Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Jul 27 14:18:54 2003

Question/Comment:

>>> Is it ok to "hide your hands"? My coach keeps telling me to hold my hands farther away from my body. <<<

Jack Mankin's reply:

Hi Rob

For those that may not be familiar with "hide your hands," - it is a cue I use to get the hands in the correct position to launch the hands into a Circular Hand-Path. When the swing is viewed from behind the pitcher, the hands should disappear behind the batter's back-shoulder just before the swing is initiated and the shoulder rotation starts. From this position, if the batter keeps the lead-arm across the chest, body rotation will accelerate the first movement of the hands perpendicular to the path of the incoming ball. The hands must first move in this direction to generate the optimum angular hand-path. If the hands are pulled by the arms back toward the pitcher (more parallel to the ball's path), a straighter, or more linear hand-path will be developed.

When I do a video analysis (Swing Review) of a player's swing, one of the key things I look for is whether I can see the hands when the swing is initiated. The more space I can see between the hands and the back-shoulder, the more linear I know their hand-path will be. But Rob, maybe you can satisfy your coach and still have your hands in a good launch position. As you take your stance in the box have your hands out away from your body (like Sosa). Then "hide your hand" as you take your inward turn and prepare the launch position.

Below in a video clip of Ken Griffey Jr. and David Wright that illustrates the importance of the “inward turn” and the “hiding of the hands.”

Griffey Jr & David Wright- CHP

Jack Mankin