Low moment of inertia training bat

Abstract

A training bat for training athletes in sports such as baseball and softball is provided. The bat provides a significantly reduced moment of inertia for a given weight of bat. The combination of high weight and low moment of inertia requires significantly exertion to move the bat forwards through a swing without requiring excessive exertion to rotate the bat through the swing. The training bat allows for swing strength and speed while simultaneously developing good hand motion to rotate the bat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A baseball training bat comprising:
 a weighted handle formed from steel rod, the handle forming a hand grip section with a proximal end and a distal end;   a steel swing weight, wherein the swing weight is attached to a distal end of the handle and wherein the swing weight has a diameter which is larger than a diameter than the handle; and   a hollow rigid barrel extending distally from the swing weight.   
     
     
         2 . The training bat of  claim 1 , wherein the handle and swing together have a combined weight that comprises at least 75 percent of a total weight of the training bat. 
     
     
         3 . The training bat of  claim 2 , wherein the handle and swing weight together have a combined weight that comprises between about 80 percent and about 95 percent of the total weight of the training bat. 
     
     
         4 . The training bat of  claim 2 , wherein the training bat has a rotational moment of inertia which when expressed in kg*m 2  is between about 3 percent and about 8 percent of the bat total weight in kg. 
     
     
         5 . The training bat of  claim 2 , wherein the training bat has a rotational moment of inertia which when expressed in kg*m 2  is between about 4 percent and about 6 percent of the bat total weight in kg. 
     
     
         6 . The training bat of  claim 1 , wherein the bat comprises a barrel mount which extends distally from the swing weight, and wherein the barrel is attached to the barrel mount. 
     
     
         7 . The training bat of  claim 1 , wherein the swing weight is disposed annularly around the handle. 
     
     
         8 . The training bat of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel has a diameter which is approximately the same as a diameter of the handle. 
     
     
         9 . The training bat of  claim 8 , wherein the swing weight has a diameter which is between about 2 times and about 4 times a diameter of the handle. 
     
     
         10 . The training bat of  claim 1 , wherein the bat comprises a knob at the proximal end of the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The training bat of  claim 1 , wherein the bat comprises at least one supplemental swing weight which may be placed over the barrel against the swing weight and attached to the bat to increase a weight of the bat. 
     
     
         12 . The training bat of  claim 11 , wherein the bat includes pin holes and a retaining pin to secure the supplemental swing weight to the bat. 
     
     
         13 . A training bat comprising:
 a weighted handle, the handle forming a hand grip section with a proximal end and a distal end;   a swing weight, wherein the swing weight is attached to a distal end of the handle; and   a light weight and rigid barrel extending distally from the swing weight; and   wherein the training bat has a rotational moment of inertia which when expressed in kg*m 2  is between about 3 percent and about 8 percent of the bat total weight in kg.   
     
     
         14 . The training bat of  claim 13 , wherein the training bat has a rotational moment of inertia which when expressed in kg*m 2  is between about 4 percent and about 6 percent of the bat total weight in kg. 
     
     
         15 . The training bat of  claim 13 , wherein the swing weight has a diameter which is larger than a diameter than the handle and wherein the swing weight is disposed annularly around the handle. 
     
     
         16 . The training bat of  claim 13 , wherein the swing weight has a diameter which is between about 2 times and about 4 times a diameter of the handle. 
     
     
         17 . The training bat of  claim 13 , wherein the handle and swing together have a combined weight that comprises at least 75 percent of a total weight of the training bat. 
     
     
         18 . The training bat of  claim 13  wherein the handle and swing weight together have a combined weight that comprises between about 80 percent and about 95 percent of the total weight of the training bat. 
     
     
         19 . The training bat of  claim 13 , wherein the bat comprises at least one supplemental swing weight which may be placed over the barrel against the swing weight and attached to the bat to increase a weight of the bat. 
     
     
         20 . The training bat of  claim 19 , wherein the bat includes pin holes and a retaining pin to secure the supplemental swing weight to the bat.