Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Feb 22 11:35:46 2007

Hi All

The past few days, we have had quite a discussion on the “hand-path.” This site has maintained that in order to generate maximum bat speed, the hand-path should remain circular in nature. Then, there have been posts that contend that having a “linear” component (hands moving in-line with the ball) also generates bat speed.

I think this may be a good point to revisit why maintaining a CHP is so important to maximizing a batter’s bat speed. As related to the baseball swing, the physics principle that governs the path of the hands is the “pendulum” effect – ‘The angular displacement rate of lever (1), induces an angular displacement of lever (2).

In other words as the following clip demonstrates, taking the hands in a “circular” path induces angular acceleration of the bat-head. Whereas, taking the hands in a more “linear” path (little or no angular displacement), induces little or no angular acceleration of the bat-head.

http://www.batspeed.com/media/WhipHigh.wmv

If the hand-path goes linear at any point during the swing, no angular acceleration of the bat-head is occurring during that time (no pendulum effect)-- the generation of bat speed is stalled.