Posted by: Alan (alanmcnulty@bigpond.com.au) on Thu Jun 16 01:01:25 2005

> > The downward plane is used essentially because it is the most efficent, and the most powerful. The downward plane creates backspin and forces a hitter to wait; thus the hips can lead the hands. Hand path becomes elongated and upper arched as the hands get ahead of the hips. This is evident when a hitter slows his bat to hit to the opposite field, often the result is a weak fly or bloop. Train a downward exaggerated swing plane in conjunction with a lead of the hips first. Keep in mind they are virtually simultanous actions, the hips and the hands will move together. The key is to gain bat speed and allow more time for tracking the pitch,while maximizing power in the swing. This is done effectively by most hitters who are rotational and cut the ball from the top down.

Hey Justin
The good news is your on the right website to learn. The bad news is its going to take a long time to fix kids or adults who swing down at a ball or slow the bat to hit opposite field.
If you want to create backspin on a hit ball you only have to hit below the centre line of the ball as Ted Williams says if your that good why don't you hit the middle. I don't believe the benefits of trying to create backspin as it takes the bat out of the swing plane.
To hit the outside pitch you have to hit with the same speed as your normal swing but contact is deeper.

Watch slo mo video of major leaguers and tell me which one swings down.
I agree the hands and the hips move simultaneously with batspeed generated from the turning torso.

With respect

Alan