Posted by: Burgess () on Mon Dec 20 09:30:40 1999

> Hi Burgess
>
> I will try to answer both of your post at the same time. --- The test proved that a straight thrust (linear) of the hands and shifting ones weight forward (linear) does not generate bat speed. The two forces that do develop angular displacement is torque (hands pushing and pulling on the bat from opposite directions) and the transfer of rotational energy (angular path of the hands). Burgess, a batter needs not cast his hands out wide to have a circular hand-path. Keeping the lead arm across the body and rotating around a stationary axis will result in a tight circular path.
>
> As I said, shifting weight forward does not cause angular displacement of the bat. But this does not mean that I would necessarily recommend the no-stride approach. I see nothing wrong with using a short (soft) step IF we understand it is for timing or rhythm and not for angular acceleration of the bat.
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> In my opinion, there are two major reasons why many batters using the no-stride approach have less bat speed. One is that their feet are spaced to wide to allow for full rotation of the hips. Second is the loss of proper sequencing of the swing. To develop good bat speed the swing must be from the ground up where the rotation of the hips and shoulders lead the hands. Starting with a short stride triggers the lower body to start the sequence from the ground up. With the static start of the no-stride, there is a loss of rhythm and too much of a tendency for the hands or arms to initiate the swing. This is not true for all hitters, some can adopt different ways to trigger the sequence. Picking up the foot and replacing it without striding or a movement of the lead knee during the inward turn or etc.
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> Jack Mankin

I was not suggesting a static start, The heal raise the knee has a slight inward turn, or the foot could pick up and be placed where it started. There has to be some unlocking of the joints( freeing up whatever) Steve's drop of 17mph I would guess is a issue of his mechanics doing nostride. 20 years of striding fighting the new nostride, My son who has been working with it, had the big deep, however last nights workout it spiked back up to nearly where he is with stride, The most interesting point about the nostride is during reaction training ( simulates game conditions) his bat speed shows no drop at all, typically batspeed is greater doing dry cuts then in a game, with a stride he can create more batspeed however it drops off more during reaction training then nostride. You could assume from this that in a game baring perfect timing of all that has to happen with a stride to get that extra batspeed and contact, It nets out to zero power advandage, But perhaps a slightly less accurate bat. Speaks to the fewer ks some experience doing nostride. Nomar being the poster child in MLB, I think regular season his ks were 38 with very good power numbers. Not bad for a everyday player.
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