leg angle of about 170-degrees.
Second 101 baseballs were hit with a landing leg angle of about 146-degrees.
Data Collected (Zepp Baseball App Screenshots):
Check out the differences in average bat speed and hand speed (red arrows)…
Data Analysis & Conclusion
6-mph average bat speed difference between “Straight Knee Blocking” versus “Bent Knee Blocking”,
2-mph average hand speed difference between “Straight Knee Blocking” versus “Bent Knee Blocking”,
The Average Time to Impact was about the same,
The average Bat Vertical Angle at Impact had a 6-degree difference, and
There was only 1-degree of difference between the Attack Angles.
Notes
I broke my swing into two steps (stopping momentum), to make sure I could accurately isolate the difference in the front knee action.
The “Bent Knee Blocking” 6-mph average increase is equivalent to 24-48 feet of batted ball distance (depends on the speed of the pitch).
What was interesting was the huge shift in Bat Vertical Angle at Impact. I suspect it’s because of the higher landing position, and the barrel compensated down to accommodate hitting the sweet spot.
Looking at the nominal increase in Attack Angle and the wide degree shift in Bat Vertical Angle at Impact, it looks like “Straight Knee Blocking” would lead to more mishits.
Like in this “Blocking” Experiment, baseball hitting drills for bat speed need to be put to the test. We can’t just feel something will increase bat speed. We must look at what the data says.
In Conclusion
From the Baseball Hitting Drills for Bat Speed Experiment data, we can see that “Bent Knee Blocking” produces more average bat and hand speed than “Straight Knee Blocking”. The other thing that landing with a bent knee does (approx. 146-degrees), is shrink the strike-zone. Or at least create an illusion that it’s shrinking, to the umpire. I call this “Getting Shorter”.
Coupled with forward momentum, the hitter is making a “cut”, much like a wide receiver would on an “L” route. Except instead of the wide receiver changing from the Sagittal (forward/backward) to the Frontal (sideways) Plane of motion, the hitter changes from the Frontal to Transverse (twisting) Plane of motion. And in order to do this, the “plant leg” needs to be bent in order to transfer Ground Reaction Forces efficiently. You’ll NEVER see an NFL wide receiver “cut” with a straight plant leg…they plant bent, then push into the ground to change directions.
'Add 40-Feet' To Batted Ball Distance
Swing Study reveals how tens of thousands of hitters are adding 40-feet to batted ball distance by using one simple strategy.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that's been downloaded over 30K times!!
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/How-To-Increase-Bat-Speed-Improve-Hitting-Power-With-Tee-Drills-for-Baseball-Softball.png423800Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2023-01-30 09:30:312023-01-31 05:41:12Increase Bat Speed And Improve Hitting Power With Tee Drills For Baseball & Softball Youth
The third installment to the Hitting Backwards: 4 Common Mistakes Hitters Make video series, stars 8-time All-Star & 2-Time AL MVP Miguel Cabrera. I’ll show you how hitting instructors get torque timing wrong, causing reciprocal inhibition to occur in reverse.
In this Miguel Cabrera video, we’ll look at:
Why walking mechanics hold the key to repeatable power,
Whether we should land front foot closed or open? And
Why the timing of torque is important.
Thanks to Bob Hall from Canada for the subject of this video blog article.
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
The following “compression signal” sequence is according to Dr. Serge Gracovetsky’s spine engine mechanics:
Left front leg heel strike – compression signal travels up the leg into the pelvis telling it to open to the right,
The signal continues up the spine into the shoulders, telling them to counter-rotate (left), and
This is why your opposite arm and leg come forward at the same time.
Photo courtesy: WalkezStore.com
Land Front Foot Closed OR Open?
Photo courtesy: OnMilwaukee.com
Big guys like Barry Bonds and Miguel Cabrera land closed (less than 45-degrees). Small guys such as Ryan Braun and Jose Bautista tend to land open (more than 45-degrees). Which way is the right way?
