Chapter14 Physical Training and Stretch

Needless to say, various training methods have been proposed already, so in this chapter, I will write about physical training from point of my characteristic view. In addition, I have some doubt and suggestions against today's general training theory. I want to write also about it.


1) My Stance Against Weight Training


In the case of high level baseball, weight training will become necessary for many hitters because a batting demands you to handle a heavy material, that is a bat. But at the same time, weight training has important demerit. That is, in the end, weight training causes muscle hardening and deterioration of quality of muscle memory. Therefore, next two theme becomes important. Firstly, we must reconsider about method of weight training for reducing the demerit of it. Secondly, we must take some kind of "after care" for recovering the flexibility and quality of muscle memory.

a) Method of Weight Training


At the first place, weight training for baseball should be distinguished from weight training for muscle building. Although it seems obvious opinion, many kind of weight trainings are executed based on the point of view of muscle building even today's baseball scene. So then, how to do the weight training for making the baseball-kind-muscles. As for this question, it is important that what theme is regarded as most important theme. That is, to keep the flexibility should be regarded as important theme more than improving the muscle strength. In concretely, you should use the bounding motion like a basket ball and keep a good rhythm. In addition, you should lift a barbell with using whole your body and take an easy way as possible as you can. Because, to use a whole body is basic skills of human body movement and "easy" means that you can use your body efficiently.  For that matter, this "easy"doesn't mean just only muscle relaxation. It means that to use your bone structure efficiently enable you to feel that motion easy. In addition bounding motion causes repeating the cycle of relax-stretch-contraction and it improves blood circulation. As a result, the muscles can be kept a flexibility. This is well known knowledge of exercise physiology. Therefore to keep a good rhythm by using the bounding motion is important. So now, let me give the summary of above article of this section.

1) Use a bounding motion positively.
2) Keep a good rhythm by bounding motion.
3) Use your whole body efficiently in the one event.
4) Use your bone structure efficiently.
5) As a result of (1)~(4), you feel that event easy and it's a proof of good skills.

Probably, above suggestions are objected by almost expert of weight training. But I think that is natural because in many cases, method of weight training is suggested mainly from point of view of improving the muscle strength. Therefore, bounding motion and assistance of another muscle are negated basically. That is, there is a lack of view of improving the sports skills.

2) Method of After Care


In this case, "after care" means that is a work for recovering the muscle flexibility and quality of muscle memory. That is, weight training basically causes somewhat deterioration of these factors. So, after care becomes important and that workload is a lot unexpectedly. For example, that importance is easy to be understood when you imagine that three men become necessary as a second for the one boxer. Namely, an effort of hard work can't be effective without support of after care. So then, what can be said as "after care" concretely.

The most effective after care is to swing quickly with a light weight bat and it recovers your muscle memory that became somewhat rough by weight training. In many cases, after the weight training, swing orbit has been changed somewhat. In general, that change means to become small and outside-in. And the reason is that your muscles lost flexibility by the weight training. In this case, light-bat-sburi is very effective. So you should repeat it until your swing recovers original orbit and it can be regarded as a proof of recovering of your muscle flexibility. Incidentally, in my experience, this recovering requires the repeat of swing and break. And this set of swing and break is made up of 5 to 10 times swing and short time break. In addition, this set should be repeated several times.

By the way, as for weight of bat, I recommend a little league bat and some kind of plastic stick. And as for plastic stick, length of it should be shorter than usual bat slightly or be same length. In addition, to roll some kind of tape around the barrel gives that stick moderate weight. By the way, demerit of weight training is expressed more clearly when you swing an extreme light weight bat like a plastic stick. Namely, plastic stick swing plays a role of litmus paper. Also from point of this view, plastic stick swing is important, and it also has an effect of improving the quality of muscle memory. That is, it has just the opposite meaning against the weight training. Therefore, light bat swing and weight training should be regarded as one set.

In principle, to swing quickly with light weight bat is effective for solving the problem due to demerit of weight training.




2) Theory of Hip Joint Training


Hip joint training is one of the most important training for baseball player. Although many people tend to think that regarding the lower body, muscle strength is important factor compared with upper body's it, in fact, as for rather lower body, flexibility is very important factor. Because muscle hardening means deterioration of muscle-and-skeletal-function, so after all, it makes your muscle difficult to generate a large power. In that case, weight training will come to rather have an opposite effect. So, in this section, I will write about stretching and exercise of hip joint. Although these training menu have not so much effect of muscle strength, these menu will improve your muscle-and-skeletal-function. And in the end, it causes effective power generation in the hitting mechanics. Basically, as for lower body's training, I think that it's just good enough to do the following kind of exercise and short range dash.

~ Two primary points of hip joint exercise ~


There are two important point for improving the function of hip joint. Firstly, hip-joint-open and hip-joint-close, namely, oblique-rotation of hip joint is an important theme. And it is easy to imagine that regardless of whether batting or pitching, hip-joint-oblique-rotation is used in baseball motion frequently. So proficiency of hip-joint-oblique-rotation has important effect on the quality of hitting mechanics. Secondly, as for pelvis-tilt-forward, it is an important issue that is concerned with african people's ability for almost kind of sports. Also in the case of today's MLB, african people have been majority of star players, and from point of my view, this situation is brought by their superiority of muscle-and-skeletal-function. And that superiority is due to the pelvis-tilt-foward.


1) Hip-Joint-Open and Hip-Joint-Close


As mentioned in chapter 5, Hip joint has oblique line and ball-and-socket structure, so oblique rotation can be said as the most natural movement of hip joint. And oblique rotation is classified into two patterns, that is, one is upward rotation, and the other is downward rotation. Moreover, upward rotation consists of flexion, abduction, external rotation. And downward rotation consists of extension, adduction, internal rotation. In addition, upward rotation is expressed as hip-joint-open. And downward rotation is expressed as hip-joint-close. By the way, main function of the leg is flexion and extension because the leg is used mainly for walk and run. Namely, hip-joint-open is a natural form of flexion. And hip-joint-close is a natural form of extension. That's oblique rotation theory of hip joint.


So then, as for in the hitting mechanics, what behavior does hip joint show from point of view of oblique rotation theory? Now, let me write about it simply. Firstly, as for back leg, in the batting stance, back leg makes hip-joint-open by receiving upper body's weight, and next, in the swing, back leg makes hip-joint-close by reducing the load of weight. That is, back leg had received the weight by extension power and in the condition of this state, weight shift to the front leg has an effect of releasing the power for extension of back leg. In this way, back leg makes hip-joint-close by weight shift to the front leg and this motion leads the hip rotation. Needless to say, that's an automatic motion. Secondly, also as for front leg, hip-joint-oblique-rotation plays a important role in the hitting mechanics. That is, when the front leg lands on the ground, front leg makes hip-joint-open by receiving upper body's weight. And next, front leg makes hip-joint-close by stretch reflex of muscles around the hip joint. This is simple mechanism, that is, it's an extension as a rebound of a flexion. And this motion also leads the hip rotation because hip-joint-close consists the internal rotation of hip joint. For that matter, in the condition of fixing a leg on the ground, internal rotation of hip joint means horizontal rotation of pelvis. And it is easy to understand that in the condition of fixing a leg on the ground, hip joint flexion means tilting forward of vertebral column. On the other hand, on the condition of setting the leg free, hip joint flexion means lifting the knee. In this way, front-leg-hip-joint-close leads the hip rotation, and needless to say, that's an automatic motion.

As mentioned above, hip-joint-oblique-rotation is concerned with core of hitting mechanics directly, so it's one of the most important theme of physical training for baseball players. Of course, I will show you some training menus in this chapter. Incidentally those trainings are so easy that you can do it while watching TV. However, it can be understood if you do it, that is, it's a little bit hard work unexpectedly. Probably, you can understand it in 30 to 40 minutes.




