Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Dec 9 11:08:00 2004

>>> I purchased the video last year and after much work, we were able to change from "emanski" mechanics to yours. (My son is a small 12 yr old) We have a problem with power now. There just isn't any. I taped him and found that his hips were at 90 degrees well before contact. there just seemd to be no power left in his bat. I changed him to open up later and try about 45-60 degrees at contact and a lot more power was produced(at least twice the power). so I need some help understanding this. On the video, it shows the kids completely open at 90 degrees on contact with the heavy bag. Could it be that his hip turn is just way too quick?(he is a pitcher and has developed a really fast hip turn for his pitch velocity) Everything else on his mechanics looks great...any help very much appreciated <<<

Hi Allen

First, let me thank you for purchasing the video. – In order to develop maximum energy for the swing the hips and shoulders should have fully rotated (facing the pitcher) by contact. When the batter applies efficient upper-body transfer mechanics (THT, CHP and BHT), the acceleration of the bat-head will stay in sync (with the power curve) with shoulder rotation and the bat is brought to contact as shoulder rotation is completed.

Below is a post from the archives that discussed how less efficient transfer mechanics allows the bat-head to drag behind shoulder rotation and possible remedies for it.

Jack Mankin
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>> The most common problem I'm finding with those who are learning rotational mechanics is with their transfer mechanics. They may rotate around a fairly good stationary axis, but that rotation is not converted into a corresponding rate of bat-head acceleration (angular displacement). -- When the shoulders have fully rotated (chest facing the pitcher) and the lead shoulder makes that final little pull back toward the catcher, the bat should be accelerated all the way to contact (bat perpendicular to the balls flight). ---See slide show in "Wrist action or torque." --- But when the transfer mechanics are not correct, the bat can still be 50+ degrees from contact when the shoulders have completed their rotation. The batter must then extend the top hand to bring the bat-head to contact. This results in a much longer swing with less bat speed being generated.

Setting top-hand-torque aside for the time being, the two main problems with their mechanics is loose "linkage" and to little bottom-hand torque being applied. When the lead arm and hand have good "linkage" with the knob end of the bat, any rotation of the lead shoulder will cause a strong pulling action (around toward the pitcher) on the knob end of the bat (great for applying torque). But if the hands are to far away from the body or the lead elbow is to flexed (bent), there is to much slop or loose "linkage" and the shoulders may rotate 30 to 50 degrees while applying little pull to the knob end of the bat.

But Tom, great lower body mechanics, the kinetic chain, powerful shoulder rotation, excellent linkage and hours and hours of practice will only lead to mediocrity - if the top hand is driven forward at initiation." The top-hand must stay back close to the back-shoulder and the shoulders start to rotate.
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THT & the THUMB

Thank you for your purchase of the DVD. --- Most hitters can not hit the outside pitch with any real authority. This is because they extend their hands out in a straighter path (linear mechanics), which means less bat speed generated from the hand-path. Therefore, most of their bat speed must be generated from torque – driving the top-hand past the bottom-hand. But this method of applying torque becomes less efficient when the hands are extended away from the body. With most swings, this leaves the bat-head lagging well behind the hands at contact. This results in balls hit to the opposite field with little power.

One of the main differences between linear and rotational mechanics is with rotational transfer mechanics, the batter keeps his hands back during initiation and accelerates the bat-head back toward the catcher before he rotates and directs his energy toward the ball. When the top-hand is pulling back (or just holding the hands at the shoulder) during initiation, shoulder rotation will accelerate the hands into circular path. At the same time, the rotation of the lead-shoulder (through the lead-arm and hand) accelerates the bat-head by applying torque at the knob. Now the bat-head acceleration can stay in sync with rotation as the hands cast out in a wider arc to contact. With these mechanics, the great hitters can cream outside pitches.

Bill, I would suggest your son practice the following drill before changing his timing. The drill works best when practiced with a heavy bag (or tire) before hitting off a tee or soft toss. --- There are two keys to efficient rotational transfer mechanics. (1) Do not drive the top-hand forward at the start of the swing. (2) Make more productive use of the lead-side.

To help a student accomplish these keys, I have the student take their normal launch position – with one major change. I have the batter lift the thumb of the top-hand away from the bat and point it toward their back-shoulder. As the batter initiates the swing, the thumb should be touching the shoulder. The batter should try to keep the top-hand pulling back so that the thumb is touching the shoulder as far into the swing a possible. The bat-head is accelerated back toward the catcher by lead-shoulder rotation pulling (through the arm and hand) on the knob-end of the bat. The accelerating trajectory of the bat will cause the top-hand and forearm to rotate and lower to the horizontal contact position.

In order for the batter to pull the thumb to the back-shoulder during initiation, he must pull the back-elbow back toward the third base dugout. He is now learning the basics of how to apply Top-Hand-Torque while maintaining a good CHP.

Bill, If your son hold the more vertical, you may find some good points in the following post from the discussion board archives.

Jack Mankin