Baseball doughnut
using a "Hitting Jack-It" weight, a doughnut which allows a player to take batting practice while using it.
A baseball doughnut is a weighted ring that fits over the end of a
muscle
performance.
History
The doughnut was created by former
on-deck circle. The player in the on-deck circle normally swings a bat and stretches to prepare for their at-bat. The different doughnuts weigh varying amounts. The doughnut is discarded in the on-deck circle when the player moves into the batter's box.[1] The weight was later dubbed the "doughnut" and the "iron doughnut".[3]
Efficacy
In 2011 kinesthetic illusion" created by the bat doughnut makes players believe they are swinging the standard bat post warm-up with the bat doughnut when the subsequent swings are in fact, slower.[6] This effect influences batters hitting mechanics and timing of swing.
The length of time between warming up with a baseball doughnut and swinging at a
pitch also seems to have an effect. Researchers in Japan found that post warm-up with a weighted bat doughnut, the first swing had the slowest bat velocity.[6] This may affect a player's decision of which pitch to swing at while at bat. Although baseball doughnuts are widely used among Major League Baseball players as well as high school and college players, the beneficial or detrimental short-term effects are inconclusive in research. However, long-term use of batting doughnuts increases upper body strength therefore increasing bat velocity.[7]
For safety reasons, some leagues have begun to prohibit the use of baseball doughnuts. In 2012 Little League revised their Senior League rules to prohibit the use of "traditional batting donuts".[8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d What Is The Ring They Put On Baseball Bats?. Livestrong.Com. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
- S2CID 13611243.
- ISBN 978-0-15-600580-7. Retrieved October 27, 2009.
- ^ Maller, Ben. "The Bat Doughnut May Actually Slow Bat Speed". The Post Game. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
- S2CID 35607047.
- ^ S2CID 25117394.
- ^ DeRenne, Coop; Buxton, Barton P.; Hetzler, Ronald K.; Ho, Kwok W. (1995). "Effects of Weighted Bat Implement Training on Bat Swing... : The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research". Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 9 (4): 247–250.
- ^ "Little League International Announces Bat Rules Changes for 2012 Season". Archived from the original on November 5, 2011. Retrieved 2013-03-24. Little League International Announces Bat Rules Changes for 2012 Season
