Posted by: Rich () on Thu Oct 30 18:13:28 2003

Pro Hitter, or anyone else, could you please explain what a scapula load is? Also how does it differ from a counter-rotation?
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> > .....(this is way over my head).
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> > Thanks.
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> > Jane
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> One coach said" toss a ball up in the air to hit it. Feel what the rear elbow does as the top hand holds the bat . While the ball is in the air the rear elbow moves around the spinal axis and then the scap muscle pinches as the bottom hand joins the bat. THat is scap load but many fail to do it facing live pitching. IMO it is very important
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> > " Is he getting loaded properly? By that I mean, does he have a strong scapula load...this is not to be confused with a counter-rotation. Essentially, it is just cocking the back elbow back towards the third base dugout which will tighten the back right scap (for right handed hitters). "
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>> Donny,
I can cock my back elbow back toward the dugout and not load my scapula... the scap(shoulder blade)pulls the shoulder socket back(adduction). the chest pulls the shoulder socket forward(adduction by the chest, abbduction by the scap in the forward position). to get a feel for adducting the scap imagine having a marble in the middle of your spine inbetween your shoulder blades(scapula). now try and squeeze your scaps together to hold the marble...you now have totally adducted them. the secret is to be able to adduct the back shoulder to get into the best possible launch position and leave the front shoulder relaxed. with a SLIGHT torso inward turn you now have the upper body tightly conected to the hips for the power rotation. no slippage should occur in the kinetic linkage.