Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat Dec 22 14:46:28 2007

>>> I know this question is for Tom, but I have a question and statement on what you ask. I have heard the "whip" theory discussed before and I have heard Dr. Yeager mentioned in conjunction with this, I am not familiar with Dr. Yeager, can someone explain what is being talked about?

Now I keep hearing about stopping forward momentum to create the "whip" action. When I hear this I see in my mind the body moving forward and then the front leg straightening and stopping all movement and then you rotate the hips. IMO you do stop forward momentum but you don't stop it dead you redirect it by opening the hip early right at or slightly prior to toe touch. The momentum is moving forward but as the hip opens and clears, now as the front leg starts to firm up the lead hip is out of the way which causes the forwrd energy to move around my body.

Now how it applies to the hands and arms. The hands are following a circular path forward when they get to contact they don't stop and snap the barrel forward they continue in a circular path, which causes the bottom hand to circle back and the top hand continues to move forward, which makes the bat work around the hands. Giving it a "whip" type of feel because the momentom of the bat will eventually pull the arms staight.

It's late right now so I may be rambling. Please let me know if I'm way off base here. <<<

Hi Graylon

Stating good reasons for a position different than mine is never “off base.”

Whether we are addressing the hips or a bat, is their forward momentum converted into rotation – this where I am at odds with Dr. Yeager and Professor Adair. As it pertains to a bat, they both believe that it is the stopping of forward momentum that induces bat speed – similar to the way you would stop your hand to “snap” a towel. This is referred to as the “whip” effect of the bat.

I contend that it is not a “whip” effect that induces bat speed. Rather, it is a “pendulum” effect from the hands following a circular path that induces the bat’s angular acceleration – similar to the way you would take your hand to swing a ball on a string.

As far as the theory that the blocking of linear momentum induces hip rotation, I will soon start a new thread to discuss it.

Jack Mankin