RENTON, Wash. (Jan. 6, 2017) – Axe® Bat and Driveline Baseball today announced the first performance-hitting system based exclusively on the use of bats with axe-shaped handles.
The Axe Bat Speed Trainers powered by Driveline Baseball are designed for high school and college players, and target many of the swing metrics commonly associated with successful hitting, including bat speed, exit velocity, and launch angle, using the latest training methods and innovative bat designs.
The system comes with three overload-underload Axe Bat Speed Trainers, all featuring Axe Bat’s patented Axe Handle for superior control and comfort, as well as in-season and out-of-season training programs developed in Driveline Baseball’s fully configured biomechanics lab.
The product is the first collaboration between Axe Bat and Driveline Baseball, both of which are known for taking a new, unconventional approach to the game, and are headquartered less than 3 miles from each other near Seattle, Washington.
Axe Bat and Driveline Baseball demonstrated the product publicly for the first time yesterday at the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Convention in Anaheim, California.
“Driveline Baseball’s passion for the game, their results-oriented approach to training, and their willingness to challenge convention makes them an ideal development partner for our first overload-underload training bats,” said Jay Helmick, Senior Vice President of Axe Bat. “We’re confident in the programs they’ve created and look forward to players experiencing the many advantages that can be achieved by training and competing with an Axe handle.”
Overload-underload training is a proven method of increasing bat speed and has been used at elite levels for years. The effectiveness of such training, however, depends on the quality of the program and a player’s ability to maintain proper form and technique while swinging both overloaded and under loaded bats at game speed.
The Axe Bat Speed Trainers take overload-underload training further by utilizing the only bats built to support the mechanics of the swing. Unlike conventional round handles, the Axe handle follows the natural contours of the wrist and palm to provide a more stable, secure grip. This allows players to maintain precise control of their barrels, even while swinging at maximum effort, and to develop a consistent swing path that produces faster bat speeds with optimal launch angles, resulting in higher exit velocities and harder, farther hits.
Also, because Axe Bat is a pioneer in the development of one-sided hitting technologies, Axe Bat Speed Trainers – unlike other overload-underload bats on the market – feature BlastWall barrels strengthened for durability, so they can be used with both tee work and toss drills without compromising barrel performance.
Driveline Baseball’s training programs, meanwhile, were developed using elite players and are backed by the same constant iteration, discipline, and research that has characterized its highly successful pitching velocity program for years.
“Axe Bat’s constant iteration and the quality of their product make them a great partner,” said Mike Rathwell, CEO of Driveline Baseball. “We believe this system is the best overload-underload training product on the market and we are proud to develop programs that will help players and coaches maximize their training time with these bats.”
The system includes:
- 3 Axe Bat Speed Trainers with 2-5/8” barrels, angled HyperWhip End Caps for speed, and colored tips for easy identification
- Handle Load (+20%): One-piece alloy construction, 33”/36 oz., red tip
- End Load (+20%): One-piece alloy construction, 33”/36 oz., green tip
- Under Load (-20%): One-piece composite construction, 33”/24 oz., blue tip
- 4 Driveline Baseball training programs, including program parameters, illustrations, and drill descriptions for tee and toss work
- In-season (12 weeks)
- Out-of-season (12 weeks)
- In-season Advanced (12 weeks); includes hitting work with Driveline PlyoCare balls
- Out-of-season Advanced (12 weeks); includes hitting work with Driveline PlyoCare balls
The Axe Bat Speed Trainers powered by Driveline Baseball costs $599 and comes with a 120-day warranty. The system can be ordered now at www.axebat.com or www.drivelinebaseball.com.