The Pro Hammer Training Bat...Nail Down YOUR Swing: instant feedback is built into the ProHammer Training bat, so when you don't hit palm up/down you'll feel like you're swinging a wet newspaper.  No instructions needed guaranteed!!

Okay, what the heck is up with this new baseball hitting aid, the ProHammer Training Bat?

Here's the review from SwingSmarter.com after receiving a submission from one of our Swing Smarter readers:

"Are these bats a good practice bat or hitting cage teacher?



Swing Smarter Response:
This is such a great submission! It's pretty basic, easy to use, is kind of shaped like a Cricket Bat, and did I mention, I love the concept? 

This bat is intuitive for training the wrists NOT to roll over at and through contact. What I love most is the marketing video above makes reference to Ted Williams, and how Teddy always said in order for a hitter to put himself into the proper impact position would be to hit a tree with an ax...palm-up-palm-down, or else your lack of AxMan skills would be laughed at by every 5 year old on the planet. Sorry, I added the last part :P

Also, 

You can hit real pitched baseballs with the Pro Hammer Bat, and it comes in advanced hitter sizes (31-34" bat lengths, and NOW youth!). Without shipping, the price is $119.99. ProHammer also gives a 3 month limited warranty on their uniquely designed piece of gadgetry.

I think this is a fantastic training find, and complimentary to Jaime Cevallos's MP30 wooden bat, which you can purchase at TheStartingLineupStore.com.

The ProHammer Bat mocha-me-happy :)"

Is this the real deal Holyfield?

Here's a "WHY" excerpt from ProHammerBat.com's website:

"The ProHammer baseball training bat is designed for use by advanced players and is being tested and used by selected professional and Division 1 power hitters.

While it is true all game bats have a cylindrical hitting surface with potentially unlimited points of contact, the reality is the best pro hitters consistently make ball contact along the narrow "edge grain" area of the barrel. They do this for two important reasons:

1. The edge grain represents the strongest area of a wood bat. Ball contact along the edge grain results in more hits and fewer broken bats.
2.  More power and better ball control.  Pro hitters train their wrists to bring the edge grain to the baseball regardless of where in the strike zone the ball is. Power, bat speed, and ball control diminish quickly as the wrists "roll" the edge grain away from contact.

The ProHammer is configured to provide narrow contact surfaces, rapidly training the hitter to not "roll" his wrists through the hitting zone.  The narrow contact surfaces have a diameter, length, and curvature that is otherwise identical to a conventional wood bat...only the portion you don't need has been removed.

Tests have shown significant improvements in the following areas:

• ball exit trajectory (more line drives)
• power (optimum wrist control)
• ball control (hit to the power alleys)
• batting eye (improved focus)
• confidence with game bat
• Bat path (shortest path to the ball)

Designed and built to hit real baseballs, the ProHammer is manufactured using top-grade materials.  The alloy hitting face does not "ping" but instead produces a sound similar to a professional wood batwhen striking a baseball.  ProHammer bats are balanced and weighted similarly to professional wood bats and are available in the following "minus-3" swing equivalents."

I've personally demo-ed the ProHammer Training Bat and found it also makes the hitter keep the hands inside the baseball, or else we get more of a "pulled" result.  I even tried rolling over on purpose a few times and it feels like your blind folded at a Mexican birthday party trying to hit a Pinata, and your wise-ass Uncle keeps pulling the darn thing up everytime you take a swing!  Great feedback.

IMPORTANT NOTE: remember this is an advanced training aid, and here's a word of caution by one of our Swing Smarter regular contributors to the site, Robert Canary:

"Good for fine tuning 
by: Robert Canary

I like the concept. The tool appears to do what it claims. I feel it benefits the advanced better more than the beginners. I am still looking for that special drill or tool that forces them to *not* roll their wrist. While this tool offers great "instant" feedback, it is still a feedback on something that I consider "after the fact". 

The issues leading up to the wrist roll range from:

• Bad slot position (which often causes the batter to use all arms to compensate)
• Not targeting the impact zone (which I believe will happen naturally once the slot and rotation are corrected)
• Simply not holding the bat properly or holding it too tight. (align the finger joints)
• Reaching full arm before contact. Upon full extension the hands have no where to go except to start rolling out. (I believe all the above should be considered when dealing with this issue)"

Here was my response:

"Pre-Impact Zone Issues 
by: Joey from SwingSmarter.com

All great objections Robert...unfortunately, I don't think any one tool will help with all the issues you included, that's why it's important for kids to get with a hitting coach who knows what they're talking about, in addition to teaching the swing so the player understands. 

No, the ProHammer will probably not help with certain key positions when hitting, however I think it does help at impact. In Ted Williams's era, the hitter's used to chop a lot of wood, which stressed palm up/down at contact...but it didn't stop there, the hitter had to swing "through" the tree by generating power rotationally and getting the hands to work "through" the contact point...to show that tree who's boss.

I think the ProHammer can mimic that, which is to say sharpening the sword on the impact and past impact positions of the swing. 

The old timers didn't have the benefit of books on hitting or the internet, they went off oral tradition and experimentation. There had to be something good (muscle memory-wise) that came out of chopping wood, or Teddy Ballgame wouldn't have mentioned it, right? 

I just received a demo, so I'll be trying it out this week...will most likely create a separate post on the subject." 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the grip is cylindrical just like a normal bat, so don't get thrown off from the squared off fiberglass shaft...that's what she said! :P  

We just received a question from a reader:

"prohammer bat question: when choosing a size is the length or the weight most important. 17 yo D1 committed player 5'9" 160lbs"

The answer is both.  First, to clear up what bat you want to get, here's a great picture from the ProHammer FAQ explaining the sweet spot and which model you should get:

So, normally if you swing a 34" bat, then get the P4, if a 33" bat, then get the P3, and so on.  The weight on the ProHammer is pre-set, you can't customize, for instance, and make a P4 heavier than the manufacturer already makes it.  The ProHammer goal is to help promote ANTI-wrist roll and feeling proper Impact Position, NOT adding extra weight for something like what the MP30 already does (Improving Slot Positioning because of a 40 ounce bat to be accelerated closer to the body).

Superb BEST Starting 9 Products to Compliment the ProHammer Training Bat:

• Wheeler Dealer Soft Toss Machine
• SwingAway
• Backyard Batter
• ATEC Tuffy Multi Position Batting Tee