Posted by: Shawn () on Sat Jul 28 11:14:06 2001

>>> My question is do you feel that your combining swinging and striding (with linkage problems) when talking about THT and initiation.
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> If a hitters 'linkage' is bad, lets say the hitter has perfect lower body rotation, there is no pull on the lead arm (lots of flex 'until extension'). I find this to be a problem when hitters start to open the shoulders (unwind) before the front heel gets down. They often start to lower the elbow well before the lower body starts.
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> The hands are swinging with the lower body without the use of the shoulder complex. Shoulder rotation then starts to turn more with the hips after the hands start to extend and the lead arm finally starts to straighten, giving the hitter a big 'wush' out front.
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> This is also close to being a bat dragger and trying to 'aim' the barrel early. This seems to cancel out the shoulders as part of the upperbody in the swing.
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> Aside from my 'swinging and striding' question. The hitter with this problem doesn't have the shoulders, arms, elbows, hands, working together. They bypass the shoulders and only use the lower body (legs, hips). Instead of the front shoulder tucking (slightly) in as the stride is completed, tightning the linkage, they start to open slightly.
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> In golf there is a basic goal of trying to accelerate your down stroke with the hips lowerbody. To my knowledge this means shoulder rotation. Isn't the same true the baseball swing? And aren't we talking about the same biomechanical principles in both swings (golf, baseball, fastpitch). If the hands (back elbow) start prior to the shoulders you lose alot of batspeed and in both swings are subject to major swings flaws?
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> Thanks, I can't seem to keep up with all the posts on this site. Shawn <<<
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> Hi Shawn
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> If I am reading your question, "My question is do you feel that your combining swinging and striding (with linkage problems) when talking about THT and initiation" correctly, you seem to imply that initiating the swing with THT causes "linkage" problems. First of all, I would never suggest that a batter initiate the swing while striding ("your combining swinging and striding"). --- Most hitters who apply THT will start pulling the top-hand back at initiation (shoulders starting to rotate). Now, there are also hitters who use "pre-launch THT" to start accelerating the bat-head back toward the catcher before the swing is initiated. Some start accelerating the bat-head back even before the front foot plants, but this happens well before the swing is initiated.
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> To make absolutely sure that what I stated above was correct, I just reviewed a few frame-by-frames of Barry Bonds in the Home Run Derby. He accelerated the bat-head back toward the catcher about 8 to 10 inches before the front toe touched ground. This all occurred well before the his bat arrived at his launch position and the swing was initiated. THT was continued during the actual initiation of the swing and this caused no problem with his "linkage." In fact, during that time, the lead arm was brought tighter across the chest.
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> Shawn, I completely agree with the balance of your post. The hands should stay back and allow shoulder rotation to accelerate the hand-path for both the golf and baseball swings. Shoving the hands forward ahead of rotation will ruin the linkage and produce a weak swing. --- The hips will always be in sync with a golfers swing if they keep their hands up and allow shoulder rotation to accelerate the down-stroke. The golfer need not think about the hips, they will automatically rotate in sync with the swing. --- But there is no automatic sync for hip and shoulder rotation if the golfer uses the arms too start the swing. They will need to consciously think of when to start the hips. The same is true for the baseball/softball swing
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> PS: You golfers out there that cannot seem to get your hips timed with your swing - pay close attention to what Shawn had to say.
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> Jack Mankin
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Hi Jack,

Thanks for the reply. I don't have the time right now for a follow up. Your reply helped.

In regards to the the hands traveling forward and apply torque and early seperation, which can lead or be viewed as striding and swinging problems.

I see what your saying about Bonds and others bat head traveling back just prior to the stride finishing, that isn't swinging and striding. Let me take a look and get back to ya, becuase under your reply hitters like Hank A. would have serious problems.

Thanks,
Shawn