Posted by: Pepper Bollmfield (qt_dancer25@hotmail.com) on Tue Oct 22 11:43:27 2002

I was taking batting practice today, and I realized how important
lead arm extension was. I focused on getting my lead arm
extended across my chest during my "trigger" and keeping it
extended throughout the entire swing. Doing this, I realized that
you have to use rotational mechanics. It is impossible to "crack
the whip" when you don't bend your lead arm. You have to use
the legs and torso to PULL the bat through the hitting zone.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I also noticed that I had a tendency to want to bend my
lead arm a little on a high pitch. To fix this I focused on making
contact out in front of my body with my lead arm extended.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I really think this is one of the keys to rotational
mechanics. Look at Ken Griffey of Mark McGwire hit a ball. They
always make contact with a extended lead arm.
> > > > >
> > > > > to hit a high pitch you DO need to bend the lead elbow
> > > >
> > > > I disagree with the idea that you have to bend the elbow
on a high pitch at all. To demonstrate this, stand beside a plate
as you would if you were hitting. Take a swing as if you would on
a high inside pitch using rotational mechanics and extending
your lead arm and stop at the probable point of contact. If you
rotate around a stationary axis and open yourself up enough, you
can see that it is easy to hit a high pitch into fair territory while
extending your lead arm across your chest.
> > >
> > >
> > > sorry, won't work
> >
> >
> > here are two pics of Ken Griffey Jr. swinging at a high pitch
with his lead arm extended :
> >
> > http://www.kgjonline.com/gallery1/pic104.html
> >
> > this pic was taken just a split second after contact, you can
see that his lead arm is fully extended.
> >
> > http://www.kgjonline.com/gallery1/pic143.html
> >
> > if that picture didn't convince you, this one has to.
>
>
> here's two more
>
> http://www.kgjonline.com/gallery3/pic146.html
>
> http://www.kgjonline.com/gallery3/pic231.html
>