Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Jun 9 19:47:50 2002

>>> There is a key point here about mechanics and motor learning and the concept of backward chaining which Jack gets at via the heavy bag and some of his other drills.

If the end of the motion isn't learned/perfected/controlled, the beginning of the motion can not be executed correctly or learned. This is part of what has been expressed here as top down control of a bottom up motion. Without good transfer mechanics, good body rotation is impossible, you can only sway either by lunging(back to front)or collapsing the backside(uppercut/never off backside. This swaying prevents getting the lower body energy efficiently transferred into batspeed. <<<

Hi Tom

Good point, but it is also true that with loose linkage and poor initiation, low-load body rotation can take place. It just doesn’t accomplish anything. It is a lot like the transmission slipping in your car – the motor turns but the energy isn’t transferred to the wheels. I have seen some very weak hitters fully rotate the hips and shoulders.

Jack Mankin