2) Pelvis-Tilt-Forward by Iliopsoas Muscle


As mentioned in chapter 5, african people tend to have well developed iliopsoas muscle, and it causes the pelvis-tilt-foward. And pelvis-tilt-forward causes the hamstrings to stretch. As a result, they can use the power of hamstrings efficiently. And for that matter, hamstrings is used for hip joint extension, and hip joint extension is the most important factor for running motion because it is used for pushing the ground. Therefore, african people have superiority in almost kind of sports.

In addition, pelvis-tilt-forward has important effect also from point of view of skeletal alignment. That is, pelvis-tilt-forward causes lumbar-spine-lordosis. And lumbar-spine-lordosis causes thoracic-spine-kyphosis. Because in the condition of lumbar-spine-lordosis, head's and upper body's weight causes emphasizing of thoracic-spine-kyphosis. In this way, pelvis-tilt-forward is an important factor for the forming of "S" curve of vertebral column. So, african people tend to have sharp and emphasized "S" curve of vertebral column. Incidentally, this tendency is seen strikingly in order of black > white >>> yellow. And this is one of the most important reason of why japanese player can't produce the big power, compared with black men and white men. Therefore I have been emphasizing this importance in my baseball gym and my website. That is, it can be improved by training. So, I will wrote about that method in this chapter.


By the way, primary factor that decides one's body function is classified into three: a factor that what kind of DNA he has, a factor that of quality and quantity of training in the growing period, and a factor that of quality and quantity of training after the growing period. And it is fortunately that, factor of after the growing period has an important effect unexpectedly. That is, african players can't always use their superiority enough. And as for in this theme, there are many trainings that you should not do. Because "training" is basically an unnatural motion that is created by human with using a some kind of logic. And unnatural matter basically can not have a good effect in regard to human body as a natural matter. In short, almost all training has some kind of demerit. And for passing a judgement about that training is good or bad, your sense becomes important factor, because "sense" is a natural matter. For example, a training that gives you a good feeling or a training that is accompanied with good rhythm can be said as a good training. So then, before taking up the detailed training method, I will show some important matters to be attended to in doing those trainings actually.

※) Important Point of Hip Joint Training

#1 Don't emphasize the pelvis-tilt-forward in actual hitting motion.


The pelvis-tilt-forward as a characteristics of african people does not mean conscious pelvis-tilt-forward, that is, their pelvis tends to more tilt forward as their original skeletal alignment than other races. And if you make the pelvis-tilt-forward consciously, your spine will make a warp like a fishing rod. Because in the case of conscious pelvis-tilt-forward, erector-spine-muscles is used for making the pelvis-tilt-forward. And the erector-spine-muscles are attached through from neck to low back, so that contraction of erector-spine-muscles causes warp of overall spine. In this case, thoracic-spine-kyphosis can't be formed. And of course, "S" curve of spine also can't be formed. Namely, it means wrong skeletal alignment. Therefore, I always have been emphasizing that don't make the pelvis-tilt-forward consciously in the batting stance and various posture for sports. On the other hand, the original pelvis-tilt-forward rather causes thoracic-spine-kyphosis clearly, and this posture never can be formed by conscious pelvis-tilt-forward. However and of course, as for in the training, there often is a case that of making a warp of spine consciously for some sort of aim.

#2 Weight training of hamstrings and iliopsoas often have an opposite effect.


As mentioned in chapter 5, in many cases, weight training of hamstrings and iliopsoas muscle have an opposite effect. Firstly, basically weight training causes hardening and shortening of muscles. And if hamstrings get short by the weight training like a leg carl, pelvis will tilt rather toward back. Therefore, in many cases, weight training of hamstrings have an opposite effect from point of view of muscle-and-skeletal-function. Because, as a result of pelvis-tilt-back, hamstrings get loose and it makes you difficult to use a power of the hamstrings. Secondly, as for iliopsoas muscle, this muscle folds our body like scissors, so in general, training of iliopsoas muscle is classified into two types: high knee type and sit up type. So as for high knee exercise, it is a training of quadriceps-femoris-muscle. that is, it has a result of developing an antagonist muscle of hamstrings. At the first place, aim of training of illiopsoas is improving the body function for using the hamstrings efficiently. Namely, it's just an opposite effect. Next, as for sit up exercise, if abdominal muscle get short by sit up, pelvis will tilt back by tension of abdominal muscle. Therefore, it has an opposite effect too. Thus, although hamstrings and iliopsoas muscle are important, training of those muscles is not always effective. Or rather, it often brings an opposite effect. Therefore, it is important to pay attention about muscle shortening and muscle hardening, especially in the weight training.

#3 Don't build up the quadriceps-femoris-muscle.


Basically, there is no "good muscle" or "bad muscle". However, in many cases, weight training tends to use a quadriceps-femoris-muscle too much. And as mentioned above, quadriceps-femoris-muscle tends to antagonize against hamstrings. Therefore, many kind of lower body trainings like a lunge or squat should be paid attention for avoiding the building up of quadriceps-femoris-muscle. But that's not all. In fact, strain of quadriceps-femoris-muscle tends to cause a knee injury. Because strained muscle and tendon press a patella against thigh bone (femur). Although we don't have a "bad muscle", quadriceps-femoris-muscle is the kind of muscle that is hard to deal with athletes.

#4 Short range dash is the best strengthen training. 


Although it is primitive training, I think that it is the most effective training because it doesn't have any demerit basically. And the reason why it doesn't have demerit is that the running is an absolutely natural motion different from almost all other exercises. In particular, I recommends up-hill dash because it has less impact and large load at the same time. And as for up-hill dash, keeping an axis vertically is very important because to make an axis orthogonally against a slope means backward tilting against gravitational line. And for that matter, you should not run on the down-hill because it has large impact and less load. In addition, it required you to use the quadriceps-femoris-muscle positively because this muscle has function as the brake of a car. Be that as it may, as for up hill dash, I want to write about it more fully in some other time.

By the way, "training" has two directions. One is increasing the load, and the other is increasing the power production. And "increasing the power production" basically means "in creasing the speed". For example, dash, throwing, and batting are categorized in it. That is, "direction of increasing the power production" is very important for baseball players, especially as for pitchers. Incidentally, as for batters, they need to handle a heavy material, so that they tend to do the weight training more positively than pitchers. Any way, short range dash is one of the most clear case of the "direction of increasing the power production". Therefore, it is very important and it has a moderate effect on power hitting. For that matter, weight training often causes the opposite effect. On the other hand, short range dash doesn't cause the opposite effect basically. Namely, it means safety and steady road even though little bit roundabout way.

Thus, short range dash is very effective training. In addition, in the case of my training method, short range dash is combined with hip joint exercises. It means that I aim to improve the function and strength at the same time. That is, I aim to make the state that hamstrings and iliopsoas muscle are functioning well before the dash. As a result, hamstrings and iliopsoas muscle are trained efficiently in the dash. And this theory is applied to the case of "suburi", That is, I combine the suburi and hip joint exercises. For now, I think it is the best way.

Chapter11 Et cetera 1

1) Brain's Work  (Hit Hard With Empty Mind)


 ~ As for only in the hitting mechanics, "empty mind" is just a fundamental "skill",  not means spiritual enlightenment ~  


As mentioned above, as for puncher type's mechanics, when you try to swing quickly, all motion occur automatically after the start-of-hitting-mecanics. And automatic motion means that is caused by muscle flexion and physical law as mentioned as chapter 5. In other expression, it's a kind of motion that must be never done it consciously. Because there is a difference of system between conscious muscle contraction and unconscious muscle contraction. Therefore, you should not have conscious about elbow motion or leg motion or another that kind of motion while your swing. So concretely, what demerit is caused by those unnecessary conscious?

