Kids watch their favorite baseball stars swing heavy on-deck weights and try to emulate what they are doing on deck right before they go hit. If the best players in the game are swinging heavy on deck weights, then that is what kids in Little League should be doing right?

Not actually.

When players swing a heavy on-deck weight they are training to swing slow right before they step into the batter’s box. Most players at the higher levels have a set routine on the On Deck circle that worked in the past and has been formed with baseball principles from the past when players didn’t know any better. Thus baseball has been given the nickname “Dinosaur Sport” with its resistance to change.

This was something I struggled with during my playing days. I wanted to find an on-deck weight that would take my normal game day swing before I would go hit, yet still give me that “light bat” feel right before I would go hit.

I looked around to see what was offered in the on-deck weight market and found all the on-deck weights were a lot heavier than they should be. When I researched sports science studies they confirmed the struggle I was feeling inside. Looking for a solution to the problem that is so crucial to your success as a hitter: is having a good on-deck routine right before you go hit that both promotes good hitting mechanics and optimizes your bat speed.

Today we know better, that swinging heavy objects leads to decreased bat speed and performance. Even TV shows like sports science have done a study that showed the decrease in bat speed from swinging a couple of heavy bats. Even Coop DeRenne, a physical-education professor at the University of Hawaii, has done studies that show training with weights over 20% of the total bat weight can alter natural swing mechanics and decrease bat speed.

20% of the total bat weight can alter natural swing mechanics and decrease bat speed.

When I switched from using the heavy on-deck weight to a weight, that was not over 20% of the total bat weight. I noticed I was a little quicker on turning on the inside fastball and seemed to gain a little more bat speed overnight. I also felt like I had more constant hitting mechanics because I was using my exact game-day swing while using a much littler on-deck weight. Now I could never go back to using those old heavy dinosaur on-deck weights.

What is the solution to baseball players leaving bat speed on the on-deck circle?

Baseball players need to have a minimum amount of bat weight that gives them the light feeling right before they go hit. They need to be able to take their normal game-day swing and not have the on-deck weight affect their normal swing mechanics. This way they will maximize bat speed right before you step into the batter’s box.

This is an area I am very passionate about and want to help others solve this problem to become better hitters. After doing a lot of research and struggling to modify my own hitting routine, I created my own on-deck weight that is heavy enough to give that light feeling right before you go hit, yet light enough not to affect my natural swing mechanics.

Change is always difficult, but don’t be resistant to change your way of thinking for your on-deck circle routine, your next home run will thank you. Click here when you are ready to get yours.