Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Fri Sep 3 12:40:09 2010

>>> Thanks for a great 10+ years and a number of breakthrough concepts that have helped
countless ball players !

I like to think of "shoulders" as a separate anatomic unit from the "torso". While the
shoulder anatomy is complicated, it can be somewhat simplified by focussing on what
the 2 scaps do.

For the necessary early batspeed and quickness and adjustability, I would say the
shoulders should neither actively turn nor remain static, instead they should tilt in a
more vertical plane than the hips with the primary activity of enhancing handle torque.

this keeps the shoulders in a little and allows a better directed and timed
stretch/unstretch of the torso which works its way quickly to the bathead during
unloading through connected shoulders and arms controlled by how the bathead is
being torqued/fired out at the handle. <<<

Hi Tom

I agree the shoulder anatomy is indeed complicated. The way each shoulder is hinged allows it to move in both a horizontal and vertical plane independent of each other or the torso. If you recall, I wrote posts discussing what I termed "Shrugging of the lead-shoulder" and its importance in generating bat speed.

"Shrugging" would be an example of the shoulder working independently on the horizontal plane. Each shoulder can also move in the vertical plane, as when the elbow is raised and lowered. Note that as the back-elbow is raised to horizontal, the back-shoulder rises 3 or 4 inches and then lowers back down as the elbow lowers. -- I think this movement contributes to what some refer to as "tilting of the shoulders."

The video below describes my take on the 'Tilt vs Rotation' controversy.

Tilt vs Rotation

Tom, I also agree that the premature rotation of the shoulders (as a unit) is a major problem. Initiating shoulder rotation with the bat still in a vertical or wrapped position (barrel pointing between 3rd base and the pitcher) results in expending shoulder rotation with the bat still back near the "lag" position with only the arms left to accelerate the bat.

The bat should be accelerated back (PLT) to, or past, the normal launch position (about 180 degrees from contact) before shoulder rotation is initiated. I have noted two important shoulder positions in high level swings. (1) There is about 60 degrees of shoulder rotation left as the bat reaches the lag position (barrel pointing toward the catcher). (2) The bat is brought to contact as shoulder rotation is depleted -- this indicates the large muscle groups of the lower body were engaged all the way to contact.

As I mentioned earlier, with less efficient mechanics, the batter completes shoulder rotation with the bat dragging 30 to 90 degrees from contact.

Jack Mankin