There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to baseball bats. Although bat makers provide general guidelines for choosing a bat, based on your age and height, your skill level also comes into play. Start with a baseball sizing chat, then consider factors such as your strength, swing speed and style of hitting to help guide you in your search for the optimal bat size.
Step 1
Measure yourself, determining the exact number of inches you are. Weigh yourself.
Step 2
Refer to a bat sizing chart using your height and weight to select a bat size as your starting point. For example, if you are 5 feet, 8 inches tall, use 68 inches to start your search on a bat sizing chart. Your recommended bat length will depend on your weight. If you weigh 160 lbs., your bat length should be 33 inches. If you weigh 170 lbs., your bat length should be 34 inches.
Step 3
Refer to a bat sizing chart using your age to select a bat size as your starting point if you don't have a chart that recommends bat sizes by height and weight. For example, if you are 13 to 14 years old, select a bat that is 31 inches or 32 inches long.
Step 4
Choose a longer bat if you want more hitting area. This will slow your swing, but lengthen your reach. Choose a shorter bat if you want a higher bat speed and don't mind the loss of an inch or two in length.
Step 5
Buy a heavier bat if you are muscular and stronger and can swing the bat quickly. This will give you more mass to produce more force. Choose a lighter bat if you are smaller or have less strength. This will give you a higher bat swing speed through increased acceleration to create more force. To hit that ball hard, or with force, you want to consider mass and acceleration, since force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration.
Step 6
Select a bat with a larger barrel, or top end, if you need more control. This will slow your swing but give you a bigger hitting area. Choose a thinner barrel if you have good hand-eye coordination and want the fastest bat speed possible.
Step 7
Choose a bat with a thinner handle, or taper, if you want more quickness in your wrist movement. Select a thicker handle for more control and less vibration and shock on mishits and foul balls.
Things You'll Need
- Your height in inches
- Your weight
- Bat sizing chart
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