In the first place, consciousness about own motion invariably causes conscious muscle contraction. For example, if you have a consciousness of elbow's swing down, your muscles invariably cause the conscious muscle contraction for elbow's swing down. That's a nature of human body movement. By the way, conscious muscle contraction tends to cause the muscle strain. Therefore it isn't suitable for accelerating motion like baseball swing that requires supple, limber and flexible muscle behavior. Conscious muscle contraction is rather usually used for various motions that is seen in daily life. So lack of flexibility isn't matter so much as long as in the daily life. On the other hand, it is sure thing that conscious muscle contraction that occurs in baseball swing is unfavorable phenomenon. So now, let me write about demerit of conscious muscle contraction in the baseball swing.

In the first place, needless to say, muscle strain is unfavorable phenomenon for baseball swing. In addition, although it's a lesser-known, to have consciousness about own motion in the swing causes invariably muscle contraction. Concretely, for example, an advice like "squash the bug" or "keep your hands inside the ball" cause strain in the muscles that is used for operating those advices. And as for this problem, it's a problem about muscle memory. Therefore, the bad effect of conscious muscle contraction is getting worth by degrees. That's the reason of why the advices about hitting skills often have the opposite effect.

In addition, to have consciousness about own motion in the swing causes preventing the power transmission. By the way, hitting mechanics can be expressed in a metaphor of combination gear. That is, large gear begins to rotate first, and that energy is transmitted to the next gear. And as a result of continuity of that power transmission, the power that is generated by large gear is transmitted to small terminal gear, that is hands. Therefore, you can accelerate your hands at high speed by using large power that is generated by large gear.

By the way, that chain reaction is formed by stretch reflex. Namely, relationship between action and reaction makes it possible to protect the order of gear rotation. Incidentally, "action" means muscle extension and "reaction" means muscle contraction. Be that as it may, by the existence of action-reaction relationship, the complex chain reaction (in the baseball swing) can be formed with keeping the split second time lag. And it's impossible to operate that complex chain reaction under the control of brain.

So then, what if you have a consciousness about your motion in the swing? In other words, what if you try to control that complex chain reaction with your brain's command? Now, let me write about it's result.  Broadly speaking, that result is like that deforestation causes a flood. That is, to tamper with nature often causes disruption of ecosystem.

Please look the figure(●). If you have consciousness about elbow's motion, the 5th gear will begin to rotate before the 5th gear is rotated by transmitted power from 1st gear. As a result, large power from 1st gear can't be transmitted to 5th, 6th and 7th gear. It means that is just an arm-initiative-swing. To cut a long story short, to have consciousness about hand action causes the arm-initiative-swing.

Taken together, conscious muscle contraction in the swing causes preventing the power transmission, and order of chain reaction fails into disorder. In addition, muscle strain depends on deterioration of muscle memory makes problem more serious. As a result, that swing will become just the arm-initiative-swing that has lack of flexibility, suppleness and limberness.

By the way, "don't have a consciousness" is more difficult than "have a consciousness". So what should we do? The answer is that to have a consciousness for the "contact" and "hit hard", and fill your brain 100% with these consciousnesses. In other words, you should concentrate 100% on your role at the batter's box. As a result, your brain loses the space for unnecessary consciousness. From the point of view of exercise physiology, that attitude can lead the best performance as for hitting mechanics. In addition, to be empty about your inside matter will make your sensitivity honed against your outside matter. That's a key stone of success as for all things.

Be that as it may, a brain has brain's own role to play in the hitting mechanics and it's not to control the partial body movement. Brain's role can be expressed by using a metaphor of president at war. They basically don't give the command about partial military tactics, but they give a overall plan of the war. As for hitting mechanics, brain plays two roles mainly. First, brain gives the command of  some purposes as a motive for body movement. Of course those purpose basically are the "contact" and "hit hard". In a peanut shell, that is "hard hitting based on contact". And next, brain gives the some commands which of "keep a balance", "keep a relax", "have a good timing"and "keep a concentration to the pitch" etc. Those commands play the role of supervision of whole body movement.

Taken together, brain gives the commands about abstract factors which play the role of supervision of whole body movement. And this brain's work brings well under controlled hitting mechanics. On the other hand, if brain gives a command of partial body movement, hitting mechanics will lose control and balance. It is like that the president acts together with a platoon at the war.

By the way, I often be asked that what part of the body is mainly used in the swing of puncher type? And my answer for that question is "it's a no matter". Certainly, to start the swing directly from batting stance often causes misunderstand that is just the arm-initiative-swing. Namely, above question wants to say that "Should I have a consciousness of using my hands mainly? But it becomes just an arm-initiative-swing, doesn't it?". However, in the puncher type's mechanics, arm swing is caused by stretch reflex of cross line muscles. Therefore, arm swing also occurs as an automatic motion. Namely, all motions occur as an automatic motion in the puncher type's mechanics. In other words, all motions should not be done as a conscious motion. Wait a minute. In the first place, bat swing itself is a conscious motion isn't it? In fact, this is the most interesting point of puncher type's mechanics. That is, swing as a conscious movement is operated completely by unconscious muscle contraction. (And it basically doesn't demand any conscious muscle contraction for the acceleration itself.) Therefore, feeling of long hitting is different from other kind of motion with using large power like a weight lifting or arm wrestling. It doesn't make us to feel strain and stiffness. It rather makes us to feel smoothness and pleasantness. So, you don't need to have any consciousness about partial body motion in the swing. You only need to have the consciousness of "contact" and "hit hard". In other words, as for in your consciousness, you just only need to accelerate your bat toward a ball. And that consciousness is not about body movement, it's about bat movement. In short, don't have consciousness of body movement, but bat movement. Moreover, "swing orbit" or "form of contact" is not matter because it's what will be will be. So, you just only need to move your bat to the ball quickly as simple as that. By the way, a word "quickness" doesn't have a shape of itself. In other words, it's an abstractive factor. And the abstractive factor is just the thing that brain must take charge. In the first place, hitting mechanics is the outstanding mysterious things more than all the other sports.  


In the Devonian period, some kind of fish made a landing and evolved to amphibian. And after that, amphibian evolved to reptile or mammal, and they began the four legged locomotion. In the four legged locomotion, front leg is used for kicking the ground as same as back legs. And rather after that, humankind birthed about 180million years ago, and they began the two legged locomotion. As a result, our arms lost a role as a front leg and we came to be able to throw and swing a some kind of stick. So now, we can enjoy the baseball game.
What I want to say is that the arm swing movement uses the legacy of the for legged locomotion. In fact, acceleration mechanism of arm swing and acceleration mechanism of front leg have something in common. In other words, arm swing movement is offspring of loco motion(walk) and travelling motion(run). 


In addition, fundamental movement for certain animal like a swim or run tends to do not demand a hard brain work. Or rather, basically, that doesn't need any thinking about skills of movement itself. In other words, that only need a instinct of trying to go forward. Because if not so, unfavorable state that only some individuals can swim or run skillfully will come into existence. As a result, they can't preserve their species. So to speak, batting is a that kind of movement. Namely, "contact" and "hit hard" is a instinct of hitters.


As mentioned above, in as for actually batting, that is a very sensuous thing, not theoretical thing. So it is important that to be instinct. However, I don't know whether it is fortunate or unfortunate, humankind has well developed brain. Therefore, "don't have a consciousness" is more difficult than "have a consciousness" as mentioned above. So now, let me answer the above question again that what part of the body is mainly used in the swing of puncher type? 

Of course, the answer is that it's no matter. And concretely, to fill your brain with "instinct" enable you to dump that kind of detailed consciousness. In other words, it is important that concentrating to "contact" and "hit hard" too much to do be able to have consciousness about partial body movement. As a result, above question will be no matter for you. Namely, batting is just a "BOOM!" thing as simple as that.


~ In the game ~

In short, to be "empty" and "hit hard" is very important theme for hitting mechanics. But, as for in the game, additional explain becomes necessary. It means that, as for in the game, result is the most important matter. On the other hand, above descriptions is written about "how to improve hitting skills itself". That is, the actual batting in the game often demands us a hard brain work. And "improvement of skills" isn't always same with "pursuit of result".

