Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Fri Jun 27 09:40:49 2008

> Ok, so there seems to be no concensus -- should I be turning my torso/shoulders/arms as a unit and have the bat turning with the rotation, or should I be focusing on leading with my bat?
>
> -- Jacek

Jacek,

IMO the focus should be on throwing the barrel through the zone.

Bare with this explaination. Think of throwing a baseball with a 3/4 arm action. Like a second baseman would do when turning a double play. As the lead foot is moving forward the throwing hand is moving back and the lead hip is clearing out of the way. The rear hip initiates rotation has the hand throws the ball. When you throw you do not think turn hips, turn shoulders, throw ball. You just move the hand back to the position to throw and throw. The hips and shoulders respond the way they need to to supply the power. Your body will respond to what the hands are trying to do.

Try this get in an athletic hitting stance, lift your leg and stride forward and start to lower your center of gravity, as you are striding forward move your hands back and turn the barrel back towards the catcher hard (like the bat is a pole stuck in the ground and you want to snap it off just below the handle. You can not pull it forward with your hands or push it back, it is stationary.). See what happens to your hips the only way to maintain your balance is for the lead hip to open and the rear hip will start to rotate. The shoulders will stay closed. Now try to rotate your hips and shoulders hard see if the hands respond. The hands do not need to because the body doesn't need them to maintain balance. The hands will trail behind, along with the bat.

Graylon
>
>
> >