Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Rolling-One of the most popular ABI techniques is bat rolling. When breaking in your new bat, pick only regulation balls that are legal for use in an actual game. The carbon fibers in the barrel are stiff out of the wrapper, and need to be loosened up before they will reach peak performance. You’ll need to hit 100 to 150 baseballs to correctly break in the bat (baseballs not batting cage balls). Time and patience is required but a rubber mallet can compact the fibers in a bat to make it more powerful and responsive. To start off with, composite bats have a much longer break-in period than aluminum bats. However, if you're not quite willing to use it in a game, use it during batting practice a few times to make sure you're used to the way it hits. With advances in modern softball bat technology, some new model bats now require a break in process. The first thing to remember is that bat rolling is illegal if you’re playing in a high school or collegiate league. Quatro @ JustBats.com Quatro @ Amazon Quatro Review However, with composite baseball bats, things are different. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you feel your bat isn’t fully broken in, take as many practice hits as you need to complete the process. After 50 pitches, your bat should be broken in. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. After the soft toss hitting drill, ask a pitcher with a good arm to accompany you to the field. Just picked up a 2017 Freak Platinum balanced (ASA). Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 105,490 times. But as composites break in they get hotter. Never swing a composite baseball bat unless its at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. You’ll need to hit 100 to 150 baseballs to correctly break in the bat (baseballs not batting cage balls). It is recommended that you also rotate the bat ¼ inch between swings. Keep in mind that juiced bats are often illegal during a game, so only use one for fun. We noticed a slight increase in exit speed after testing our Rawlings Quatro USABat. This thread is archived. Cracks that run up through the middle of the bat generally cannot be repaired, and hurt the person using them. Most notably, Louisville Slugger developed a slow-pitch bat that was awarded best performance at the 2001 Bat Wars. Both games are outdoor games and the most exciting game ever in the USA. Use a Game Ball When breaking in your new bat it is important to use a regulation ball that would be legal in a game situation. Breaking in your composite bat is fun, easy and can be done in about an hour. I asked a couple of them about using the composite bats in the cages and they said there was nothing wrong with it. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Your bat will be brand new so you mustn't hammer too hard straight away. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. While there are several illegal methods of breaking in a composite softball bat, the method approved by the American Softball Association involves hitting at half speed from a tee and gradually working up to full-speed swings for a total of 200 repetitions. Work with your coach or a friend to swing 50 times this way. It is also important to rotate the bat about a ” on every swing. Do this for about another 75 hits. This will ensure the entire barrel is broken evenly and adequately. A cold ball can damage the bat before it is broken in properly. 0. Many fast pitch players hesitate to use a new composite bat in the middle of season, thinking that the break-in process is too time consuming. As you can imagine, bats breaking in quickly often comes with a price in the form of durability. This is despite marketing claims as you’ll see about composite bats being “hot out of the wrapper”. Hit 50 balls from soft-toss using about 75% power. Rolling the bat would increase the cushioning effect on the joint and maybe increase the lifespan of the bat as a whole, but not the barrel. Do not utilize wall thinning, barrel shaving, loading, painting or accelerated break-in techniques on your bat. Composite fastpitch softball bats have carbon fibers that need to be loosened before the bat reaches peak performance. Composite bats, on the other hand, require a break-in period. However, breaking in a new bat shouldn't take more time than a routine practice session. A common technique is known as rolling, in which a bat is placed between two rollers. This technique will evenly break in the bat and increase its lifetime too. It is recommended that you also rotate the bat ¼ inch between swings. 9 comments. When the ASA certifies a bat as passing its 98-mph Batted-Ball Speed standard, that bat is expected to pass the standard forever, even after being broken-in. To create this article, 17 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. However, composite bats need to be broken in to reach their maximum potential. The easiest way to break in your composite bat is to take 100-200 swings with soft toss or tee practice. Step 1. Breaking in your composite bat is fun, easy and can be done in about an hour. This powerpoint presentation describes how to prepare a composite slowpitch softball bat for use in game play. Softball Bat Surface Cracks Is Your Softball Bat Really Broken? Softball players have a variety of techniques that can be used to break in a composite bat to improve its performance. How do I break in a new bat? Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. This will damage your bat and also void your manufacturer’s warranty. Have your coach use it when doing infield practice. Hopefully, you now have sufficient knowledge to fully and properly break in your composite baseball bat. To properly break in your composite bat, we recommend taking 150-200 swings playing soft toss or off a tee using real baseballs. Breaking in your fastpitch softball bat shouldn’t take longer than a typical practice session. Do this to ensure the entire barrel of your bat is being broken in uniformly. History. Top brand products and manufacturers all over the USA who produce these bats every year with updated versions. Step 1: Tap Gently. As of October, 2007 all composite bats are now being artificially broken-in using a barrel rolling technique before they are sent to the Sports Science Laboratory at Washington State University to be performance tested for certification… We think it likely other composite bats run similar in terms of break-in and changes in exit velocity. In order to maximize performance, experts recommend a break-in period for any new composite bat in order to strengthen and compress the fibers. Aluminum bats are as hot as they are going to get as soon as you take them out of the wrapper. A composite bat requires a break in to have its best rebound. This way, you have 4 solid hits on each of the 4 faces of the bat. In the past, softball players have been able to purchase a softball bat that was ready for use immediately. I did it to one of my RB500's way back when, I figured it wasnt that bad and it was the lesser of many evils cuz the bat was a turd out of the wrapper and blah blah blah #1 The bat sounded like a potatoe cannon. These bats come hot out of the wrapper. When breaking in our drop 10, 2018 Rawlings Quatro USABat, we did notice a marginal increase in ball exit speed (about 1 mph faster after clocking 200 swings when breaking it in). 2. A. Softball bats made from composite material don’t reach their peak velocity exit speed until they’ve been used multiple times. To properly break in your composite bat, we recommend taking 150-200 swings playing soft toss or off a tee using real baseballs. In softball, the right grip is the starting point to a successful swing. This powerpoint presentation describes how to prepare a composite slowpitch softball bat for use in game play. The Process of Breaking in Fastpitch Softball Bats. Within about an hour of performing the drills below, your bat should be fully broken in. Your bat will be brand new so you mustn't hammer too hard straight away. Unfortunately, it takes 300-500 hits before a bat is fully broken-in, and many players are not willing to wait that long before bringing their composite bat to its full potential. (See our full 718 Select Review). This method works by compressing the composite fibers in the barrel and loosening them in the process. It's my first slowpitch and composite bat. The hottest a composite bat will ever be is the last swing before it breaks. Once you’ve completed 150 proper hits at half the power, you can now work your way up to hitting at full strength. It's my first slowpitch and composite bat. Bats that are 100% alloy or with an alloy barrel are game-ready right out of the wrapper and will not require a break-in period. Bat rolling is an accelerated break-in method. She typically gets @ 1.5 years out of one, but I consider the .5 year a bonus. Your bat should now be ready to play in a game. Do Accelerated Break-in Techniques Really Work? Check out JustBats.com! The technique of rolling the bat involves inserting the bat between two rollers, wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Everyone knows that bats get hotter after about 500-800 hits. You need hit at 40 miles per hour or faster. History. Moving to a full-speed swing too quickly could damage the bat. 100% Upvoted. Did you recently purchase a new composite baseball bat? Smaller cracks on the bat, however, can be repaired quite easily. As an example of how seriously associations are taking this issue, the ASA recently changed their bat certification policy. Repeat at least 200 times—the more, the merrier. If you are buying an aluminum Fastpitch bat, there is no break-in necessary. Ask a friend to help out in case you get tired. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. When you buy a wood bat or an alloy bat, you don’t need to worry about breaking it in. By using our site, you agree to our. Check out JustBats.com! While hitting the ball, rotate the bat. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. willing to wait that long before bringing their composite bat to its full potential. You don’t need all day to break-in your composite bat; an hour at most would be enough. Composite bats have been around as early as the 1980s for use in slow-pitch softball. Heat Treated Advanced Baseball Bat Break in Procedure Composite Baseball Bats are very hard when brand new and have a lot of stinging, a small sweet spot and lack of performance until they get broken in. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit. It will get broke in on it's own. Finally, has breaking-in improved the performance of your composite bat? An alloy bat is game ready the day you buy it. Hit 50 balls off a tee using about 50% power. best. Any tips or recommendations on breaking in a new bat? In the past, softball players have been able to purchase a softball bat that was ready for use immediately. After the peak, performance starts to decline. Short lobs are often used to help batters work on their form. However, don't do less than 100, since the bat needs to be broken in gradually. So, in order to get your bat ready for game time, you should go through a break-in process to make sure you maximize your bats potential when it counts. Step 2. Most notably, Louisville Slugger developed a slow-pitch bat that was awarded best performance at the 2001 Bat Wars. Anything less and you run the risk of denting or cracking your composite baseball bat. I can still hear the ring of the other team saying "nice bat" after every swing When breaking in your new bat, pick only regulation balls that are legal for use in an actual game. How Do I Break in My Composite Bat? I can still hear the ring of the other team saying "nice bat" after every swing #2 It only lasted for 100 or so swings after that. