Posted by: Shawn (mariner0324@yahoo.com) on Sat Sep 9 05:13:31 2006

> >>> I am not sure what the actual details are of order of firing of muscles, nor am I sure this info is required for teaching the mlb swing.
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> I would certainly agree that there should be no "freewheeling" and that too much separation is bad.
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> Stretching/coiling/"loading" is a total body coordinated thing where the approprate amount and orientation of stretch are prepared.
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> This preparation/"loading" also importantly appears to include conversion/blocking of linear forward weight shift momentum to jumpstart more active hip turn which contributes to a last quick stretch/separation of the upper/lower halves which Zig calls "xfactor stretch" (measured in golf and hitting) or Nyman calls a loading "cusp".
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> The body has to "sit"/bend somewhat into toe touch in part because muscles must stretch and continue to stretch with loading. In golf Jones called this the "power squat".
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> In addition the upper body is resisting the hip turn and preparing for the right spatial swing plane, perhaps most importantly via direction and timing of THT,for example. This enables launch/acceleration to occur far enough back behind the hitter to optimize recognition and shape a swing plane that best matches the anticiated location of contact producing an efficient collision of sweetspot and ball - "good acceleration around the swing plane".
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> The timing of blocking/conversion and firing of muscles in unison (or without excessive sequential delay whatever that is) needs to blend well to create xfactor stretch in any case for bathead launch to be adequately quick for timing precision. <<<
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> Hi Tom
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> I think we are in agreement on this point. You stated, “I would certainly agree that there should be no "freewheeling" and that too much separation is bad. - Stretching/coiling/"loading" is a total body coordinated thing where the approprate amount and orientation of stretch are prepared”
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> As the muscles that induce hips rotation are contracting, so are the muscles of the torso contracting to restrict the “freewheeling” of the hips. This is similar to the way that letting out the clutch in a car keeps the engine from red-lining.
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> Where we may have some disagreement is with your next statement. You state, “This preparation/"loading" also importantly appears to include conversion/blocking of linear forward weight shift momentum to jumpstart more active hip turn which contributes to a last quick stretch/separation of the upper/lower halves which Zig calls "xfactor stretch" (measured in golf and hitting) or Nyman calls a loading "cusp".
>
> Tom, I have no problem with saying that the lead-leg blocking forward weight shift stretches the leg muscles for a more powerful extension. Neither do I have a problem with those that claim sliding the hips forward helps some batters set the axis of rotation angle. But I am probably one of the few that do not except the “truism” that the “blocking of linear forward weight shift momentum to jumpstart more active hip turn”
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> The original theory of how linear momentum (or kinetic energy) was transferred into angular acceleration of the bat was described in Professor Adair’s book. He basically claimed that the kinetic energy developed from a forward shifting of the batter's weight was transferred to the bat as the forward extension of the hands slowed to a stop (linear extension blocked). He claimed that this transfer of energy caused the bat-head to accelerate in a “crack of a whip” like action.
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> For decades, coaches have taught their batters linear batting principles based on this “truism.” However, as this clip - http://www.batspeed.com/media/WhipHigh.wmv - demonstrates, regardless of the amount of linear weight-shifted, no angular acceleration of the bat is induced from a linear extension (and blocking) of the hands.
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> Just as there is no angular acceleration of the bat induced from blocking the linear momentum of the hands, there is no angular acceleration of the hips as their linear momentum is blocked. The same laws of physics that govern the rotation of the bat also govern the rotation of the hips.
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> Jack Mankin

Hi Jack,

I would agree with you, it's not so much the weight shift that creates the whip effect as it is the transfer of momentum through rotation ( the upperbody recieves all the energy and is whipped around). Some hitters might be able to boost their rotation through the weight shift and blocking as Tom suggests. Although for the most part it is rotation itself that creates this transfer. This explains how hitters like Ryan Howard can hit HR's with little weight shift, or Pujols without a stride.

Shawn