By the way, improvement quality of muscle memory is very important theme for improvement of skills, but conscious muscle contraction in the swing causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory. Therefore, to don't have consciousness about partial body movement becomes very important theme. Namely "hitting hard with empty mind" is concerned with muscle memory. It doesn't only mean the mental skills or attitude in batter's box. Or rather, it is important theme from point of view of exercise physiology, kinematics and sports biomechanics. In short, it's a physical matter, not spiritual.

So then, as for in the game, muscle memory isn't concerned with baseball game. In addition, in almost cases, many hitters go into the batter's box with having some problem of skills. For example, if your swing becomes too much upward and you come to hit nothing but pop fly, you will need to take some adjustment in batter's box. In this case, you will make your swing little downward by conscious approach. And as a result, you may be able to hit a line drive. Of course, "conscious approach" causes conscious muscle contraction, and it causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory. But, as for in the game, number of swing is not so. Therefore, muscle memory isn't an important matter. Certainly, conscious downward swing will cause a deteriorate of quality of muscle memory though a little, but you can correct your swing by batting practice after the game. Although that is makeshift solution, to produce good result is important more than muscle memory as for in the game. Because it is nonsense that empty mind brings empty result. For example, A could medicine brings your fever down, but it doesn't bring a health. And a good hitter may have many kinds of cold medicine.

2) Correction Method


"Don't think about partial body movement" is advice that is applied to only while in the swing. Needless to say, thinking about hitting mechanics is very important for improve your hitting mechanics. Although it doesn't always bring a benefit, not thinking isn't a constructive attitude even it brings good result in the short run. So then, what should we do for improving hitting mechanics.

As a presupposition, I never say that "don't open your shoulder" against a hitter who has a problem of opening his shoulder in too much early stage of swing. Because that advice causes conscious muscle contraction. Similarly, I never say that "keep your hands inside the ball" or "squash the bug with your back leg" or "push out your palm toward the ball". Although these advices some time produce a good result, in the end, it causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory and robs flexibility from your swing as time goes by. So, specifically, what operation should be taken for improving the hitting mechanics.

1) Check before the "start-of-hitting-mechanics"

In the point of view of "conscious or unconscious", a hitting mechanics is classified into two phases. One is conscious-phase, and the other is unconscious-phase. And conscious-phase means before the start of hitting mechanics. On the other hand, unconscious-phase means after the start of hitting mechanics. So then, as for in the unconscious-phase, correction by consciousness of partial motion like "dont open the shoulder" must not be taken. Because, it causes conscious muscle contraction as mentioned above. On the other hand, as for in the conscious-phase, correction by consciousness should be taken positively. Because in conscious-phase, conscious muscle contraction is not unfavorable phenomenon. Or rather, conscious-phase is constituted mainly by conscious muscle contraction.

By the way, unconscious-phase is affected by conscious-phase. Simply, to change a batting stance causes change of swing. More specifically and for example, if you tilt your shoulder back shoulder up, your swing will become more downward. That is to say, a problem of swing can be solved by correcting the conscious-phase.  So, if your swing becomes too much upward, you should not have consciousness for making downward swing. In this case, you should correct your conscious phase and urge your swing to be corrected naturally. Namely, problem of unconscious phase should be corrected by correction of conscious phase. And this is the most useful and instant correction method. Or rather, it is not too much to say that is an invariable principle. And in short, unconscious-phase is the untouchable zone. Therefore, you should not bring your consciousness in that untouchable zone. In other words, more simply, untouchable zone means "swing" itself.


2) Improve the physical function


To make a good hitting form demand us to have a good physical function. Mechanical theory doesn't have unlimited effect. So, for the unlimited improvement, improvement of flexibility and strongness become an important theme. As for this theme, to repeat a swing in large numbers is also important. Because great number of swings make your body to become a "baseball-kind-body". Baseball-kind-body has characteristic flexibility and strongness. Ultimately, baseball-kind-body can't be made by any other exercise. It can be made only by repeated baseball mortion because it relates muscle memory. Therefore, some kind of player who is in the early stage of leaning hitting skills has need to "cope" with great number of swings. As for in this stage, quality of swing is a next matter. That kind of players need elapsed time and great number of swings.


As for in this theme, besides the swing practice, some kind of exercise are effective for the getting a baseball-kind-body. In this section, I will write about principle of exercise for improvement the quality of muscle memory and getting a baseball-kind-body.

First, muscle's switch over from contraction to relaxation and from relaxation to contraction improve the blood flow. As a result, flexibility of muscles are improved, and farther result, range of motion of joint is expanded. Therefore, active or dynamic stretch are agreeable more than static stretch. And needless to say, flexibility is one of the most important ability for baseball players. So, exercise for baseball players should be a kind of using the muscle's switch over. That is, it need to be accompanied with good rhythm. As for also weight training, "momentum" should be used positively. because momentum motion causes good rhythm and good rhythm means smooth switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation.

Next, in the above point of view, swing practice is very effective. Because to swing quickly is caused by stretch reflex and stretch reflex means switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation. In addition, while a swinging, our body receive the load due to high speed acceleration. This load means centrifugal force and inertial force. And these forces that is only seen in baseball swing have characteristic magnitude and direction due to high speed acceleration by characteristic motion and tool. That is, It can best be said as "baseball force" and it makes baseball-kind-body. Therefore, swing itself is an ultimate exercise for baseball players. Incidentally, the next is short distance dash.

~summary~


1) Switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation causes improvement of flexibility. And for that, exercise should be accompanied with good rhythm.

2) As for weight training, momentum should be used positively because momentum enable to keep a flexibility. And flexibility should be regarded as important theme more than muscle hypertrophy.

3) Swing itself is the best exercise for the making baseball-kind-body. However it need to be accompanied with high speed acceleration because it causes to generate the baseball-force.

4) Active or dynamic stretch are agreeable more than static stretch.

5) Short distance dash is very effective training because it is accompanied with stretch reflex and high speed acceleration.


3) Unnecessary consciousness


It is needless to say for everyone who red above article that unnecessary consciousness in your swing like "don't open the shoulder" causes  your swing to lose flexibility. So above all, you should not have consciousness about partial body motion on your swing. However and of course, some kind of "unnecessary consciousness" sometimes brings you a good feeling certainly. For example, consciousness of "don't open my shoulder" sometimes brings a good result. However, I am sure that that kind of effect doesn't continue so long because it's just a unnecessary consciousness after all. That is, the "progress" consists of several stages which are classified based on degree of progress. So, as for in the middle stage of progress, consciousness about partial body motion often brings you a good feeling. But as time goes by, demerit of conscious muscle contraction becomes apparent and it causes deterioration of quality of muscle memory. As a result, that hitter will begin to search for another "partial-consciousness". But it's a same as repeating same mistake over and over again. In other words, that state is similar to medicine drug dependent. As a result of studying the hitting mechanics from point of scientific view, I can say that many hitters have stopped stepping up the stage of progress at the middle stage. Because, if they have stayed at the middle stage, they can feel a some of good feeling to some extent. But at the same time, I want to say that besides being difficulty of batting, that is a charm of batting. Because, as a result of that, we can see various hitting forms. Be that as it may, "Hit hard with empty mind" is a secret of taking back a health by overcoming medicine drug dependent. And it will refresh your muscle memory. So, I have taught the phrase "Hit hard with empty mind" even to kids or beginners because that's one of the most fundamental "skills" of batting.  By the way, big leaguer who hit a home run often says that kind of simple phrase in a interview. But that simple phrase doesn't express his genius.  Genius is not a reason why he can hit with so simple consciousness. Or rather, realizing the simpleness of hitting mechanics made him become genius. That state is similar to that Buddha brought his enlightenment of empty after hard ascetic practices.

