BSU Blog #5 - Common Myths About Bat Speed Training
Michael Savettiere
Intro
Bat speed training is one of the most talked-about areas of hitter development—and one of the most misunderstood. Well-meaning players, parents, and coaches often repeat ideas that sound logical but actually slow progress or create bad habits.
In this Bat Speed University lesson, we’ll clear up some of the most common myths about bat speed training and explain what actually helps hitters get faster, more efficient swings.
If you’re new to Bat Speed University, start with our first lesson, The Science of Bat Speed: Why It's the #1 Competitive Edge You Can Train, where we define the fundamentals that this lesson builds on.
Myth #1: Swinging Harder Automatically Increases Bat Speed
Many hitters assume that if they want more bat speed, they simply need to swing harder. In reality, trying to “muscle” the swing usually adds tension to the hands, arms, and shoulders.
That tension makes it harder for the barrel to accelerate early and move freely through the zone. In many cases, swinging harder actually reduces bat speed instead of increasing it.
Bat speed comes from efficiency and timing, not effort alone.
Myth #2: Heavier Bats Always Build Bat Speed
Overload training can be useful, but it’s not automatically good.
Using a bat that is too heavy often changes a hitter’s swing mechanics. Timing gets disrupted, sequencing breaks down, and hitters may start compensating just to move the bat.
If the hitter has to alter their swing to handle the weight, the training no longer supports bat speed development. The goal is to move the barrel faster—not just move a heavier object.
Myth #3: Bat Speed Is Mostly Genetic
Genetics influence potential, but bat speed is far more trainable than many people realize.
Some hitters appear “naturally fast” because they move efficiently, accelerate early, and sequence well—not because they were born with special bat-speed genes.
Improving movement patterns, reducing tension, and learning how to accelerate the bat properly can lead to meaningful gains at almost any age or size.
Myth #4: Bat Speed Training Is Only for Big, Strong Hitters
In reality, smaller hitters often benefit the most from bat speed training.
Bat speed is a force multiplier. When hitters don’t rely on size or raw strength, improving speed and efficiency can dramatically change performance.
Myth #5: Bat Speed Training Should Stop During the Season
Another common mistake is treating bat speed work as strictly an off-season activity.
In-season bat speed training doesn’t need to be long or fatiguing. When managed correctly, it can be short, intent-focused, and designed to maintain speed rather than build it aggressively.
Maintaining bat speed during the season helps prevent the gradual drop-off that many hitters experience as fatigue accumulates.
What Actually Works for Bat Speed Development
Effective bat speed training focuses on early acceleration of the barrel, clean sequencing through the swing, reducing unnecessary tension, and feedback that helps hitters recognize efficient movement.
Key Takeaways
Swinging harder is not the same as swinging faster.
Heavy bats only help if mechanics stay clean.
Bat speed is highly trainable through efficiency.
Smaller hitters can benefit dramatically from bat speed gains.
Bat speed work can and should be maintained in season.
With so many bat speed training tools on the market, it’s easy to get distracted by methods that sound good but don’t deliver results. One tool we consistently recommend is the ProVelocity Bat, an advanced baseball and softball training bat designed to improve bat speed while reinforcing proper sequencing and efficient bat pathways. For more details on the product and how it’s used, see the review linked here.
If you haven’t read the previous Bat Speed University lesson yet, it provides important context for this discussion. In How Bat Speed Translates to Game Performance, we explain why bat speed shows up so clearly in real games—especially under pressure and against higher velocity pitching.