Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Thu Jan 16 12:33:32 2003

>>> I recently purchased the Final Arc II video. On that video it states than about 1/2 of your batspeed comes from the circular hand path and 1/2 from torque. I made a "torqueless" bat as shown in the video in order to separate hand path and from torque. I can get 60-65 mph batspeed using the torqueless bat into a heavy bag. However my batspeed using a real bat is only 80-85 mph. This means I'm getting 3/4 of my speed from the hand path and only 1/4 from torque. Is this within the normal range of proportion variability? Or should I be getting 120-130 mph total speed based on my torqueless bat speed? <<<
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> Hi John
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> It is not surprising that you were able to attain a 60 -65 mph torqueless swing. In fact, given enough time and long enough hand-path, speeds approaching 80 mph has occurred with one hand. But with the hand-path (and time frame) generated with the actual two handed swing, speeds in the 40-50 mph range are more the rule.
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> On the other hand, linear transfer mechanics that develop 65-70 mph may generate only 15-20 mph hour from the more linear hand-path. This means that the torque factor accounts for about ¾ of the bat speed for batters with a straighter hand-path. Therefore, extending the top-hand during initiation limits the bat speed that can be attained. --- In the video I made the point that one of the key factors in generating maximum bat speed was to maintain the most optimum hand-path while adding torque to the swing.
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> Jack Mankin
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>

This is KEY information.Not only does the rotational swing give higher or at least equivalent batspeed (when you don't decelerate or go linear/lose an arc before contact),but the acceleration is over a shorter time and space which can be shaped for good contact over much of the strike zone.

When the swing is "linear" and driven disproportionately by torque,it is less quick to the ball,more likely to decelerate before contact, and not easily shaped for contact that keeps the ball fair.