Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon Mar 13 18:51:26 2000

>>>How can you teach a young hitter to use his back side before you use your hands. Another words are there any drills for getting the hip working before the hands start to come to the ball (get into the slot). I was never able to hit for consistent power as a player because I was unable to get those hips into that rotational power postion before my hands started to work. Any suggestions.<<<

Hi Tlong

Trying to convert from linear to rotational mechanics from only what one reads is very, very difficult. This is the most important reason I am developing an instructional video (almost finished). Once you see how to practice the mechanic, I have no doubt your progress will be quite surprising. But for now let me make the following points that may be helpful.

There are two (and only two) forces applied to the bat that cause it accelerate in an arc; Torque and the transfer of the body's rotational energy. Rotational energy transfer can only take place when the path of the hands are also rotary (circular). --- Most batters have never felt a bat being accelerated from rotational energy. Their hand-path is to straight and their arms to ridge to produce that result. --- So, most batters generate nearly all their bat speed from one source - torque - generated by pushing the top hand past the lead hand as the lead hand nears full extension. *** Driving the top hand forward causes the lead arm to bend and move away from the chest and the hands move forward in a straight path***

With rotational mechanics, the lead arm stays across (or close to) the chest as the body rotates. *** The top hands stays (or pulls) back as the body starts its rotation. Torque is generated as rotation pulls the lead hand around the top hand (similar to rowing a boat). Greater bat speed is developed from applying both rotational transfer and torque energies. Note: torque is also applied over a greater portion of the swing.

Jack Mankin