Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Thu Oct 30 09:37:18 2003

Pro-

Thanks again for your info.

Among other things you really highlight the risky nature of "cues".They are a double edged sword,so you must assure they get interpreted adequately.When you are a youngster,a good coach will keep you in the envelope.When you are older you will have to depend more on yourself,still relying on input from others,but also using video so you can see yourself.

I understand your concern about lenghtening your swing as this can nip a career in the bud. As long as you are aware of the risks,however,you can navigate through the trial and error process of fine tuning things.This ability to constantly adjust/improve is probably the key attribute of the greats.They are always keeping on the path.They never feel like they are "there".

I believe part of this path is a universal loading sequence including what is "meant" by "Counter-rotation" which is coiling of the body by separation between the hips as the stride foot goes out and the torso turns back(ever so slightly) at the same time as the back scap loads.If you try to consciously eliminate any such feel or motion,you will lose adequate loading and quickness.This is the "wind the rubber band" part of the swing.You can't wind it too much or too little.Everyone is different,but if you are a power hitter you should use rotational mechanics and you must have the rubber band feel to some degree.Don't eliminate it.

So,if some counterrotation is good how do you prevent too much ?
This is a key part of the "preswing tht" phase(ongoing loading into toe touch after scap loads and stays loaded) of the swing that Jack has identified where the bat is uncocked while the back elbow starts down to the slot and the front foot opens some going into toe touch.This continues the coiling stretching/loading of the body without ongoing counterrotation or turning back.

This guerrero clip of Nick's shows this,unfortunately you can't see how the legs move at the same time.This is not to say everyone is as stretched out/dynamic as guerrero,just that everyone should have the same sequence he shows dramatically enough to see on video.

http://webpages.charter.net/nickkio/Guerrero01.mpg


A couple of other sources of associated feel cues:

1-gwynn on Bonds

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/gallery/bonds/flash.htm

Gwynnanalyzes bonds more interms of feel than reality

I would interpret these feeling based descriptions/cues in terms of my model(3 loading phases interrupted by the launch sequence triggering in phase4) as

Gwynn on Bonds frames1,2,3 describe the feel of loading which Gwynn calls "getting in position to hit".his is followed by the "launch sequence" described in frame4-he emphasizes the "pull with the bottom hand" cue here and tries to describe more about how this is done.Jack describes the "reality" of this more accurately,including the fact that it is done without arm extension.Gwynn describes this as pullingstraight across the body,not down,keeping the hands in,not leting them get away from the body.

Note how he also emphasizes not forcing things with the lower body.This makes sense to me assuming you have loaded with the 3 part sequenec and interrupted thi at thr right time with the launch sequence,including a tight front shoulder.Then you want the enrgy to get up into the torso/shoulders and emphasizing the lead arm(tightly connected) pull accomplishes this.Forcing the lower body at this point(into approach after launch) riks overrotating the hips and not getting the torso turn going well enough to power the swing.

One other tip from Epstein's book,p.38 on the importance of "anchoring the front arm"

"when the front heel drops to initiate hip rotation,the "explosion" is so violent that many times if no tension is placed on the lead arm it will leave the hands back for a split second....remember to put a little tension in the lead arm"