Posted by: Rich () on Mon Dec 22 19:53:19 2003

Jack,
>
> When I started the Vlad-Mac thread I was interested in understanding the role of the top hand arm in the swing. Following is a reference to a clip of Nomar. This is not an unusual swing for him. The more my son has worked on keeping hands tied to shoulder (hitting the bag) the more his swing path has started to resemble Nomars. There is a concept being talked about by Lamber (?) and maybe others that the hands don’t move at all (or very little) after the elbow has slotted. That the elbow never gets away from the body. Nomar has this type of a swing. However, my observation of clips has been that for most hitters the angle between the back forearm and the upper forearm (which starts at say 45 degrees) is releasing into contact to 90 degrees or more, with the hands going forward into contact even as they are rotating. I have numerous clips of Bonds releasing the back arm into contact. It is very hard for me to understand how the technique used by Nomar in this clip can produce a more powerful swing than one where there is a little back arm extension into contact. That is what I am trying to get to the bottom of.
>
> Nick
>
> http://webpages.charter.net/nickkio/Nomar06.mpg
>
> Hey Nick,
I don't think there is too much difference if the elbow moves up to three inches within the slot area. that variance is probable just a timing error. much more than that and you are probably slowing down your swing. someone said that the hands don't move after the elbow is slotted? did they mean to say that the hands don't move until the elbow is slotted? i think that the hands should still be at the armpit area when the elbow hits the slot... then they disend and the rotorcuff rotates them toward the pitcher as the elbow stays stationary. there are many rotation points within the rotational swing. getting them all to rotate smoothly is the feel we are all after. Merry Christmas, Rich