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. For this reason, composite bats need to be broken in before regular gameplay. ADVANCED BAT BREAK IN SERVICE $29.99 applied to any bat purchased Add this to any bat order, the option is located above the add-to-cart button. There you have it. Composite bats, on the other hand, require a break-in period. Composite bats have been around as early as the 1980s for use in slow-pitch softball. Breaking in a baseball bat is one of them. This will have the best effect on your bat and will prevent the bat from getting damaged by the ball. However, composite bats need to be broken in to reach their maximum potential. Our Cold Weather USA Bat Pick Hit 50 balls off a tee using about 75% power. This process is fairly quick and easy to do. Sort by. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Make sure your bat needs to be broken in. Depending on the vendor or the make, some bats may require more time to break in than others. Bat rolling is a process that can add incredible pop and distance to any softball or baseball bat. Once your composite softball bat is broken in, use it only for games and not during batting practice. That is 10+ months of heavy use between the TB and HS seasons. Accelerated Break-In Processes-So, there is data showing that the performance of composite bats improves as they are broken. If no one is available to pitch short lobs, you can use a pitching machine. Any bat that is noticeably altered by rolling, vising or hammering will be disqualified for use. Bats that are created out of composite materials will need a break in process, while alloy or aluminum bats will be ready to use at the time of purchase. 2018 Model Baseball Bats are going to need this Heat Treatment because of new Bat Standards making the bats hit like wooden bats. To break in your bat, you’re going to: Hit the ball off a tee; Soft toss against a fence; Have a teammate pitch to you; Most bats have a rotation index on them that’ll serve as your guide during this easy 3-step break-in process. You would just roll the bat through a rolling machine a few times on each pressure increment. Next, take about 75 swings either off a tee, soft toss or front toss. The higher damping rate causes the bat to have less vibration and a more forgiving sweet spot. Good Luck :-) ADVANCED BAT BREAK IN SERVICE $29.99 applied to any bat purchased Add this to any bat order, the option is located above the add-to-cart button. A composite bat is mostly played in a baseball or softball game. Use these tips responsibly to break in your composite softball bat properly. This should only take about 50 good, solid hits to achieve the estimated 200 hits required to properly break in your bat. Should you mishit a ball or hit a weak foul ball, don’t count that in your tally of hits and don’t rotate your bat either. One way you can juice your softball bat is by using a bat rolling machine. This process requires about 150 – 200 good solid hits. If so, watch and learn how to break it in properly from a two-time All-American. Fast pitch softball bats that are 100 percent alloy, or that have an alloy barrel, are good to go right away, with no break-in period needed. References. A composite softball bat is usually lighter and has a higher damping rate than an aluminum bat. This would break in the bat effectively, but it might not be great for your batting form. Miken responded in 2002 by developing their own composite softball bat. How to Grip a Softball Bat. save hide report. This ensures an even break-in for your softball bat. Most manufactures have card with them,don't use under 60 degrees,rotate the bat after every hit,helps to get even wear and break in,but by no means do they say to speed up the break in period you do this,they would just be asking to be sued if some one got hurt because of a rolled or shaved bat.Just use it! Start by tapping the surface of the bat gently. Below, we discuss how to break in your composite baseball bat. Time and patience is required but a rubber mallet can compact the fibers in a bat to make it more powerful and responsive. Accelerated Break-In (ABI) Processes are methods used to break-in a bat quickly and bring it to its maximum performance without having to actually put 500 hits on a bat. When she gets a new bat, she will use her old one as a practice bat until it breaks. Bad habits: If you are allowing them you are coaching them. With composite barrel bats, you will have to spend some time getting them ready to perform at their peak. To break in your composite bat, the process is almost effortless and should take no more than one hour. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/08\/Break-in-a-Softball-Bat-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Break-in-a-Softball-Bat-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/08\/Break-in-a-Softball-Bat-Step-1.jpg\/aid1146288-v4-728px-Break-in-a-Softball-Bat-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"