Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Sun Jan 22 10:59:07 2006

Doug-

This is the way I think of the high level swing exhibited (especially but not exclusively
by those with dominant arm/hand as back arm/top hand) by what the best have in
common.

All go through the same phases:

1-inward turn

2-hip cock

3-hand cock

4-wind rubber band

5- drop and tilt

6- swing.

These flow together primarily depending on upper body/arm action.

1-hands come in toward center ofgravity of body as they do when youget
sidewaystothrow/perform a windup as in throwing/pitching. Thje body turns more
easily with hands in middle

2-primary arm action is internal rotation of back arm/bat coks vertically

3-primary arm action is lifting back elbow/pointing elbow behind back and some
back scap pinches toward spine some-bat circles/cocks toward pitcher

4-primary arm action is back arm external rotation which forces the back elbowdown,
elbow staysup as much as it can and pointing back, back scap continues to
pinch,backalbow "slots"without dsiconnecting or later forcing disconnection or
overshootingof swing plane this is "pre-launch" THT.

Note-while back arm is theprime mover of 2,3,4 this is a 2 armed action whereat the
same time the swing radius is being set by how much the front arm is being
stretched.The front shoulder is also closing due thenecessary "reciprocal" action of
the shoulders/arms (when 1 elbow goes up,the other goes down in the push/pull
action ofhitting - a differencefrom the moresymmetrical loading action of throwing).

5-Primary arm action is internal rotation of lead arm (both arms worktogether ,now
lead armtaking over to finish loading and then pull swing from front side) which
bringsthe pointof theelbow up into the swingg palne while this last plane transition
prepares for connection and setting ofplane bathead will fire in.

6-Pull swing from front,ongoing torque applied through hands for synergistic
ongoing connection to rotational component of swing

These upper body arm/scap sequences demand/encourage synched/mirrored/
Mapped lower body motions. This finally gets at the leg question somewhat see also
weight shift info to follow.These actions are in my opinion clearer and better taught
by using stride NOT no-stride.

1-hips turn back to lead coil ("excessive counter-rotation" is desirable in theold
fashioned golf swing but NOT in hitting.The subsequent back arm action/sequence-
internalrotation,etc will prevent this in hitting- this is an important part of
preparingfor the later THT Jack has found)- this often is accompanied by a stepin/
click back part of a "2 part" stride.

2-internal rotation of lead leg ("trigger swing/load/coilby turning front knee in")
supports getting hipscoked- thisin general is when stride foot is lifted -either for first
or secong time (one or 2 part stride)

3- stride leg goes out/knees spread as back elbowlifts/backscappinches-
ingeneralthe front legwillstay internallyrotatedand "show sole of foot" (Nyman
cue).Stride may be longor short. If you want a short stride,it isbetter tomirror or
"demand" this by having the hands and back elbow up and the back scaqp already
somewhat pinchedin the stance-somedegree ofaccompanying "pre-loading", but not
toomuch or the sequence and skill are degraded.

4-front leg/knee externally rotates/turns open to wind rubber band along with hands
satying back with THT starting/bat uncocking this continues until"front toetouch".

5-Front knee continues to rotate open and stays flexed during "drop and tilt"/tht at
launch. This permits efficient redirection of weight shift/linear momentum to
creatoptimal coil to then drive firingof bathead.

6-Front leg straightens with hip twist and by applying some "thrust" whichsupports
the deceleration of the hip(helps stop its turning open somomentum transfer into
firing bathead is as efficient as possible.

Finally,the overall control of weight shift needs to beaccounted for will vary with
supporting different swing radius/loads anddifferent axis of rotation tilts.

Then you have to go throughbthis and make sure nothing essential is changed if you
are a "no-strider". Everything,includingfront knee has to keepsequence.