Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Fri Mar 29 17:31:44 2002

Yes,top arm near extension,but hands/handpath not getting away from center of rotation before contact.Extension occurs by bat/sweetspot swinging out which triggers energy transfer or "momentum runaway" from energized torso to center of mass of bat (like weight on end of string).Extension does not occur by handpath getting away from axis of rotation(going linear/extension of handpath)since this shuts off energy transfer as demonstrated in Jack's steering wheel knob demo.
>
> thanks for the response, which i will study some more....in the meantime i would like to observe that this seems to be quite a departure for you and jack from previous statements.....i had always thought that you & him insisted there was no such thing as near-full extension on an outside pitch...maybe i just misunderstood.......thanks again....grc....

I am just speaking for myself,not trying to put words in Jack's mouth.

In the past,I considered the hypothesis that "L" coming out of elbow was tantamount to extension and any extension might be "bad" in terms of deceleration,but this did not fit with the visual evidence or the results/feel/batspeed of the swings I took/measured.Jack has always said the "L" comes out on the outside stuff,anyway.

Jack has also demonstrated that transfer mechanics are inefficient when the hands extend.The question is how can the "L" come out(prior to contact on the outside location) and continue efficient transfer of torso momentum to continue angular acceleration of the bat head.

The "L" doesn't come out on the middle in stuff.The more inside it is,the more you pull back with the bottom hand/hook the handpath/apply bht/keep torso rotating through contact.

On the outside location,the "L" does come out,however,connection is maintained by the front upper arm pressing against/staying connected to the torso.As the "L" comes out,the bat lines up more and more with the front arm.As this lining up occurs,it is then possible to allow the flex to come out of the front elbow(if it has flex),as long as the front upper arm remains tightly connected to the torso.This extension at the front elbow fully drains the torso with contact necessary before the front upper arm casts away from the torso which is when deceleration starts.

The front upper arm should not cast before contact in any case.

At launch,the swing begins with the flail portion dependent on circular handpath/ball on string transfer mechanics.As the swing proceeds,the "L" can stay in the back elbow and accentuate batspeed near contact with bht,or on the outside pitch,there can be what Nyman describes as(after flail) the whip portion/dog hitting end of leash as "L" comes out of back elbow and front forearm extends at elbow fully decelerating torso.See the "old "Handpath and extension issues" with annotated Delgado clip at setpro.

Using Nyman's terms,a flail only or a flail then whip can work.A whip only swing is doomed to failure since premature extension drags the bat and prevents sequencing of energy transfer from lower body to bat,however,the whip only swing is what comes naturally to most because it is the easiest way(conserves energy using less muscles,including more of slow twitch variety) for the body to get the bat around(but without the batspeed necessary to thrive at higher levels).In the olden days the bats got heavier and you learned to flail(rotational mechanics)or you dropped out,Then along came the wonders of light aluminum and you could hang on to the linear mechanics until you flamed out at the wooden bat/small sweetspot level.

The sequence needs to be maintained and whatever extension there is is not via the front arm extending/casting away from the torso.