Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Dec 15 14:01:18 2002

What is scapula loading and more importantly, how do you teach a
> player to do it? Can somebody explain?
> > > > >
> > > > > 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?
> > > > >
> > > > > 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.
> > >
> > > Mark-
> > > you are correct in your understanding.
> > > Welcome to anatomy class. read on if you want the details.
> > >
> > > The scapula or shoulder blade is one of the bones of the shoulder
> joint(s). With the clavicle or collar bone, it forms the
> Acromioclavicular (A-C) joint. The Glenohumeral joint is the humerus
> or upper arm bone in the shoulder socket. Internal and external
> rotation refer to the humerus rotating within this joint.
> > > The acromioclavicular joint moves the entire Glenohumeral joint:
> when you shrug - shoulders to ears, or pull your shoulders back or
> round them forward. The scapula slides along the rib cage and is
> attached to the ribs, moved by the Serratus Anterior muscles. The
> rotator cuff muscles (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor,
> Subscapularis) connect the scapula to the humerus.
> > >
> > > When Jack talks about the need for tight connection between
> shoulder turn and the arms/hands/bat, the scapula's role is critical.
> > > When the upper body rotates quickly around the spine, any 'loose'
> parts will get momentarily left behind. Think of sitting in a car at a
> stop light, leaning slightly forward, when the driver suddenly floors
> it and goes 0 to 60 in 5 seconds in his fast sports car.
> > > You will be slammed back into the seat, bounce forward some, then
> slam back and finally get pinned to the seat until acceleration slows
> or stops.
> > > If your top hand shoulder (the right one for right handed hitters)
> is in a neutral position when rapid shoulder turn begins, it will
> likewise get slammed back and bounce around during the swing. It is
> the shoulder's version of Jack's slipped transmission (loss of
> connection between the hips and shoulders is what Jack refers to).
> > >
> > > If instead, the hitter loads/retracts the scapula before shoulder
> turn, it will be like sitting back in the seat before the car
> accelerates. Shoulder turn will bring the entire shoulder complex
> smoothly in the arc of shoulder turn to contact, no bouncing around.
> > >
> > > Jack has been very clear that actively pushing the top hand
> forward has negative effects on the swing. An unloaded shoulder at
> initiation of shoulder turn also has negative effects. Usually it
> results in a late, passive scapula 'load' followed by the shoulder,
> arm and hands being thrown out of the shoulder turn too early. The
> hands momentarily drag, then are thrown out of connection before
> contact. The Acromioclavicular (A-C) joint bounces around like the
> passenger in the sports car. Once the hands are thrown like that, the
> L comes out, etc. before contact. Proper scapula loading as part of
> the swing load process can prevent that and maintain connection
> through contact just like sitting back in your seat will prevent
> whiplash.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Great explanation. Tom tried to explain this to me forever. First I
> figured out the tight connection, but then it took seeing a Nyman
> pitching drill clip before I finally understood how much dynamic
> powerful movement the shoulder complex/scapula is capable of. Once I
> understood this, a light went on looking at the referenced Bonds clip
> and further study of it convinced me, for the moment at least, that
> the primary force for the final arc/tightening handpath/hook is
> supplied by scapula load/unload (depending on which shoulder). Now I'm
> chewing on the internal rotation part of rear shoulder scap loading
> that Tom talks about. I'll get that about the time Tom comes up with
> something else. : )
> >
> > Mark H.
>
> Scap "loading" means the muscles are put on stretch(eccentric stretch)
> to prepare for subsequent action.How this is done is different in
> throwing overhand(one arm whip/symmetric arm action during
> loading-loading happens in "early cock" and "late cock" phases of
> throw) vs. hitting where you develop a two handed push/pull action.In
> this hitting case,the back scap is pinched,the front scap loaded in
> the opposite direction as pointed out by Mark as the lead arm
> stretches across the chest.
>
> Internal rotation is likewise necessary to set things up for the next
> part of the sequence.In the case of the overhand throw,the hands break
> with(symmetric) internal rotation in the "early cock" phase.Then
> things are set up for the arm to lay back(externally rotate) in the
> "late cock" phase.During these phases,there is all sorts of
> traditional teaching emphasis on "not dropping the elbow" etc.This is
> because the arm must be internally rotated and fully extended and
> fully abducted in the "early cock" phase to then set up for
> whipping(form loop to whip)by externally rotating in the "late
> cock".Then the arm can whip by internally rotating in the
> "acceleration" phase.Internal rotation must lead the
> whipping(acceleration) to be efficient.This what is described as
> "staying on top" or "not dropping down" as the pitcher gets tired
> which results in pushing instead of whipping(lose
> connection/integriity of "whipping loop").Disconnection in other words
> occurs if the arm flexes or adducts(elbow "drops" or "leads" before it
> has started whipping(accelerating) via internal rotation.
>
> Due to the nature of hitting,dropping/adducting the arm is OK,but any
> flexing motion will disconnect and "push" the swing.This is the
> meaning of undesirable "top hand dominance".The back arm will
> disconnect by flexing( "L" comes out of back elbow prematurely/back
> elbow does not stay in slot,but drifts forward toward belly
> button).Setting up the arm to avoid this(as well as cocking the hip
> adequately/keeping body parts/limbs balanced) requires internal
> rotation of the back arm at the right time.Connection depends on the
> right action here,not just the lead arm action.The sequence should be:
>
> Internal rotation as hip cocks and bat cocks.Then Scap loads to max
> which occurs as hips "uncock".Bat is turning into plane as this
> "uncocking"/"torso launch" occurs by combo of external rotation and
> adduction of back arm BUT the arm(humerus) can not flex or their will
> be disconnection.Some of this can be seen in the Bonds clip under
> internal rotation above.
>
> Another style is Arod.He holds the back elbow high in the stance in a
> way that "preloads" the scapula.The he internally rotates the back arm
> with hip cock,but little additional scap loading(because it starts
> loaded most of the way),then back elbow drops(adduction and external
> rotation of back arm/humerus,NO flexion) around toe touch.
>
> Internal rotation goes with hip cock and is necessary to set up
> external rotation-without-flexion to maintain mechanics that avoid
> disconnecion.
>
> So

Hi All

Back in the early 1990’s when I defined top-hand-torque as the added dimension to the swing that great hitters exhibit, it was to define the forces acting on the bat that caused the bat-head to first accelerate back toward the catcher. I termed it “Top-Hand-Torque” because the top-hand was being pulled back around a more stationary bottom-hand (in relationship to the shoulder) as the back-elbow lowered to the batters side.

As a batter prepares the launch position, he shrugs (or tucks) the lead-shoulder forward under the batter’s chin. As he approaches contact, he un-shrugs (105 degree position) the lead-shoulder to give a greater pull back of the lead-arm. This causes the bottom-hand to hook around the top-hand (Bottom-Hand-Torque).

It seems to me that this discussion is describing some of the muscle groups/movements that produced those torque forces. Am I right in this assumption or does “scapula loading and unloading...” produce a different mechanical force TO THE BAT than “top & bottom-hand-torque?”

Jack Mankin