Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Thu Aug 19 12:48:58 2004

>>Tom,trying to follow you here, would you say that the rear elbow if in the up and back position must begin to dip in order to generate the majority of the pull back of the bat by the top hand.Would that be a fair understanding .<<

Short answer:Pull back should be primarily via external rotation type muscle action that will primarily twist arm in socket,but also force elbow to dip.


Longer answer:I would say that there is a particular type of muscle action (external rotation) that primarily twists the back arm in the socket and secondarily forces the back elbow to drop (adduct down toward side/slot).At the same time the back scap has to stay pinched/pinching and the back arm has to stay extended/pointing elbow back.

In this way dipping of the elbow(has to lower as arm twists)is associated with turning the bat.This requires having the arm twisted the other way (internally rotated)prior to this (tip bat vertical/away as hip cocks).The "right" muscle sequence assists the coiling of the body and the setting up of the swing plane so the bat sweeps into it withoput overshooting.

Wrong muscles (particularly prematurely unpinching scap or using wirst action or letting arm "flex" (instead of elbow staying extended pointing back,elbow slides toward bellybutton)will interrupt body coil,drag bat,lengthen swing and "wave" the bat at initiation.

Sounds complicated,but it is the same way/sequence of the throwing arm as you load,so if you have a good throw,this will come "naturally" if you know to encourage it.