Posted by: Zig Ziegler (zigz@motiondnacorp.com) on Thu Aug 31 08:42:01 2006

Good Morning Jack.

Thanks for your questions. I will try to answer them based upon our research. With regards to your thoughts on spinning. The body (pelvis and upper torso) rotate only as a result of action by both legs. The Upper Torso (referred to you as shoulders) may rotate without the help of the pelvis or either leg. This occurs when the pelvis (hips) stabilizes only with limited rotation or the pelvis (hips) rotate too fast for the upper torso to keep up. As a result of the latter, an enormous amount of energy is stored in the stretching of the muscles of the abdominals and back. Once the maximum stretch is achieved, the torso rotates on its on (typically out of control) bringing the bat towards the ball for a split second and continues to rotate out of the way as the shoulders fly open. More experienced batters (MLB players) learn to compensate for this with timing.

The latter also occurs when the batter spins (as you call it) on their back leg by twisting the back foot to supposedly create hip rotation. If a batter twist the back foot, they do not get more hip rotation, the actually get less and lose control of their body and thus the bat.

You see, the problem is that rotation occurs by exerting energy in one directions and then redirecting it in the opposited direction. So by telling the batter to spin their back foot, we are creating a flaw which is hard to undo. The batter will turn the back foot at a high rate of speed (moving the heel towards the plate. This one flaw can cause others including lead arm barring or early bat release.

In order to redirect the bat (which also now begins to move towards the plate, the batter must be able to rotate the shoulders fast enough to keep from falling over the plate. this is why that is a flaw. and why we see a lot of young hitters with excessive lean over the plate, shoulders flying open, and bats going out across the plate too early.

So the truth is that in order to rotate the way you describe, the batter must use both legs to rotate the hips and shoulders. if only one leg is used then the weight is too far back and creates a negative energy that does not transfer through the bat and into the ball.

With regards to the lead arm barring, it is a flaw. That doesn't mean someone can't be successful with that technique. but they have to know what adjustments to make in with getting the body in position to make solid contact. Most batters who bar their lead arm, can't hit inside pitches. Well the fortunate thing for them is that most pitchers have flaws and can't repeatedly throw inside without the risk of hitting the batter. So the arm barring batter often gets pitches that are away enough that they can hit the ball where the swing takes them.

One of you posters said earlier that it is hard to talk about pitch mechanics without regards to pitch location and and count and several other factors including timing.

Tuesday night Barry Bonds hit a homerun with a ugly swing that indicated he was obviously fooled by the pitch. If Bonds hit 728 homeruns with that swing, would many instructors be teaching it? I believe that if someone started to teach that swing, and someone with a big name had success with it, there would be a website and books and videos.

So the answer to your last question..."I seriously doubt that many good hitters are using a flawed mechanic. Could it be that many coaches opinion may be flawed regarding the lead-arm?"

Why not? Who can say that a batter did everything perfect on a 500 foot homerun. remember some of that distance is supplied by the pitcher. Not many monster homerun shots come off pitchers throwing 85 mph. But a lot come from 95 mph or better pitchers. So at the higher speeds of the pitcher do you try to get more bats speed or do you try to make contact and let the pitcher supply some of the power. you can't catch up to a 101 fastball by swinging faster, you have to swing at the same speed you are used to swinging at but make contact. higher speeds means you have to control that speed too.

So the answer to your questions (both of them) is yes. Many good hitters are using flawed mechanics. and Many coaches opinions may be flawed regarding the lead arm and many other things that are tought.

Here is a simple test, which I have suggested many times before. In a two dimensional video, if you watch the hands of a batter during the loading phase, the batters hands appear to move backwards. In reality, the hands rotate as the shoulders rotate in the good hitters.

Stand in front of a mirror in your batting stance. Watching your hands I want you to first load by pushing the hands towards the catcher. Notice the distact that they cove by picking an object in or spot on the wall that the hands should cover up and uncover. Remember this should only be a few inches of push backwards.

Now do the same thing with the your stance only this time keep the hands in the same spot next to your shoulders as you turn your shoulders away. They will appear to move backwards and cover up the same spot on the wall. If you can't do both at the same time, then set up your video camera and film it. both will look the same. unless you alter how you rotate or reach too far. So treat it like you're searching for the truth, not to disprove my test.


So in essence, we can look at the swings of the best hitters in the world and you'll see one thing, I'll see something different.

Thank you for your time Jack. And Have a positive day!

Zig Ziegler