Chapter9 Batting Tips 1

1) Don't pull with bottom-hand
As for upper body movement, puncher-type-swing is operated by top hand as dominant hand until contact. But it's just a result of stretch reflex that is occurred without command from brain, namely, it's an unconscious motion. On the other hand, (as for upper body movement) swinger-typ-swing is operated by bottom hand as dominant hand until contact and it's also an unconscious motion. So then, "Don't pull with bottom-hand until contact" is very important theme for puncher-type-hitters. (In addition, "Don't push with top-hand until contact" is very important theme for swinger-type-hitters.)  Of course, in this chapter, I describe the "Don't pull with bottom-hand" as important theme for puncher-type-hitters.

For example, when you try to push the big baggage from back side, what if your friend pulls it from front side? Your power can't be transmitted enough to the baggage. To put it more precisely, if you try to push out the baggage on the ice rink, the baggage will slide on the ice link and make far distance from you. But if your friend pulls it from front side at the same time as you push, the baggage shouldn't make far distance from you because your power was not transmitted to the baggage. Namely, in the puncher-type-mechanics that is constructed by top-hand-push as a premise, bottom-hand-pull becomes just an interfering factor because it cuts in the power transmission that is due to top-hand-push.

By the way, what sort of case does bottom-hand-pull occur? Knowledge of swinger-type-mechanics makes you easy to understand the mechanics of bottom-hand-pull. So then, let me write about swinger-type-mechanics especially about bottom-hand-pull.

In swinger-type-mechanics, when hip rotation begins, hands are about to stay in launch position at the split second by inertial force. As a result, bottom-hand-scapla is separated from vertebral column. And this movement leads the stretch of bottom-hand-trapezius-muscle and bottom-hand-Latissimus-dorsi-muscle. Further results, bottom-hand-trapezius-muscle and bottom-hand-Latissimus-dorsi-muscle contract by stretch reflex. And this muscle contraction leads bottom-hand-scapla to move toward vertebral column. Namely that is the bottom-hand-pull and it's a result of hip-rotaion and inertial force and stretch reflex. In other words, that is an automatic-movement and an unconscious-movement.

In swinger-type-mechanics, bottom-hand-pull is an essential motion. And strongness of bottom-hand-pull produces the power stroke like Willy Mays or Babe Ruth or Darryl Strawberry. In addition, pull out the knob (while leave the bat head behind the knob) makes inside out swing orbit. Therefore, it also produces the spray hitting like George Brett or Tony Gwynn. Now, next illustration is Hiromitu Kadota (門田博光)  who is japanese slugger (1969-1992) and his hitting mechanics can be classified as swinger-type clearly. Of course, can be classified clearly and say, that mechanics is functionally superior.

A typical swinger type's swing by Hiromitu Kadota (南海 Hawks). His swing is similar to Darryl Strawberry's swing. 

As mentioned above, as for swinger type, bottom-hand-pull is the most important motion. However, as for puncher type, it's just the unfavorable motion. So then, what sort of case does bottom-hand-pull occur?  Primary reasons are below. 

1) Too wide stride

Regardless of type, in the stride motion, hands move back(cocking motion) as a result of counteraction of translational motion. Namely, large translational motion leads a large cocking motion. And as a result of large cocking motion, bottom-hand-scapla is separated large from vertebral column. Further results, bottom-hand-pull is occurred by stretch reflex of bottom-hand-trapezius-muscle and bottom-hand-Latissimus-dorsi-muscle. As mentioned above, large translational motion is reason of bottom-hand-pull and this reason can be say as the most primary reason. Too loud weight shift before the start-of-hitting-mechanics causes large translational motion. In addition, too tall and narrow stance also causes that.

2) Grip position

At a batting stance, you shouldn't position the grip so back because bottom-hand-scapla is separated large from vertebral column and it causes the bottom-hand-pull. As a yard stick, bottom-hand-elbow should keep bending because it's a proof of good grip position that isn't positioned so back. In addition, top-hand-elbow should position behind the grip because it makes grip difficult to move back.(figure) Justin Morneau is a good and intelligible example. Therefore, bottom-hand-pull doesn't almost occur in his swing. As a result, his swing doesn't need a long distance and much time until the contact. 

3) Too much rotation

This phenomenon also causes bottom-hand-pull. Because it makes swing easy to make a distance between front hip and bat head. As a result, bottom-hand-scapla is separated large from vertebral column. Large translational motion and unnecessary back twist before the start-of-hitting-mechanics causes too much rotation.

4) Balance of bat

End-loaded-bats cause the slow starting of bat head. As a result, bat head falls behind body rotation and it causes separation between bottom-hand-scapla and vertebral column. Accordingly, puncher-type-mechanics demands middle-balanced-bat. Success of Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire are evidence of that. 

~ Summary ~

Separation between bottom-hand-scapla and vertebral column causes stretch reflex on back muscles of bottom hand side. And this stretch reflex causes bottom-hand-pull motion. Therefore, if grip is shifted so back or  bat head falls behind large body rotation, bottom-hand-pull will occur.

By the way, as for puncher type, there are more demerits of bottom-hand-pull than mentioned above. For example, it affects swing orbit (inside-out or outside-in) and size of follow through. For these matters, I will describe later at (2) and (3).

2) Get the inside-out-swing
Mechanics of inside-out-swing has difference between puncher type and swinger type. As for swinger type, it is formed by bottom-hand-pull, means that pulling out the knob with bottom hand while leave the bat head behind the knob makes inside-out-swing-orbit. And it can only be operated by bottom-hand-pull. Because if bat is carried forward in the state of leveling off by top hand, bat head will turn naturally. As a result, bat head stay away from body trunk and inside-out-swing can't be formed. Therefore, as for swinger type, not pushing with top hand is important for making inside-out-swing.

On the other hand, what about puncher type? In the first place, puncher type has a different system about inside-out-swing from swinger type. As mentioned above, if bat is carried forward in the state of leveling off by top hand, bat head will turn naturally. Therefore, in the puncher-type-mechanics, if bat levels off in the early stage of swing, inside-out-swing can't be formed. Bat should be leveled off in just before the contact.
So then, what to do for making inside-out-swing. The answer is keeping bat standing up in the early stage of swing. Because it keeps bat head close to body trunk. However, you must not have a conscious of keeping bat standing up. Because swing is operated by stretch reflex that is involuntary muscle contraction(unconscious and automatic). So, what to do for keeping bat standing up. Answers are below.

1) grip
As mentioned in chapter6, wrist dorsiflexion at the batting stance is very important. Particularly, top-hand-wrist-dorsiflexion influences strongly the inside-out-swing. So, let me wright about reason of that below. When bat begins acceleration, bat head falls backward by inertial force and gravitation. And as a result of this phenomenon, bat rotates backward. However, if top hand wrist makes dorsiflexion, you can transmit the power of top-hand-push to bat using palm of top hand. And as a result, bat is received the torque of  forward rotation and it is opposite rotation to backward rotation that means falling backward of bat. Farther result, it makes you easy to keep a bat standing up. Therefore, top-hand-wrist-dorsiflexion makes you easy to draw an orbit of inside-out-swing. It should be easier to image that top-hand-wrist-dorsiflexion makes you easy to carry the bat coiling around your body trunk like following figure. And this image should be shared among todays baseball player. And to prove it, many hitters take a gesture like that at on-deck-circle or batter's box. Unexpectedly, gesture like that can't almost be seen in the old time baseball. Of course it is one of the proof of revolution of hitting mechanics that is voyage of mainstreaming of puncher type, there may be objection.

