Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Nov 4 12:01:34 2004

>>> The steering wheel knob is attached to one end of the dowel, a couple of inches from the end. The dowel can then swing freely. If Jack wants, I could post a small clip from his video. <<<

Hi Nick

I thank you for the offer. If you could show a clip (or clips) that show both the circular and the straight hand-path, it could be helpful to many discussions.

When I get back to the office, I plan to make a short video of a test I ran after an earlier discussion with JJA regarding the impact of torque in the swing. I used training knob you described above using the top-hand only. I will once again show that extending the hand straight (single point -- zero lever arm) generates no angular displacement (whip effect or flailing action). I will then place the bottom-hand on the dowel (second point -- 5 inch lever arm) and extend the hands in the same straight path. However, this time I will apply BHT by pulling the bottom-hand around the top-hand as it extends.

The last time I conducted this test, I got readings of 50 to 55mph. Since the hand-path remained straight as with the one handed test, this means that torque alone was responsible for the bat speed generated in this test. This is why I contended to JJA that torque was the major factor for generating bat speed for batters with a fairly straight hand-path. -- I hope that showing this test will give some coaches cause to rethink their positions on forces that induce bat speed.

Jack Mankin