Posted by: Mark H. () on Thu Dec 12 13:57:07 2002

What is scapula loading and more importantly, how do you teach a player to do it? Can somebody explain?
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> Is it pinching the shoulder blades together? How does that help in hitting? I have watched video (and of course I do not know what to look for) but I surely cannot see "scapula loading". And if I did, I wonder where that would rank in order of important things a hitter needs to be worried about - oh, I need to pinch my shoulder blades together. In Jack's video, where do you see this scapula loading that you keep talking about?
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> Any guidance?

Tom or Jack or one of Nyman's better students is welcome to tell me I'm all wet, but my understanding of scapula loading is this. If both shoulder blades are pinched, then both would be loaded. Opposite would be unloaded. RH batter should start with the right scap loaded and the left scap fully unloaded. Look at the USA Today Bonds clips for an example of dynamic scapula use. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/gallery/bonds/flash.htm

Mark H.