Keeping the arms away or close

[Myankee4life]

Many hitters including Gehrig and Speaker used to say that hitters should keep the arms away from the body

But in The Science of Hitting Ted Williams said the arms should stay close to the body as for you to have more control of the bat..

Which one do you guys feel is more effective?

[XFactor]

Closer to the body

[Mark H]

Whatever helps you stay connected from rotation initiation and contact.

[wogdoggy]

ted didnt like to much extra movement apparently.He also said the bat feels lighter when held vertically vs horizontally.

[SluggerCF91]

I personally agree with what he said, 3-8 inches from the body.

[swingbuster]

He also said the bat feels lighter when held vertically vs horizontally.

Careful or you will discover his secret about how he loaded his upper body effortlessly and got the bat into the momentum plane of the shoulders from a vertical start. It will start a THT BHT CHP range war.

But I won't get involved ...yea..right

[4for4]

Careful or you will discover his secret about how he loaded his upper body effortlessly and got the bat into the momentum plane of the shoulders from a vertical start. It will start a THT BHT CHP range war.

But I won't get involved ...yea..right

What is THT?

[Riverdog]

Carl Yastremski used to hold his bat vertical as well. Not the best idea but some guys make it work. Arms close or far? Does it matter? There are arguments on both sides and different hitters have success with different approaches. Charlie Lau used to say it only mattered that you started as close to the launching position as possible and to stay comfortable.

[Ursa Major]

What is THT?

THT = Top Hand Torque

This is a pet theory of Jack Mankin at Batspeed.com that holds that hitters should give the bathead a little jumpstart by pulling with their top hand back toward the catcher. He says a lot of top hitters do it, but it's hard to see.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

THT = Top Hand Torque

This is a pet theory of Jack Mankin at Batspeed.com that holds that hitters should give the bathead a little jumpstart by pulling with their top hand back toward the catcher. He says a lot of top hitters do it, but it's hard to see.

Wouldn't that be the same as straightening the bottom elbow a bit?

[MrSurprise]

My hitting trainer told me since I have the tendency to automatically bring my hands inside the ball that me having my hands away from my body really gets extra power and speed build up... if they are close I am not able to take advantage of all my arms ... just my two cents... I am not nearrrrrr the hitting experts y'all are

[jbooth]

THT = Top Hand Torque

This is a pet theory of Jack Mankin at Batspeed.com that holds that hitters should give the bathead a little jumpstart by pulling with their top hand back toward the catcher. He says a lot of top hitters do it, but it's hard to see.

It's hard to see because it doesn't happen. If it did, you would see the tip of the bathead change its angle relative to the elbow/shoulder/hands region and it doesn't. What is actually happening is that part way into the shoulder turn the bathead starts to fall toward the ground, at that time your top hand begins to let the palm rotate up, which in turn makes the elbow drop into the side and the bathead falls more quickly to the plane of the pitch. This rotation of the top hand is to get the bathead on plane, and it is a gentle move, not a force producing move. It is setting the bathead at the proper height to then rotate toward the ball.

[Ursa Major]

Originally Posted by Ursa Major
THT = Top Hand Torque. This is a pet theory of Jack Mankin at Batspeed.com that holds that hitters should give the bathead a little jumpstart by pulling with their top hand back toward the catcher. He says a lot of top hitters do it, but it's hard to see.

JBooth replied: It's hard to see because it doesn't happen.

Jim: "It's hard to see" is my euphemistic way of acknowledging that a great many learned people, such as you, put THT in the same category as the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and George Bush admitting that he may have made a mistake. I was just trying to respond to the question without starting a new debate with Tom G. or Swingbuster.

The question is partly, "Do real MLB hitters do it?" Functionally, the issue is: "Is it a good idea or bad idea to try it?" The consensus is that it'll slow your swing, cause or encourage disconnection, and potentially lock up the elbow too close to the body, if I have it right. (There may be a global warming risk in there too... )

[wogdoggy]

Careful or you will discover his secret about how he loaded his upper body effortlessly and got the bat into the momentum plane of the shoulders from a vertical start. It will start a THT BHT CHP range war


what was teddys secret? I had a lesson from a guy in Chicago that talked to Ted stayed at his house.etc etc.I think the website is hubiemagic dot com or something.....anyway he advocated loading that back rear hip muscle and exploding it.He said after a long day of hitting Ted would feel the slight soreness of the "MAGIC MUSCLE" that is what he called it...

so what is the real secret...........? shhhhhhhhh

[jbooth]

Careful or you will discover his secret about how he loaded his upper body effortlessly and got the bat into the momentum plane of the shoulders from a vertical start. It will start a THT BHT CHP range war


what was teddys secret? I had a lesson from a guy in Chicago that talked to Ted stayed at his house.etc etc.I think the website is hubiemagic dot com or something.....anyway he advocated loading that back rear hip muscle and exploding it.He said after a long day of hitting Ted would feel the slight soreness of the "MAGIC MUSCLE" that is what he called it...

so what is the real secret...........? shhhhhhhhh

Is that true? He called it the magic muscle? That's amazing. I tell my kids it is the magic spot. The spot where the upper leg flexes at the hip joint in the front. When you learn to turn that properly, it is like "magic" the way the batspeed increases.