Posted by: RQL (RQLBBALL23) on Sun Aug 20 19:18:20 2000

>>>The elements of a swing are like a link in a chain. Each link has three roles to play. One role is to accept the power ( or speed if you perfer) generated by the previous links. The second is to add its own power to the power received by the previous links. Three, to transfer the accumulated power to the next link, in the case of shoulders, the arms.
> >
> > Jack, you are right, power does not flow like an electrical current. It is a mechanical action. Much as the gears in a machine, transmission?, transfer power to the next gear.
> >
> > The large mussels of the legs and hips start the power moving. This power is accepted by and addded to by the the smaller mussels of the chest and shoulders. Then the arms then the hands. As the mussels get smaller the strength is lessened but the speed picks up.
> >
> > If power does not transfer from the bottom threw the shoulders, why teach hitters to turn their hips? This adds movements and makes the swing more complicated. More moving parts means more things to go wrong. Why teach it if there is no benefit? Joe A. <<<
> >
> > Hi Joe
> >
> > Joe, you really need to read a question more carefully. The question did not say or imply that hip rotation was not an important factor in generating bat speed. The reason for the question was to point out that the energy developed from hip rotation could not be transferred if the shoulders were not also allowed to rotate. --- For whatever reason, to many coaches teach their players to "pop" or open their hips while holding the shoulder closed (one example- "squashing the bug").
> >
> > So, once again - popping the hips or any other lower body mechanic is wasted energy if it does not also cause the shoulders to rotate.
> >
> > *** Question? --- Nothing that takes place below the armpits - not weight shift - not squashing the bug - not popping the hips - not the kinetic chain - not fast twitch muscles, etc., has any influence on developing bat speed -- other than their contribution to shoulder rotation. True or false? ***
> >
> > Jack Mankin
> > i'm trying to visualize a swing where you open the hips & yet do not open the shoulders...i have never heard that taught and to me it's almost a physical impossibility to do so....and in answer to your trick question...you won't get me this time since i now understand the point of the question...the answer is FALSE!!!!
> > JACK, ITHINK I FOLLOW YOU AND IF SO I BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS TRUE . THE ARMPITS DOWN ARE BUILDING SPEED AND TORQUE VIA LEGS AND HIPS FOR THE SHOULDERS TO BUILD UPON AND ADD TO TO BRING THE HANDS AND BAT FORWARD INTO THE HITTING ZONE. I THINK I SAW A VIDEO AD WHERE THE KIDS WOULD COCK BACK, NO STRIDE,SQUASH THE BUG AND HIP TURN,STOP THEN SWING WITH SHOULDERS LAST BY ITSELF, AM I RIGHT OR WRONG. RQL.