Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Fri Nov 22 09:05:36 2002

>>> I think the best way to describe a short swing is to have a link from the start of your swing, with your circular hand path to the front shoulder. Remember if you start your hands wrong nothing else matters, so that is what a short swing is.
> > If you have questions Jack has posted the lead arm pull and the connection of the front shoulder to bring the bat around so just go back and refresh yourself. I think if you read Jacks posts you will get the hang of it. – John <<<
>
> >>> Do the top hand and arm have any influence on whether a swing is long or short? <<<
>
> Hi Major Dan
>
> I would say that how a batter uses the top-hand at initiation is a defining factor to the length of the swing. --- A powerful swing that brings the bat-head to contact with the shortest hand travel in the least amount of time, requires the energy from both the lead-side and the back-side to be equally transferred. This balanced transfer can only occur when the rotation of the lead-shoulder cause the lead-hand to be pulling on the knob end of the bat just as strong as the top-hand is applying force in the opposite direction.
>
> Since lead-shoulder rotation is pulling the lead-hand around toward the pitcher at initiation, the top-hand must be pulling back toward the catcher. If instead, the top-hand is shoved forward (in the same direction as the lead-hand) the lead-arm will separate from the rotating body and the force supplied to the lead-hand diminishes. This leaves the development of bat speed mainly up to the extension of the back-side alone.
>
> I define a long or short swing by how far the hands traveled from launch to contact and how much time elapsed (number of video frames from launch to contact). – Transfer mechanics that rely mainly on back-side drive and extension of the top-hand is longer in both hand travel and time elapsed. Professional hitters who have the back-arm near full extension as the bat becomes perpendicular to the ball’s path require 5 to 5.5 frames and the hands travel 8 to 12 inches past the “L” position. -- Good rotational hitters require about 4 to 4.5 frames and make contact (middle-in pitches) with the back-arm still in the “L” position.
>
> Jack Mankin
>

Major D-

This is why I think the internal rotation of the back arm is important in "loading".External rotation(get the hands flat/scoop sand with the top hand,etc.) is necessary to work right with lead arm pull.If you have not internally rotated the back arm to begin with,then you can only push with the back arm.See if you can feel this.It might be hard for you if your shoulder is sore.Mine's sore after doing a few hundred too many.