2) Don't pull with bottom-hand
By pulling out knob with bottom hand, bat falls backward and lays because bat head about to stay launch position by inertial force. And in the state of bat is leveled off, top-hand-push rotates the bat head toward pitcher in the early stage of swing. As a result, bat head stays away from body trunk and swing orbit becomes outside-in. Therefore, as for puncher type, bottom-hand-pull makes your swing easy to draw the outside-in swing orbit. As for puncher type, inside-out swing orbit is drawn as a result of  keeping bat standing up in the early stage of swing by not using bottom-hand-pull.

※) Don't try to hit the inside of ball unnaturally
In generally, this advice is used most often among baseball players and coaches. However, emphasizing  it unnaturally makes your swing easy to lose smoothness. For example, shoulder rotation becomes too little and it causes the arm swing forcibly in the early stage of swing more than proper swing. As rather a result, bat head will stay away from body trunk in the early stage of swing and it causes the out-side-in swing. Especially, it will become clear when you swing strongly as possible as you can with try to hit the inside off ball.

Good example of inside out swing
Mark Trumbo,  George Cantu,   Reid Brignac

The perfect inside-out-swing of puncher type by demonstrator

3) Mechanics of good follow through 
As mentioned above, bottom-hand-pull isn't needed until contact in the puncher type's mechanics. However, power of bottom-hand-pull is needed in the follow through and this is troublesome theme for puncher type hitter. And it influence the today's fashion of swing. Namely, it means one-hand-folow like Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi and other countless hitters. Follow through like them can't be seen in old time baseball. Although, one-hand-folow itself can also be seen in old time baseball like Willy Mays or Johnny Bench or George Brett, but their one-hand-folow is just releasing the bat not be like Alex Rodriguez or Mark Trumbo or Albert Pujols. Namely, today's one-hand-folow has unique strongnees and it's different from old fashioned one-hand-follow clearly. Someone stops batt with arm extension like Alex Rodriguez or Mark McGwire and someone jumps up the bat toward his back like Jose Bautista or Barry Bonds. In conclusion, it is better that takes follow through with both hand until the finish like Prince Fielder. However uniqueness of today's one-hand-folow expresses well the puncher-type-mechanics. As for one-hand-folow, I will write in next section (4). So let me write about mechanics of follow through of puncher type in this section.

Characteristic of puncher type's mechanics is using top hand mainly until contact. And it has almost the same mechanics as a punch of boxing, namely it means push movement. So then, let you try an experiment. First, take a stance with put your top hand at launch position. And put your bottom hand around the contact zone. Next, hit a punch toward contact zone with image of bat swing. (Of course, you pass your top hand though under the bottom hand.) As a result, your bottom hand should close toward inside by counteraction as same as you hit a punch. As for the swing of puncher type, phenomenon of this experiment occurs until the contact, means that front shoulder closes toward inside as same as top-hand-push. As a result, bottom-hand-scapla is positioned scapula-outward-rotation at the contact. For that reason, this form of contact is a characteristic form of puncher type. And it proves that using not bottom-hand-pull until contact.

A typical swing of puncher type. At the point of contact, bottom-hand-scapla is positioned in the state of scapula-outward-rotation. (Home Run of Barry Bonds 2002)

A typical swing of puncher type (Alex Ramirez 東京Giants 2011)

By the way, as a result of mechanics until the contact, bottom-hand-scapla is separated from vertebral column at the point of contact. And it means that bottom-hand-back-muscle is stretched at the point of contact. As a result, stretch reflex of bottom-hand-back-muscle occurs after the contact. Farther result, bottom-hand-pull occurs after the contact, namely bottom-hand-pull occurs in the follow through. For that reason, puncher-type-hitters can draw the large follow trough when they take the one-hand-follow.

Of course, although, one-hand-follow shows bottom-hand-pull clearly, it doesn't mean strongness of follow through or bottom-hand-pull, rather it's absolutely unrelated matter. It just becomes easy to understand by letting go the top hand. As for double-hands-follow, exactly the same phenomenon occurs in the follow through, namely, bottom-hand-pull occurs in the follow through by the stretch reflex of bottom-hand-back-muscle. In the case of double-hands-follow, that mechanics is made visible as a twisting upper body by bottom-hand-back-muscle contraction.

Double-hands-follow of Barry Bods. Twist of upper body occurs by stretch reflex of bottom-hand-back-muscle. His front shoulder is attracted back hip by muscle contraction on his back.

Thinking about mechanics of follow through deduces the one conclusion, means that using not bottom-hand-pull until the point-of-contact makes a big and strong follow through. Because if bottom-hand-scapula is separated from vertebral column at the point of contact, bottom-hand-back-muscle is stretched at the point of contact, and it makes it possible to occur the stretch reflex of back muscle. And this muscle contraction causes mainly the follow through.

So then, what about the extension? As also for the extension, using not bottom-hand-pull until contact is important factor. Because outward rotation of both scapula makes you easy to push out both hands straight away from your body. Or perhaps I should say, if even one of the scapula doesn't position scapula-outward-rotation, you can't push out your hands so much. For that reason, using not bottom-hand-pull until contact causes the large extension.

The perfect extension by demonstrator

Next, let me write about orbit of follow through. As for puncher type, follow through should be drawn an upward orbit. Because motion of shoulder-inward-rotation makes top-hand-elbow passes through upward after drawing downward orbit. Although, there are some of other reasons, it can be said as one of the primary reason. However, good follow through is nothing but a result of good mechanics until the contact. So I don't mean emphasize the upward orbit of follow though. I just mean that upward orbit should drawn, if you perform the proper mechanics until the contact. So let me introduce the good examples of follow through below. 

Prince Fielder,  Adrian Beltre,  Reid Brignac,  Mark Trumbo

Andruw Jones,  Sean Rodriguez,  Scott Sizemore,  Brett Harper

Tori Hunter,  Martin Prado,  Jose Bautista,  Adam Jones,  Danny Espinosa

Good examples of follow through by demonstrators

4) Swing to the finish with both hands 
(Don't be a heavy user of single-hand-follow.)

Although, one-hand-follow is trend of today's MLB, I dare to make an objection against this trend. There are many reason of objection, in essence, it's unnaturally. In addition, it causes degradation of muscle memory while long time  by repeated practice. So let me describe the reason of objection below.

Double-hands-follow       Single-hand-follow

~ Why double-hands-follow?  ACT-1 ~


In the first place, it is easy to understand that single-hand-follow makes your swing easy to cause the bottom-hand-pull until the contact. Therefore, it makes your contact-form difficult to keep the bottom-hand-scapla outward rotation. As a result, contrary to image, follow through rather becomes small, because power of bottom-hand-pull is used by contact. And that state becomes more serious by degradation of muscle memory due to repeating practice. As a result of repeating the single-hand-follow, follow through rather becomes more smaller and smaller contrary to image of single-hand-follow. 


For better or worth, muscle memory is emphasized by long-term repetition and it is same as low back pain that is brought by continuation of unnatural posture. 


In relation to that, we can confirm it by experiment. For example, if single-hand-follow-hitter takes double-hands-follow suddenly, that follow through often becomes unnatural motion and surprisingly small. As an experiment, first, let you swing with double-hands-follow only once as a sample. Next, try  the single-hands-follow about 20 times, and try the double-hands-follow immediately after single-hand-follow. How do you feel?  Probably, you should fells something strange in your swing compared with first sample, especially about wrist turn or finish. Of course it's a result of degradation of muscle memory by repeating the single-hand-follow. 


On the other hand, if double-hands-follow-hitter takes single-hand-follow suddenly, that follow through doesn't become unnatural movement. On the contrary it often becomes surprisingly large and expresses the openness like a dog which is released from hands of owner while taking for walk. As an experiment, or rather, it doesn't require a experiment. However many times you try a double-hands-follw, your single-hand-follow shouldn't receive a bad influence from repeating double-hands-follow. Because, double-hands-follow seldom adversely affect your muscle memory and swing itself. 