4 reasons to keep the front toe open (minimum of 45-degree angle):
Joint Connection – Toe closed? So is knee and pelvis. The compression signal travels fast after heel strike, so pelvis must be in neutral (or parallel to the plate) in order to open without friction,
NO Separation – If toe, knee, and pelvis are closed after compression signal, then front shoulder has to compensate by flying open the same time as the pelvis. This doesn’t engage our elastic energy systems.
Compensation is Inevitable – We find the closed toe in hitters like Barry Bonds and Miguel Cabrera just end up peeling or jumping open anyway at or shortly after contact. So why not get the toe out of the way to begin with?
Pitchers Land Open – And also if you look at Olympic Throwers and Shot Putters, they all land open before they throw or “put” their objects.
Why the Timing of Torque is IMPORTANT
Photo courtesy: OttawaLife.com
Torque timing in the swing, also known as shoulder-pelvis separation, is often cued wrong. Instructors often yell, “Fire the Hips!” In high level swing mechanics, we find the hips (or pelvis) does fire first. But, the timing coaches cue on is all wrong. Shoulder-pelvis separation occurs before the front heel touches down, NOT after.
If you missed the following parts to the Hitting Backwards: 4 Common Mistakes Hitters Make video series:
CLICK HERE for Common Mistake #1 featuring Ryan Braun
CLICK HERE for Common Mistake #2 featuring Adrian Gonzalez
Stay tuned for Common Mistake #4, where we debunk whether the friction-free swing is pushing or pulling the backside through…
'Add 40-Feet' To Batted Ball Distance
Swing Study reveals how tens of thousands of hitters are adding 40-feet to batted ball distance by using one simple strategy.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that's been downloaded over 30K times!!
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Miguel-Cabrera-Hitting-Breakdown-Increase-Baseball-Softball-Bat-Speed-Ball-Exit-Velocity-Power.png423800Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-09-18 09:00:412024-06-21 16:41:32Increase Baseball Softball Bat Speed, Improve Ball Exit Velocity, Whip, & Power | Miguel Cabrera Hitting Breakdown: Teach Little League 8 Year Old Kid To Swing Faster
Learn how to increase hitting power using a bat speed and exit velocity exercises drill formula for baseball, softball, and slow pitch. Discover what is a good ball exit speed off the batting tee by age, and average High School programming. When it comes to ball exit speeds by age, here’s what I like to see by the end of each year, off the tee… (add about 5-mph exit velocity to the following, in game at-bats)
Seniors: 90 to 95-mph
Juniors: 85 to 90-mph
Sophomores: 80 to 85-mph
Frosh: 75 to 80-mph
8th graders: 70 to 75-mph
7th graders: 65 to 70-mph
12 years old: 60 to 65-mph
How To Hit 120.5-mph Ball Exit Speeds Like Josh Donaldson
Amy Gill and Andrew Marden from KSEE24, a local sports news station here in Fresno, CA, put this video together of an HPL Batted Ball Distance Challenge held about a month ago.
We worked primarily on testing “showing the numbers“, and the results were interesting…
Twelve total hitters, ranging in ages from 8-17 years old. Nine of them had been exposed to the HPL system. Two of them had not, and one had minimal exposure.
The familiar ones (control group) gained or lost between -1 to +1-mph of Ball Exit Speed, while the three “newbies” gained between 3 and 10-mph of Ball Exit Speed in one 30-minute session. That’s between 15 to 50-feet of added batted ball distance!!
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
The Definitive Guide To Measuring, Tracking, & Boosting Ball Exit Speed
Josh Donaldson 120.5-mph Ball Exit Speed homer on April 23, 2015. Photo courtesy: MLB.com
On April 23rd, 2015…
The Toronto Blue Jays’ 3rd baseman, Josh Donaldson, hit a two-run homer to left off Chris Tillman that was clocked at 120.5-mph!
