Program Details:
The Line Training is excited to announce our new overload and underload training to increase bat speed & exit velocity through our 6 week course. This type of training has been used in many types of sports and was widely used by the Soviet Union for their Olympic Teams. Many Universities and Colleges are implementing this style of hit training into their programs today.
We will be using the
Bat Speed Recon to measure your bat speed with the overload, underload, and your game bat. The Bat Speed Recon is the most reliable and most recognized device for recording bat speed.
Increasing overall bat speed, regardless of the player and the level they play at will never hinder performance. A common misconception is bat speed training will hurt a player's mechanics, which is false. Training to increase bat speed can often result in a direct improvement of mechanics as the body wants to self-organize itself into the strongest and fastest positions and movements possible.
Developing bat speed doesn't just come from doing an endless amount of drills at home, but rather it is developed much more effectively and efficiently through a specialized training program, accurate feedback to track progress, and is done with a high level of focus on Overload and Underload training.
Overload and Underload training is nothing new. If you’ve ever watched a game you will often see players warming up in the on-deck circle with a weight around their bat. While not a full overload training routine, it is a form of overload training and helps them activate their muscles so that they’re ready to roll when they step into the batter’s box.
Underload training is done during practice sessions and involves swinging a bat that is lighter than their game bat in order to develop their fast-twitch muscles. Let's take a close look at why both of these training methods are important.
Why is Overload Training Important?
You hear a lot these days about the importance of exit velocity, and for good reason. Exit velocity is the speed at which the ball comes off the bat after being hit. It is the single biggest factor in determining how far the ball carries.
For every 1 mph increase in exit velocity, you can expect the ball to carry an extra 4-6 feet. That kind of increase can make the difference between your ball being snagged on the warning track and disappearing into the stands for a home run.
Why mention this? Because, just as exit velocity is the single biggest factor in determining ball carry, bat speed is the single biggest factor in determining exit velocity. So, increased bat speed equals increased exit velocity equals increased ball carry and more hits.
Overload training is crucial for increasing bat speed. By training with a heavier bat than you use during the game, you strengthen the muscles associated with your swing. Then, next time you’re staring at a fastball in the heart of the strike zone you can smack it out of the park instead of watching it get snagged at the wall.
Why is Underload Training Important?
Whereas overload baseball training builds overall strength and endurance, fast-twitch muscles enable you to react quickly to get the bat moving. The faster you can react and the faster you can swing the bat, the more time you'll have to consider the pitch and the more bat speed you'll be able to generate.
Underload training consists of using a bat that is lighter than your standard game bat in order to practice activating your swing and getting the bat moving quickly. When combined with the strength gains produced by overload training, underload training helps ensure your swing will activate faster and achieve a higher speed by the time you make contact with the ball.
You can’t train for increased exit velocity without training for increased bat speed, Exit velocity is a subset of bat speed.