The above is a proof of that double-hands-follow is natural movement of swing. Be that as it may, double-hands-follow makes good muscle memory more than single-hand-follow. So then, let me cite some examles for verification above mentioned theory.


[Alex Rodriguez] 
In these few years, he becomes often to take a brand‐new follow through (like this clip) that is different from what he was. Means that, in this follow through, his bottom-hand isn't enough extended and bottom-hand-wrist is rolled over at the follow through more than before of his swing. In fact, this change is typical phenomenon that is seen in single-hand-follow-hitters, means that their follow through becomes more smaller and smaller as time goes by. Because muscle learns and fixes the state that have not been able to keep the bottom-hand-scapula positioned scapula-outward-rotation at the point of contact. And that is due to emphasizing of bottom-habnd-pull by repeating the one-hand-follow. This tendency is also seen in Manny Ramirez and Jason Giambi. Their follow through shows the same change as Alex Rodriguez's it. Be that as it may, for that reason, single-hand-follow-hitters often deteriorates their batting results rapidly from one point of time. Probably, if Alex Rodriguez takes double-hands-follow, that swing will become looks like Mark Trumbo. And to prove it, Mark Trumbo's single-hand-follow exactly like Alex Rodriguez.


[Mark Trumbo,  Jose Butista,  Prince Fielder]
These hitters use double-hands-follow and one-hand-follow properly. Now, let me give the some examples of both cases of them.

Mark Trumbo  single-hand-follow  double-hands-follow  
Jose Bautista  single-hand-follow  double-hands-follow
Prince Fielder  single-hand-follow  double-hands-follow

First impressions, Their single-hand-follow has an Impetus and very fresh, namely these are the big follow throughs which can best say as aggressive. So then, what makes their follow through so aggressive? The answer is that their muscle condition keeps freshness and flexibility and softness by the taking double-hand-follow. Namely, holding a bat with both hands throughout the swing gives a reduction in burden of muscle and it makes your muscle easy to avoid from strain. As a result, arm's muscles can keep the freshness and flexibility and softness. In other words, that means just a good muscle memory itself. Of course, in addition, double-hands-follow makes bottom-hamd-scapula easy to keep the scapula-outward-rotation until the point of contact. And this mechanics causes the large follow through, as mentioned above. By the way, it is important that, instead of their excellent single-hand-follow, their double-hands-follow makes good muscle memory and it causes their excellent single-hand-follow.  And it is very difficult to realize that "TRICK", especially for young players or kids who yarn for the big league sluggers. Of course, it is also difficult for the big league sluggers themselves. And to prove it, double-hands-follow-hitter often becomes a single-hand-follow-hitter like Mark McGwire, but at least in MLB, single-hand-follow-hitter seldom becomes (goes back to) double-hands-follow-hitter. At the first place, all single-hand-follow-hitter should be a double-hands-follow-hitter by nature. Be that as it may, I will write this reason in detail below in this chapter. 

[Albert Pujols]
Of course, he is a great hitter. Therefore, many funs don't have so many chances to watch the scene that he is retired by pitcher. As a result, many young players may mimic his swing unconditionally. Especially, one-hand-follow will be regarded as a characteristic of his swing. However, one kind of his mishit has a particular tendency that is due to the one-hand-follow. Probably, it is a result of mistake by himself, not concerning the opposing against pitcher. Now, let me give the examples of it.

movie1   movie2   movie3   movie4   movie5

Above any mishits are brought by almost the same reasons, means that his bat head and wrist are rolled over in the early stage of swing. As a result, he can't enough push out the ball forward with his bat. In Fact, this phenomenon is a typical result of repeating the one-hand-follow for many years. Means that, one-hand-follow causes the bottom-hand-pull due to conscious muscle contraction. (=Voluntary muscle contraction that is operated by command from brain, in short, it's an usual muscle ontraction.) 
One-hand-follow bring the conscious of bottom-hand-pull. As a result, bottom-hand-pull occurs by conscious muscle contraction as a motion on the horizontal plane. On the other hand, proper mechanics of puncher type doesn't use the bottom-hand-pull until the contact. Puncher type uses the top-hand-push by cross-line-muscle-contraction until the contact. Therefore, in the early stage of swing, hands draw a downward orbit by top-hand-shoulder-inward-rotation. However, if bottom-hand-pull occurs in the early stage of swing, hands take circular movement on the horizontal plane in too early timing more than body rotation. As a result , bat head stay away from upper body in the early stage of swing and it causes the outside-in-swing orbit. Of course, it also courses the rolling over of the wrist and bat head.

Circular movement of bat head should be taken after the shoulder rotation completes more than half of 90 degrees turn. If that circular movement is taken in too early timing, bat head will stay away from upper body and it causes outside-in-swing. This phenomenon often be caused by bottom-hand-pull.(figure)

Bat head passes the antebrachial region of bottom hand in too early timing is proof of the rolling over of wrist and bat head. (figure)

Be that as it may, above his mishits show the certain tendency that is caused by the one-hand-follow. And the problem of one-hand-follow is brought by repetition of practice, not one-hand-follow itself. In other words, it's a problem of muscle memory.

~ Why double-hands-follow?  ACT-2 ~


As mentioned above, habituated one-hand-follow causes many problem in the swing. for example, it causes the rolling over the wrist and bat head, outside-in-swing, decreased follow through by the bottom-hand-pull until contact, etc..
After all, all problem around the single-hand-follow is brought by the conscious muscle contraction of bottom-hand-back-muscle. And that muscle contraction is caused by the conscious of bottom-hand-pull.
as an inevitable result of habituated one-hand-follow. (On the other hand, bottom-hand-pull in the proper swinger type's mechanics is occured by the stretch reflex of bottom-hand-back-muscle. Namely, It's not a conscious movement basically.)
By the way, conscious muscle contraction makes your muscle easy to strain. In addition, persisted muscle strain makes your muscle easy to go solid. As a result, arm's muscle goes to solid and it causes a stiff swing like a C-3PO's baseball swing. Perhaps, it will be able to be understood by experience, arm's muscle strain brings arm-initiative-swing. And in the arm-initiative-swing, power of hip rotation isn't  transmitted to the arm, or rather arm-initiative-swing cuts in the hip rotation itself. Because arm rotation generates the reaction force that is against the hip rotation. This phenomenon can be confirmed by the experiment. If you swing with lift your back leg, your hip will rotate to the opposite direction by the reaction force of arm swing. Namely, if arm swing start in too early timing, hip rotation stops at the halfway of 90 degrees turn. Habituated one-hand-follow usually causes this state that can be said as arm-initiative-swing. Of course, holding a bat with single hand also causes the muscle strain. Because it means that is doing alone the work that should be done by two mens.

Albert Pujols1, Albert Pujols2, Alex Rodriguez1, Alex rodriguez2, David Ortiz,

By the way, why doesn't so many sluggers realize the demerit of one-hand-follow? The reason is that ther is the "TRICK" as mentioned above. So let me write about the TRICK more specific.
First, this problem can be thought that has "typical story" like bellow.

One day he was doing batting practice. Then, big leaguer's single-hand-follow crosses his mind and he try to do it. Thereupon, he gets the nice feeling that he has never felt before. It was a really good feeling that can best be said as openness or refreshment. As a result, he adopted the single-hand-follow as his regular swing and it bring the good effect for some time. However, after the elapse of a few years, he had come to make little progress, or rather he had come to feel the dead-end of his batting itself. Because repeating the single-hand-follow causes degradation of quality-of-muscle-memory. So one day, he thought of trying to get back his nature swing of bygone days and of course, that is double-hands-follow swing. But that attempt was not gone smoothly because his double-hands-follow had deteriorated by repeating of single-hand-follow. His double-hands-follow had become literally awkward and it made his mood getting dark. As a result, his attempt was suspended after about 10 swings or so, and he began the single-hand-follow swing again. Thereupon, he got back nice feeling slightly and it kept his hope about baseball. In addition it made him to have conviction that "single-hand-follow is suitable for me". But his feeling had gotten worse again by less than a day. It was to have been expected, his nice feeling was a result of taking the double-hands-follow practice about 10 times or so. Namely, double-hands-follow had improved his muscle memory while only 10 times or so swings. But he couldn't realize this TRICK and he came to tackle the single-hand-follow again, so it was literally just the "tacle".  Since then, he came to repeat the same trial and error, namely, he came to wander between single-hand-follow and double-hands-follw. Now, he hasn't been able to conclude which follow is better as yet.

