Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Apr 10 17:42:47 2005

>>> Jack,

Got your DVD and it makes so much sense. My 14yo son has played 2 games since we started working the CHP and has gone 4 for 6. He is hitting the ball with great authority and actually knocked down a third baseman with a ground ball in the last game.

He doesn't get great elevation on his balls, but hard ground balls and line drives aren't all that bad.

My question has to do with the concept of torque. Would a small separation between the hands be beneficial? It would increase the force that the hitter can apply through THT and BHT, but are there any drawbacks? We've always taught kids to keep their hands together, but you've got such novel ideas, that perhaps this needs to be re-examined.

Thought?

and thanks again.. I'm starting to teach CHP to the rest of his team and one of our first other converts who had been hitting weak singles all year lined the first pitch he saw to the fence in our last game. <<<

Hi DJH

The key component to maximizing bat speed is the CHP. I find it is more productive to teach mechanics that add torque at the handle without altering an optimum CHP. It is easier in determining the optimum CHP when the bat-head is swung about a single hinge point (like swinging with one hand). However, applying torque to the bat requires both hands (opposing forces at two points) to be on the handle and thus, two separate hinge points. Having two hinge points restrict the flail or pendulum effect of the CHP to transfer the body’s rotational momentum into bat speed.

Therefore DJH, the wider the hands are apart, the greater the leverage for applying torque. But the wider the grip the more it restricts the pendulum effect of the CHP. The same can be said for batters who try to muscle the bat-head around. The more tense and rigid the muscles in the arms and wrists become, the less bat speed is generated from the CHP. Most average hitters use the muscles of the arms to extend the hands (mainly the top-hand) which result in a straighter hand-path and therefore, the batter must rely more on applying torque (driving the top-hand past the bottom-hand) to bring the bat-head to contact.

As I stated above, pushing forward with the palm of the top-hand results in a disconnect from shoulder rotation and straightens the path of the hands which limit the bat speed that can be produced. Great hitters generate great bat speed because their arms and wrists remain loose during rotation and the mechanics they use to apply torque better compliment CHP development and transfer. -- Pulling back with the fingers of the top-hand (THT) during initiation keep the hands back closer to the shoulder during initiation and allow rotation to fling the hands into a circular path.

As the elbow lowers to the batter’s side, the rotation of the lead-shoulder pulls the knob around toward third base (BHT) and creates the “hook” in the hand-path to accelerate the bat-head to contact. These mechanics for applying torque is much less restrictive to the pendulum effect (CHP) and allows maximum bat speed to be produced.

DJH, this post addresses issues raised by other posts. Therefore I will bring it to the top as a new thread.

Jack Mankin