Just when....is force applied to the handle of a bat....and when is it over.

For some reason, people assume force is being applied into and through the moment of contact.

For a comparison....I ask....does a pitcher do this? NO HE DOES NOT.

You see....people equate 'contact between bat and ball'.....with....'a pitchers release'. The equate 'the end' of the swing to be contact. Yet....they understand the 'end' of a pitcher's delivery is 'release'....not contact.

Yet, the truth is....'contact between bat and ball'....more resembles....the 'catcher catching the ball'....when comparing force application.

In BOTH hitting and throwing....force application HAS NO RELATIONSHIP to contact. It isn't happening at or near contact. Force application happens UPSTREAM from contact. RELEASE happens....THEN contact. Both the barrel....and the ball in throwing....are on 'autopilot'....they are free from a player's force application....LONG BEFORE CONTACT. I say long....it's relative. In a 5 frame swing filmed at 30fps, force application happens over the first 2 to 3 frames....which is 40-60% of the 'total swing time'....leaving 'barrel freedom'...what I call 'autopilot'....of 60-40% of the time. Therefore....the assumption that a player who applies force THROUGH contact....somehow....in someway....can produce a better result....IS TOTAL NONSENSE.

Now....you have to keep in mind....that force application to create barrel speed....is only part of a hitter's problem. Lots of speed but poor contact does him no good. He FIRST....must be able to hit the ball squarely....and consistently. He FIRST....must be quick enough to get the barrel to the ball with accuracy. And therefore, there is a trade off....of barrel speed....for swing quickness.

And therein lies the difference between high level and amateur. Amateurs are still applying force into the handle of the bat....in and through contact....in search of bat speed....and in the process....jeopardizing their ability to square the ball consistently. A high level hitter understands that MAX bat speed is simply a recipe for failure. And instead...he KNOWS swing quickness is of utmost importance....it is PRIORITY ONE....even if it means a reduction from his MAX bat speed. And invariably it does. YET....that reduction is offset....by consistent quality squaring. Sweet on sweet at 75-80% FAR EXCEEDS 100% but unsweet.

As you develop your swing quickness your bat speed will improve. The better you get at the swing that produces swing quickness....the more bat speed you'll develop OUT OF THAT SWING MECHANIC. I doubt that you ever reach your MAX. But...MAX bat speed is a totally wrong concept for a hitter to concentrate on. IF you have the swing quickness necessary....your bat speed and the pitch speed....will be more than adequate to maximize your results.