Posted by: Jim (jwelborn@lexcominc.net) on Sun Jun 12 18:14:01 2005

> I have been playing softball for over 10 years, and I saw your web site and wonder how does a rotational swing like you show work when hitting slow pitch softballs? Every once in a while I can crush a ball but my swing has never looked like what you teach. I have been practicing you swing and am having trouble with the over under pressure that is required to make more speed and power. Also at which point do I drop my rear shoulder to bring the bat into plan with my lead arm . I tend to do it to early. Thanks for the help.



Jason,

I am a fastpitch coach, but here are my thoughts on your question.

Rotation creates bat speed because of angular acceleration. The challenge to the batter is to involve as many individual muscles as possible in a swing that maximizes controlled rotation. If the muscles are trained to fire at their maximum in the proper sequence, physics dictates that maximum energy will be released and transmitted to the bat. Whether it is fastpitch or slowpitch is irrelevant.

Regardless of the swing, a major challenge to any batter is to hit the ball in its middle, with the middle of the bat. The more accurately this is done, the better the results.

The predominant challenge presented to the slowpitch batter is contacting the middle of a ball that is decending through the bat's swing plane at a radical angle. Due to this radical angle, it is not probable that the slowpitch batter can ever get his swing plane to match the plane of the pitch.

Many slowpitch batters can hit the ball very hard with swings that do not necessarily resemble the big league rotational swing. This is probably because they possess good physical strength and have simply learned to find the middle of the ball. I believe if they could learn to find the middle of the ball with a good rotational swing, they could hit it even harder.

The dropping of the rear shoulder occurs as a natural part of the rotational phase of the swing. The rotational phase of the swing begins between toe touch and heel plant (of the front foot) and is initated when the back elbow to begins to drop toward the back hip. When the back elbow begins to drop, the back shoulder will go with it. The batter must not force the back elbow. It sould occur naturally in conjunction with the upper and lower torso movements that result in rotation. Forced movement of the back elbow may result in disrupting the swing plane of the front arm, and reducing the release of energy through the bat.

To change your swing, you must train your body. The best tool to use to begin this process is the batting tee. Hit into a net and concentrate on mechanics, not power. Video tape youself and study your swing in slow motion. Video tape major league batters on TV and compare yourself to them.

Remember, good swing mechanics and the eye-hand coordination required to make proper contact are two separate skills that must work seamlessly together in any game of stick and ball.

Jim