In the past, softball players were able to purchase a softball bat that was ready to use right out of the box. With advances in modern softball bat technology, some newer bat models now require an interruption process. Bats that are created from composite materials will need a break process, while alloy or aluminum bats will be ready to use at the time of purchase. It is often difficult to tell the difference between an alloy / aluminum bat and a compound bat.

The bat must be clearly marked on the label, either made of alloy or composite materials. When in doubt, ask the person selling the bat what kind of bat it is. If your bat is compound, it’s time to start the breaking process. In simple terms, using your bat is the most effective way to break it, but we’ll give you more details on how to do this in a way that makes your bat last longer and more effective sooner. You will need a few things: your new composite softball bat, real softballs (not rubber or softer training balls), someone else, a softball or baseball field, and a pitching screen (optional).

To begin, have the other person seated in a chair or bucket in front of the pitcher’s mound and behind the pitching screen if you decide to use one. Have the person throw the pitches at you over the plate. Use your new softball bat to swing at every pitch. Use about half your normal swing power with each swing, and turn the bat a quarter inch in your hands between each swing. Rotating the bat will allow the barrel of the bat to break evenly. If you only hit one side of the bat during the interruption process, then your bat will break on that side faster than you would like. Make fifty to one hundred pitches this way and twist the barrel of your bat between each swing. Better to focus on making contact with the tone in the compound barrel each time. You may want to take a break or pitch to your partner for the next round of pitching.

For step two, the person choosing to pitch must now stand up and attempt to duplicate a softball pitch seen in a game. Move the launcher and screen if it is being used for the actual launch rubber. The pitcher will throw the ball to the batter on home plate. Now the batter, still using the new compound bat, will hit the ball with full power hits. As in step one; the batter must rotate the bat a quarter of an inch in his hands before swinging again. Use the bat to hit fifty to one hundred pitches at full power. At this point, you should feel a more effective release from the barrel of this bat. However, if the bat does not feel completely broken, it is acceptable to repeat step two until you feel ready for the game. When your bat is fully ready, you should stop using it in batting practice sessions and save it for the game. This will slow down the inevitable barrel breakage of your compound bat. Use this process to start the interrupt process successfully. Happy playing!