Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Thu Dec 13 18:15:42 2007

> For clarification here are links to what I mean.
>
> My Current Swing (stright arm)
> http://www.batspeed.com/research04.html
> As you guys can see when he pulls back his arm is pretty straight
>
> Other Swing (bent elbow)
> http://www.batspeed.com/mechanics.html
> This guys arm is bent at the elbow a lot more than the other one

Ray,

Those clips that you are talking about are animated to show a specific thing. Jack would probably have to comment on the clips because I don't know what he had in mind when creating them. In the first clip it appears that he is showin how to rotate around a stationary axis, I don't think the emphasis is on the hands or arms.

I personally don't believe you should push back with the lead arm. I think hat it will take away from the torque that can be applied to the handle. With the lead arm extended so far back the only way I can see to get the bat flat would be to pull the lead arm back towards the pitcher, either by just trying to re bend it or by pulling on the knob with the lead shoulder. If you keep the lead arm bent and the hands around the rear arm pit or shoulder you can now torque on the handle by jutting the lead elbow up and lowering the rear elbow. Which will send the barrel rearward and with a opening front hip, will give you the seperation between upper and lower body. This torquing of the handle gives your lower body something to work against.

I don't know how to post a clip but if you watch a Bonds clip or other MLB hitters you will see what I am talking about. Watch how there lead hip, right at front foot touchdown, is opening while ther hands are turning the barrel rearward. Unless they are fooled on a pitch there lead arm mantains the same shape that it started with to contact. It should feel like a natural move and not a manufactured one.

Graylon