How many swings to break in a softball bat

This should only take about 50 additional hits or less to reach. Step Up to The Plate! After completing hits your bat should be ready to use in a game situation. However, if you ever feel like your composite bat is still not fully broken in, there is no harm in taking more practice hits before you step into the batter's box. Previous post Next post. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow.

Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Part 1. Make sure your bat needs to be broken in. Fast pitch softball bats that are percent alloy, or that have an alloy barrel, are good to go right away, with no break-in period needed. The fibers can be loosened during just one break-in session that will take about an hour. 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.

However, breaking in a new bat shouldn't take more time than a routine practice session. Don't be tempted to skip the process of breaking in your composite bat, since a fresh bat won't perform as well as one that's been broken in correctly. Use real leather softballs. It's important to use high quality, regulation-size softballs with leather skin and good stitching to break in your bat. If you're breaking it in at a batting cage, go to a cage that uses real balls instead of the rubber balls which usually have developed pock marks.

The pock-marked balls can damage your bat, hindering its ability to perform well. Don't break in your bat during very cold weather. A cold ball can damage the bat before it is broken in properly. Begin the process by hitting balls from a batting tee. Breaking in a bat requires hitting a certain number of balls at half the maximum impact force before you move on to full-impact fast pitch hitting.

If you don't already have a tee, buy one at a sporting goods store and keep it as part of your practice equipment. The alternative to using a tee would be hitting half-speed pitches or slow pitches. This would break in the bat effectively, but it might not be great for your batting form.

Hitting half-speed pitches, especially when they have an arc, can mess with your form and timing. Part 2. Rotating the bat between swings will ensure that the entire barrel gets broken in.

It's important to rotate the bat during the entire breaking-in process so the bat won't get damaged or neglected in any one area. Take swings from a tee. Using the correct form , hit about balls from a tee. You'll be hitting the ball at about half of your normal power. These first swings at half power will begin the work of gradually breaking in your bat. For those new to this or just starting out, these are some good general rules of thumbs to follow. Talk to a real, live expert — Should you have specific questions, you are more than welcome to call and discuss Another important reference point are balls.

If you are unsure, please give us a call before guessing the wrong way and destroying your bat. If you want to practice with whiffle, tennis or racquet balls, it wont hurt the bat. Depending on the bat, this could take some swings. I cant tell you how long it will take, but it will take longer than a few swings.