And as of August 18th, according to ESPN’s HitTrackerOnline.com (no longer available), was the highest Ball Exit Speed home-run in 2015. By the way, this topped Giancarlo Stanton’s highest Ball Exit Speed homer, in the same year, by 3.2-mph (117.3-mph).
How does Josh Donaldson do it?
I mean, come on!
Giancarlo Stanton, also referred to as “Bigfoot”, stands at a gargantuan 6-foot, 6-inches tall, 240-pounds. And from what I hear, has about 3-4% bodyfat.
On the other hand, Josh Donaldson stands in at mere 6-foot, 220-pounds.
Talk about David & Goliath!
But what little realize about David was that he was an expert marksman from long range. So he never had to go toe-to-toe with Goliath.
David had a better strategy. And so do small sluggers like Josh Donaldson.
In this post, we’ll be talking about Ball Exit Speed (BES), also known as Speed Off the Bat (SOB), or simply Exit Speed. We’ll learn:
What affects Ball Exit Speeds?
What is the Desirable Minimum Effective Dosage (MED) for Ball Exit Speed? And
How-to increase Ball Exit Speed…
What Affects Ball Exit Speeds?
“What gets measured gets managed.” – Peter Drucker
Recently, I use a Pocket Radar Ball Coach to measure the Ball Exit Speeds of my hitters, off the tee, before and after each session.
It’s not radar gun accuracy we’re looking for here, but an apples to apples comparison. Here’s what we’re comparing, using the radar gun, before and after each hitting session:
Did the hitter beat a personal record (PR), and/or
How consistent and stable their Ball Exit Speed readings are, or whether they’re jumping all over the place.
Unlike bat speed, there are many things that can affect the speed of the ball coming off the bat:
Bat Composition (BESR rating) – Wood v. non-wood. End loaded v. more balanced weight. Bat size and weight.
Ball Composition (COR rating) – Plastic balls v. rawhide. Corked core v. rubber. Higher v. lower seams.
Hitter’s Arm/Leg Length vs Body Mass – In my opinion I think limb length is more of a factor than body mass. And Physicist Dr. Alan Nathan has confirmed this.
Ball Spin Rate – Backspin and topspin, in addition to the coveted knuckle-ball will all affect BES differently.
Effective Mechanics – the better a hitter is at effectively using human movement rules that are validated by science, the better energy transfer from body to barrel to ball.
Pitching Velocity – From what I’ve heard and seen, pitch speed can add between 10-20-mph to Ball Exit Speeds, say from off the tee.
Fatigue – sleep, over-training, nutrition, and supplementation. CLICK HERE for Zach Calhoon’s recovery shake mix.
Warm Up Factor – I noticed in my latest Zepp swing experiment, that I didn’t consistently hit 90+mph Ball Exit Speed, off the tee, until I reached about the 75 swing mark.
Learning New Hitting Mechanics – I’ve noticed with my hitters that when we introduce a brand new hitting movement into their swing, their Ball Exit Speeds drop between one to four-mph. But if it’s something we’ve covered before, then they may actually increase by one to four-mph.
Timing – If a hitter is too late, and doesn’t allow his or her bat speed to mature, then Ball Exit Speeds will be lower. If a hitter is too early, and their bat speed has begun to decelerate, then Ball Exit Speeds will also go down.
Environment – Humidity dampens Ball Exit Speeds (pun intended). So does a head wind, duh. On the other hand, hitting in dry hotter climates OR in Denver, Colorado, Ball Exit Speeds will increase because the air is less dense.
Hitting the Sweet Spot – Hitting the ball on the end of the bat, or closer to the hands will decrease Ball Exit Speed, while consistently hitting the sweet spot will boost it.
Bat Speed at Impact – Most of the time Ball Exit Speeds will be higher than Bat Speed at Impact. With my Zepp swing experiments off the tee, it looks to be about a 6-mph difference.
Strength and conditioning – this can help but shouldn’t be the highest priority. This should be the cherry on top.
Mobility and stability – if you move better, then you perform better. Simple as that. This MUST be a high priority not just to increase BES, but to minimize an athlete’s risk for injury.
