Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon Jan 30 23:17:12 2006

>>> Jack,
Is there a recommendation for the front shoulder (up or down) before you start your swing? It's obviously up at contact and I would assume down at prelauch to help facilitate top hand torque, correct?
Also, what kind of time frames do you recommend when making the progression through the drills? I'm working with 12U girls and could probably nit pick for a long time. I'd like to start doing these drills with them and we have our first tournament at the end of May.
Thanks <<<

Hi Kelly

A good hitter may have his lead shoulder lower in his stance and into pre-launch. But once forward hip movement has ceased, most of the best hitters will have set their axis of rotation (the spine) to tilt rearward 10 to 15 degrees at initiation. Therefore, during the actual swing, their back shoulder will be lower than the front.

I have not found hitters using the raising or lowering of the shoulders to apply THT. Energy supplying THT comes mainly from the muscles in the back and shoulders that pull the forearm and top-hand rearward during initiation. The top-hand pulling rearward with the fingers rather than driving forward with the palm during initiation is the key to a hitter reaching his/her potential. --- Great hitters first attain acceleration of the bat-head rearward to the lag position before directing their energy toward the ball. Average hitters attempt to accelerate a static bat from lag to contact.

Kelly, I have no set time for each drill. I can say that I find it more productive to spend more time observing and less time talking. Once I have demonstrated to the hitter what he or she should accomplish, I allow them at least 5 or 6 attempts before commenting or offering suggestions. It sometimes takes a good number of swings for them to relax and find their rhythm with a drill.

Jack Mankin

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