Evaluating the Effects of Underloaded and Overloaded Warm-ups on Subsequent Swing Velocity

Miller, RM, Heishman, AD, Freitas, EDS, and Bemben, MG. Evaluating the effects of underloaded and overloaded warm-ups on subsequent swing velocity. J Strength Cond Res 34(4): 1071-1077, 2020-Several attempts to identify the optimal on-deck procedure to enhance swing velocity in baseball have been made. However, inconsistent findings continue to constitute much of the body of literature. In addition, the emergence of athlete monitoring in sport has led to the exploration of more sport-specific tasks to potentially identify athlete fatigue and readiness to perform. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to examine 3 different bat weight warm-up protocols on subsequent swing velocity and to examine the reliability of swing velocity measurements to allude to its potential a sport-specific athlete monitoring metric. Thirty-two recreational male baseball players 20.3 ± 2.0 years, 179.6 ± 7.1 cm and 89.6 ± 11.1 kg completed the study. Subjects completed 3 testing visits that included warming up with a control bat ([CB] 32 in., 29 oz), plastic bat ([PB] 31 in., 6.4 oz), or heavy bat ([HB] 32 in., 57 oz). Testing visits began with 3 CB swing trials followed by 3 intervention bat trials, then concluded with 3 additional CB swings. Swing velocity was assessed using visual 3D technology. Analyses of variance indicate that after the PB (26.6 ± 2.0 m·s) and CB interventions (26.2 ± 1.7 m·s) significantly faster (p < 0.001) swing velocities were generated when compared with the traditional HB intervention (24.1 ± 2.2 m·s). When assessed for reliability, the average ICC was 0.681 and Cronbach's alpha was 0.95, indicating exceptional reliability. Congruent to previous research, these data bolster the notion that warming up with a HB can hinder swing velocity. However, in contrast to previous research these data suggest that using a PB can increase swing velocity significantly. Furthermore, visual 3D can be designated as an exceptionally reliable device to measure swing velocity.