Blast Motion Metrics Defined:

Blast motion can be a great tool to use for you or your players, but if you do not understand what the metrics mean and how to train to get better, then it is just an expensive piece of equipment.

Here are some of the metrics that Blast captures and their definitions.

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Swing Metrics:

1.) On plane efficiency

Measures the percentage of your swing where the bat is on the swing plane. Your vertical bat angle at contact establishes the plane for that swing. Plane is a great indicator for making more consistent contact on the barrel of the bat.

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2.) Rotational Acceleration

Rotation measures how quickly your bat accelerates into the swing plane. Rotation is a good indicator of how you build bat speed by sequencing properly vs. pulling the bat with your hands. The quicker your rotational acceleration, the more power you will have and the more time you have to make a decision at the plate.

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3.) Early Connection

Early Connection measures the relationship between your body tilt and vertical bat angle at the start of the downswing. Establishing good connection (90 degrees) early in the swing helps you get on plane and increases your ability to adjust to all pitch locations.

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4.) Connection at impact

Connection (at impact) measures the relationship between your body tilt and vertical bat angle at impact. Maintaining good connection (90 degrees) for all pitch locations is an indicator of dynamic adjustability.

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Impact metrics:

1.) Bat Speed

Bat Speed is the observed speed of the sweet spot of the bat at impact. The sweet spot of the bat is measured six inches from the tip of the bat.

• More bat speed the harder you will hit the ball
• How do you get more bat speed?
  • Get stronger
  • Better swing mechanics
  • Where you hit the ball

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2.) Attack Angle

Attack Angle is the angle of the bat’s path, at impact, relative to horizontal. A positive value indicates swinging up, and a negative value indicates swinging down, where zero is perfectly level.

• up/down/level and to what degree
• positive means upward toward the ball at impact
  • line drives, positive launch angle
  • higher bat speeds
• Negative means the barrel is moving down toward the ball at impact
  • Ball is far in the zone
  • Slowest bat speeds
  • Ground balls
  • Jammed
• 0 means the barrel is level at impact

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3.) Time to contact

• Time it takes from start of the down swing to contact
  • Want to be consistent and quick
  • More consistency means you’re taking the same swing every time

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4.) Peak Hand speed

• Just like bat speed, but is measuring the speed of the bat where the hands are located
  • The more peaks hands speed the more bat speed

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5.) Vertical bat angle

Vertical Bat Angle is the angle of the bat with respect to horizontal at the moment of impact. Vertical Bat Angle is measured in degrees and provides the location of the barrel of the bat relative to the knob of the bat at impact.

• How steep the barrel is at contact
  • 0, -25, -90

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6.) Power

The average Power generated during the swing is found from the effective mass of the bat, the Bat Speed at impact, and the average acceleration during the downswing. Power is measured in Watts. Higher Power is achieved when a hitter is able to swing a heavier bat and accelerate it to higher speeds.

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Now that you have read the definitions of each metric, which ones have the most importance and how do you train them?

Connection and attack angle are the two metrics that will drastically improve a hitter hitting the ball hard.