'Add 40-Feet' To Batted Ball Distance
Swing Study reveals how tens of thousands of hitters are adding 40-feet to batted ball distance by using one simple strategy.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that's been downloaded over 30K times!!
“Computers can track a ball’s exit velocity, launch angle, hang time and spin rate, 100 mph, the speed necessary for most home runs; 75 mph, commonly the break-even pace for a ground ball to skip through the infield for a hit; and four seconds, the inflection point for fly ball hang-time, with any remaining in the air that long before getting caught.”
You may be wondering, what is the launch angle for a typical home-run? According to the following Sports Science video, about 20-degrees:
According to a Beyond the Boxscore article titled, Do Hard Hit Ground-balls Produce More Errors?, that there is no significant increase in errors, at the Major League level, until Ball Exit Speeds reach and go beyond 95-mph.
Ball Exit Speed is being used to evaluate upcoming professionals, and can decide who starts,
Managers can use Ball Exit Speeds to see if there’s a drop off in a hitter’s Ball Exit Speed, which may reveal the player is hurt or needs to adjust their mechanics, and
Teams can shift their infielders back with hitters clocking higher Ball Exit Speeds.
“MLB average exit speed is 103 mph, bat speed ranges roughly from 70-85 mph. 1 mph of additional exit speed makes the ball go 5 more feet. This would be roughly 4 feet for 1-mph bat speed – which is less than the 7-8 feet we have heard from other studies.”
Based on the information above, ideally the MED Ball Exit Speed, for the average Little Leaguer, would be 40-mph BES (40-mph BES X 5-feet = 200-feet of distance). I want my Little Leaguers to get to 50-mph BES, for the fields that have 220-foot fences. And of course launch angle is a huge factor in this.
And on the big field, it looks like 95-mph Ball Exit Speed is the MED because that means the hitter has the ability to hit the ball 475-feet (95-mph BES X 5-feet of distance). Furthermore, the fact that Beyond the Boxscore’s observations about errors not increasing until Ball Exit Speeds reach 95-mph.
How-to Increase Ball Exit Speed
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain
So, what advantage does a small slugger like Josh Donaldson have over Giancarlo “Bigfoot” Stanton?
Here’s the secret to boosting Ball Exit Speeds…
Tinker and Test.
Remember, Peter Drucker’s quote above?
“What gets measured gets managed.”
Here’s what to do to ensure a healthy increase in Ball Exit Speeds:
CLICK HERE to read the definitive guide to running swing experiments,
Choose an HPL “Topic” in the navigation bar above, or search for one in the upper right hand corner of the website, and start testing.
Stop analyzing big hitters. Instead look at the small sluggers, and see what they’re doing to compete, such as: Cano, McCutchen, Donaldson, Bautista, Vogt, Beltre, Braun, Pedroia (averages 44 doubles and 15 homers a season), Victor Martinez, Edwin Encarnacion, David Wright, Hank Aaron, Sadaharu Oh, and Mickey Mantle.
Do you have anything to add to the discussion? Please REPLY below…
'Add 40-Feet' To Batted Ball Distance
Swing Study reveals how tens of thousands of hitters are adding 40-feet to batted ball distance by using one simple strategy.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that's been downloaded over 30K times!!
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/How-To-Increase-Baseball-Softball-Hitting-Power-Bat-Speed-And-Exit-Velocity-Formula-Drills.png423800Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-08-08 09:45:222022-08-15 05:07:09How To Increase Hitting Power: Bat Speed And Exit Velocity Exercise Formula For Baseball, Softball, & Slow Pitch Drills | What Is Good Off Tee By Age & Average High School Program
, I wanted to use the Scientific Method to analyze if “Blocking”, or using Ground Reaction Forces (GRF), produces a significant gain in bat speed.
and Tripod, and
to measure the Ball Exit Speeds of my hitters, off the tee, before and after each session.
and/or a 
