Posted by: Dave P (dkcoachdave@yahoo.com) on Wed Mar 24 09:57:39 2010

Linear coaches also stress the point that most of the energy that powers the swing comes from the rotation of the hips.
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> This presents a fallacy for linear principles. -- It is important to note that the linkage (arms, wrists and hands) to the bat is connected at the shoulders - not the hips. It is bio-mechanically impossible for the energy of hip rotation to be transferred upward to the bat while the shoulders remain static. This also explains why linear coaches have to spend so much of their time teaching mechanics that get the "hips to lead the hands."
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Hi Jack

A couple things from these statements above. Linear coaches very rarely say anything about the hips because it all is about the hands so usually a linear coach will say that the 'hands lead the hips'. The hip rotation is leading the shoulder rotation in the best swings so that it makes it easier for the shoulders to rotate.

That brings me to the next point. Without hip rotation the shoulders have resistance to rotate because they are also trying to turn the hips. Smaller muslces of the shoulder and upper body must slow down in order to help 'pull' the hips and larger muscles of the trunk and legs along in the rotation.

Hips rotating ahead of shoulder rotation allow the shoulders to rotate faster. This goes back to the x factor stretch that is present in all high level swings.

Two questions to you.

At what time in the swing do your hands move in relationship to the back shoulder?

What is the relationship between shoulder rotation and batspeed?

DAve