Posted by: Zig Ziegler (zigz@motiondnacorp.com) on Fri Jul 28 23:27:04 2006

Well, after taking a hiatus to do more research and start my new company (Motion DNA) I ran into a collegiate fastpitch coach who uses the theories here and has had great success at with his team of girls who many would say are over achievers. And congratulations to him. But i believe he is teaching one thing and his girls are doing a combination, becasue they have to do what their bodies know how to do.

Tom and Jack, you still make very good points. Jack, several of the posters have started to be able to point out just the opposite of what you see in the same clips you use to show rotational mechanics. Perception is unique and varies from one viewer to the next. But data doesn't confuse or vary. it is what it is.

Also, I must say that teaching an athlete based upon some other athlete's swings characteristics is still severely flawed. I see from some of the post that the topics are still the same and yet, no one here appears to be closer to the answer.

Circular hand paths, linear versus rotational, knob at ball, back foot (what does it do?) softball versus baseball, and do what the best do, because if they do it, it must be right.

Well, after analyzing the biomechanics of now over 50,000 baseball and fastpitch players, I can tell you all that each of them swings in a way that is unique to them becasue of their own physical limitations. If you are going to teach a kid to swing like Pujols, because he's the hot hitter right now, you are setting that athlete up for failure. The last time I posted here, everyone was talking about teaching to swing like bonds, but if you don't have bonds approach to hitting, what good is his swing. if you don't have his strength and balance (from two years ago) the swing won't work.

As I have stated before, there is no such thing as a purely rotational or pure linear hitter. Every motion has a little of both.

Here's a clue after analyzing the swings of some of the top hitters at every level, the following is true..

1) Every hitter has a load which is linear and rotational (just like throwing a ball)

2) Every hitter has a positive move (wieght transfer) or beginning move which is linear towards the pitcher. Any rotation during this phase will cause a leak in power and may cause the hitter to have to play catch up with his arms, hips, or shoulder depending upon which body part begins to rotate (release early) Note. Barring of the lead arm early is cause by the body seeking balance and as a results seeks to that balance away from where balance is lost.

3) the completion of linear movement when done correctly triggers a rotational and linear path of the elbow (if done correctly) which brings the hands (which are holding on to the bat).

4) During this release (which rotational AND linear for those of you who missed it), the arms should begin to release or extend at the shoulders and then elbows in order followed by the release of the wrist (which were previously cocked or loaded). This release is both linear and rotational as well. rotation only of the wrists during a swing can be identified by the bat rolling over. This happens when a batter cuts off the linear release of the bat through contact.

5)if all is done correctly, maximum energy is released through the bat and limited power is lost upon contact.

Maximum rotational velocity of the hips only occurs when both the right and left legs are both driving on time in opposite directs. this is not a rotational action, but linear, individual leg action. It is this action (linear) that initiates rotation. However, if an athlete has a weak back side, he collapses, a weak front side (flies open), a weak core (shoulders are late and constantly leak open) weak shoulders (late hands) Quick hands (poor timing) and the list goes on.

So I think you will all look at video after video of the best hitters for the next 10 years and you will continue to see something different. I will take your best linear hitter and show the rotational components. At the same time, take your best rotational hitter and show you the linear components of his swing. at 30 frames per second, you are missing one or the other, and If you want to rotation...that's all you will see. If you want to see linear, you will pick it out. But the combination is always there in every thing from soccer kicks to hitting, free throw shooting. We have one body and it does everything the same way with adjustments specific to the task and characterized by the athletes physical limitations.

I trust this post will stay and we can debate the search for the truth.