Alright folks, so the new Atlas 2025 bat showed up yesterday, and honestly, I couldn’t wait to see if all the hype about its sweet spot was legit. Wanted to see if some simple drills could really crank up the power with this thing. Let’s get right into what I did this morning.
Getting Started & Setup
First things first, dragged my tired self outta bed way too early. Coffee in hand – always coffee first – and headed to the garage where I keep all my gear. Unzipped the bat case, and man, just holding the Atlas feels different. Heavier end for sure, but balanced. Grabbed my tee, a bag of balls, my beat-up old glove, and a bucket. Figured I’d try three drills: heavy bat swings, one-arm hits, and step-back leg raises. Sounds simple enough, right? Ha.
Drill 1: Heavy Bat Swings (Ugh, the Burn!)
Found my old weighted training bat. Thing feels like swinging a log now compared to the Atlas. Started super slow. Just focusing on getting the form right.
- Stood sideways to my imaginary pitcher, feet kinda shoulder-width.
- Took practice swings without a ball first. Like, really slow. Concentrated on turning my hips first, then shoulders, then letting the bat follow through. Did this maybe 10 times? Felt awkward as heck at first. Arms started burning way faster than I remembered. Maybe I’m getting old.
- Added the ball on the tee. Lowered it to where my happy zone usually is. Swung slowly still, aiming to whack the ball clean. Focused totally on feeling that coil in my core.
- Increased speed gradually. Did sets of 5 swings, aiming for smooth, not fast. The idea is muscle memory for that whole chain reaction – legs, hips, core, arms. That last set? Man, I felt it connecting differently. Cleaner, maybe?
Drill 2: One-Arm Tee Work (This is Humbling!)
Put the heavy bat away. Grabbed my Atlas. Lowered the tee a bit. Time for the awkward phase.
- Lead Arm Only (Right arm for me): Held the bat only with my top hand (the right one). Honestly, felt super weird and weak! Took practice swings first to not embarrass myself. Tried hitting off the tee. First few were pathetic – fouls or weak dribbles. Concentrated HARD on starting the swing with my shoulder, not just flailing my arm. Started getting a few solid line drives after maybe 8 tries. Felt like I was actually controlling the bat head.
- Bottom Arm Only (Left arm): Even tougher! Felt like I had zero power or control at first. Swung easy, focusing on keeping my elbow in close and kinda dragging the bat through with my forearm. Forget homers, I was aiming just for solid contact. Managed it maybe 3 out of 10? Brutal. Gotta work on this more, no doubt.
Drill 3: Step-Back Leg Raises (Balance? What Balance?)
Okay, needed a break after feeling defeated by the one-arm drills. Moved the tee aside. Stood in my stance, but did it without the bat first.
- Slowly raised my front knee (left knee), balancing on my back foot. Held it for a couple seconds. Felt a little shaky. Lowered it back down slow. Rinse and repeat. Did like 10 reps per side, but switched legs too because why not? Goal was solid balance before swinging.
- Added the swing motion: Raised the knee, paused, then stepped down while starting my swing motion (still no bat). Focused on transferring my weight forward onto the front foot as I lowered it and initiated the swing. Coordination was… messy initially. Got smoother by the 6th or 7th rep. Definitely helps drill that weight shift timing, which is everything for power.
The Payoff & Final Thoughts
Took a quick water break, feeling that good kind of tired. Wanted to see if any of that awkwardness translated.
Loaded up the tee with regular balls. Grabbed the Atlas with both hands, proper stance. Took my first normal swing… and crack. Ball jumped off the tee faster than it had in weeks. Sound was sweeter too, that dense ‘thwack’. Hit maybe 20 balls? Felt way more connected. Power felt like it came easier, smoother. Not necessarily harder right away, but cleaner. Didn’t have to muscle it. Maybe placebo, maybe the drills actually woke things up? Either way, I’m sore now – arms, shoulders, core – which tells me I was using things I usually neglect. Definitely adding these to the weekly routine. Atlas feels like it rewards good mechanics more than anything else.
Threw everything back in the garage. Time for more coffee. Gotta rest these old bones!