Some of the best research on weighted implement training (overload/underload or heavy/light bats) for bat speed were done back in the 1980s and 90s. This one is more recently done in 2019.
Japanese college baseball players with an average age of 20 years old slightly improved their bat speed with either a very light (8.8, 10.6 ounce) bat or a heavy (38.8 ounce) bat. The training protocol was 100 dry swings twice per week for 8 weeks.
Both groups had statistically non-significant improvements in bat speed. The light bat group improves by 2.17 mph and the heavy bat by 1.3 mph on average. The training was performed concurrently with existing activities.
Article summary:
The article discusses the effect of dry swing training with a light bat on bat speed in baseball players. The study aimed to determine if dry swing training with a light bat would increase post-dry swing training bat speed compared to training with a heavy bat. A total of 34 male university baseball players were randomly divided into a light bat group and a heavy bat group. They performed 100 dry swings per day, twice a week for eight weeks. Bat speed and muscle power were measured before and after the intervention. The results showed that there was no significant interaction between the intervention and bat speed, knee extension strength, shoulder horizontal flexion, or hand grip strength. However, there was a main effect of the intervention on bat speed and shoulder horizontal flexion. Both groups showed an increase in bat speed, but there were no significant differences between the light bat and heavy bat groups. The study suggests that dry swing training with a light bat may be more effective and less strenuous.
Yano, Y., Yabe, K., Okuno, S., Nagao, R., Naka, K., Honma, K., Yamamoto, S., & Iwata, A. (2019). Dry swing training with a light bat increases bat speed. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 14(4), 918–924. https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2019.144.19
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