Posted by: Marcus Boyd (marcus@hourofdeliverance.net) on Sat May 7 04:42:21 2005

> Hi Jack:
>
> >>> In The "Final Arc II," John Elliot instructs Aaron and Julie to 'flip the back shoulder over by pulling back with the back hand, starting a circular hand path.'
>
> Based on that information, I have a question: will barring the lead arm against the chest while flipping the back palm so that if faces up produce a circular hand path?
>
> A response will be greatly appreciated. <<<
>
> Hi BHL
>
> John did not say to “flip the back shoulder over by pulling back with the back hand, in starting a circular hand path.” His exact words were “We are flipping over our back shoulder by pulling back with the back hand, starting a circular hand path.” In his demonstration, he was referring to flipping (his terminology) the top-hand over the back-shoulder to initiate the swing with THT and fling the hands into a circular path. – I would describe it as the top-hand pulling rearward during initiation.
>
> During initiation, John certainly did not flip “the back palm so that it faces up to produce a circular hand path” in his demonstration. That would lead to all kinds of problems. While the top-hand is pulling rearward, the palm remains more downward until the elbow lowers where it becomes more vertical.The top-hand does not roll to palm-up until the back-forearm rotates down toward horizontal.
>
> Jack Mankin

BHL,

It sounds like your bat starts too vertically if you're talking about the palm facing upward during THT. To elaborate on something Jack said (if I may), he said the top palm "remains more downward until the elbow lowers where it becomes more vertical." When the bat starts more behind the back ear cocked at about a 45-degree angle (estimation), your palm will be in the position Jack described. When the bat starts pointed straight up, the "flip" movement you describe can occur, but you have to take an unnatural movement to get the bat in the swing plane, and I'm not even sure if a person could get into the swing plane without slowing the momentum gained while getting more horizontal. When the bat starts behind the ear, it's a natural rotation of the bat head down and into the swing plane without having to change direction and lose all that momentum!

I know you and I have discussed pull-field hitting a time or two. Your statement makes me understand why you're good at pulling the ball, but probably having trouble hitting with much power to other fields. Being able to accelerate the bat head early while smoothly and naturally bringing it into the swing plane is very important if one wishes to hit with good power to center or opposite field :-)

Marcus