Of course, "he" is me of bygone days, however it should not be only me may be. After all. this issue is a problem with muscle memory. Single-hand-follow itself is no't wrong but it deteriorates the muscle memory while spending a long time. In my observation, its negative influence often tends to come to the surface suddenly at some point, and that player's batting record also often declines suddenly at some point. This phenomenon has often been showed in MLB since 1990s.

Frankly speaking, Single-hand-follow of puncher type is so "handsome" because it has unique dynamics that is represented by Mark McGwire, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Robinson Cano.  However, it is often misunderstood that big single-hand-follow of puncher type is a result of not using bottom-hand-pull until contact. That is to say, it is not a phenomenon that expresses the bottom-hand-pull. Many people should have impression that puncher type's single-hand-follow is caused by bottom-hand-pull, but it's quite opposite. Also in this respect, that's the just TRICK. And at the same time, it is irony because it shakes a fundamental mechanics of puncher type, namely it influence the important theme that which hands dominate swing.

~ Why double-hands-follow?  ACT-3 ~

To speak of extremes, hitters can be classified into two types based on their personality. One is scholar and the other is gamer. scholar often shows a tendency to want to hit a easy ball pleasantly in B.P, and it means that neglecting overcoming a weakness. On the other hand, gamer often shows a tendency to lose interest in long hitting, but they often send a valuable hit in the key scene and called clutch hitter. Derek Jeter may be a typical gamer. Of course, there are special hitters who is blessed with both inquisitive as a scholar and sensitivity of gamer like Barry Bonds or Ted Williams. At all events, swing it self expresses a hitter's personality and what does he think. Namely Derek Jeter's double-hands-follow expresses very well his characteristics as a gamer. Of course, long hit is important because it's a result of good mechanics. However, in general, many hitters tend to like a pleasant and easy practice. In other words, they like to hit a easy ball pleasantly with his favorite swing that they think that's cool. What I want to say is that single-hand-follow is comparatively often seen in that kind of hitters. In fact, single-hand-follow is not good at hitting high-and-inside fastball and low breaking ball. So then, let me write about that reason. 


1) High-and-inside fastball
As mentioned above, if bottom-hand-pull occurs in the early stage of swing, hands take circular movement on the horizontal plane in too early timing more than body rotation. As a result , bat head stay away from upper body in the early stage of swing and it causes the outside-in-swing orbit. Of causes, outside-in-swing makes you hard to hit a high-and-inside fast ball. Therefore, single-hand-follow-hitters often have a weak point with high-and-inside fast ball. In contrast, some of double-hamds-follow-hitters are good at hitting a high-and-inside fast ball like Derek Jeter.


Hank Conger,  Prince Fielder,  Vladimir Guerrero,  George Cantu
Jason Werth,  Brett Harper,  J. J. Hardy,  Martin Prado


2) Low breaking ball
For hitting a low ball, bat head must be dropped. And for dropping bat head, bottom-hand-shoulder must make internal rotation and top-hand-shoulder must make external rotation. Furthermore, as a result of shoulder rotation, palm-of-top-hand and back-of-bottom-hand face toward upward. On the other hand, bottom-hand-pull due to single-hand-follow tends to keep a back-of-bottom-hand faces toward pitcher. As a result, single-hand-follow makes you difficult to drop the bat head in your swing. Therefore, single-hand-follow makes you difficult to hit a low breaking ball. single-hand-follow hitters tend to swing and miss a low breaking ball just like a Limbo dance. following clips are example of that. By the way, Hideo Nomo's MLB debut showed me that case too much.

David Ortiz,  David Ortiz,  Albert Pujols,  Albert Pujols,  Alex Rodriguez

On the other hand, some of double-hands-follow-hitters are good at hitting a low breaking ball with drops bat head and dives into the ball like a submarine. Prince Fielder is good example of that.

Prince Fielder1,  Prince Fielder2,  Prince Fielder3,  J. J. Hardy
Shin-Soo Choo,  Brett Harper1,  Brett Harper2,  Brett Hayes



3) High fast ball
In addition, double-hands-hitters tend to good at hitting a upside fastball just like covering a ball with bat. Following clips are that examples.

George Cantu,  Mark Turombo,  Derek Jeter,  Prince Fielder,  Brett Wallace
Brett Haper,  Takahiro Arai (新井貴浩),  J. J. Hardy1,  J. J. Hardy2
Martin Prado,  Jack Cust,

Bottom-hand-pull means that is pulling out knob with bottom hand and this movement causes bat head falling down. Therefore, if bottom hand pull occurs too much, it makes you difficult to hit a upside fastball like above examples.

4) Persistence
In any case, double-hands-follow brings you die-hardness. Because double-hands-follow keeps your muscle flexible, and as a result, swing flexibility is also improved. Naturally, swing flexibility is an important factor for being a hard-ball-hitter. Smart hard-ball-hitter who has die-hardness can be called as a real gamer. And double-hands-follow is important factor for being a real gamer.

By the way, conscious-muscle-contraction often causes muscle strain and it is easy to understand when you image that you bend your arm to make your biceps hard. And as mentioned above, single-hand-follow often cause the conscious-muscle-contraction of bottom-hand-back-muscles. Because single-hand-follow makes you easy to have conscious and image of bottom-hand-pull. In short, single-hand-follow often causes bottom-hand-pull due to conscious muscle contraction. 


On the other hand, double-hands-follow basically doesn't cause and need an unnecessary conscious about upper body's movement. For example, that is easy to understand that when you think that if child (who hasn't played baseball even once) tries to hit a ball, he should take a double-hands-follow unconsciously. Namely, double-hands-follow is a natural state of baseball swing. Therefore, double-hands-follow makes your muscle difficult to make a conscious-muscle-contraction. Because double-hands-follow basically doesn't cause an unnecessary conscious in the swing more than single-hand-follow. As a result, double-hands-follow hitters can easily keep a flexibility and it brings them clutchness and die-hardness. Be that as it may, that's the proof of real gamer.

A symbolic scene that expresses the die-hardness and flexibility due to double-hands-follow. And at the same time, that's an originally advantage of puncher type. 

  2011/04/08 Theriot wins 12-pitch battle

~ Why double-hands-follow?  ACT-4 ~

By the way, where does the symptom of bad effects of single-hand-follow appear? some examples are showed in above. Namely, single-hands-follow makes your follow through small and robs the flexibility as time goes on. In addition, single-hand-follow also causes the too much rolling over of wrist contrary to image. Be that as it may, release the top hand from the bat gives us an impression that it prevents the wrist-roll and brings the large extension. And in fact, some hitters chose the single-hand-follow for that reason. But in reality, it produces the opposite result. So now, let me write another symptoms of bad effects of single-hand-follow.

1) Chicken wing
To repeat the single-hand-follow causes a degradation of your double-hands-follow as an nature and original swing. As an intelligible example, it is expressed on your finish. Especially, chicken wing is typical example of it. Chicken wing is a result of not completed smoothly the wrist rotation. (It seems to contradict an effect about too much rolling over of wrist, but not contradiction.)

Relevance of chicken wing and wrist roll can be able to confirm by the experience. First, put your palms together and put it right in front of your upper body. Next, rotate your hands around your upper body without wrist roll. As a result, you should be able to make a chicken wing.
On the other hand, if you turn your palm of top hand toward the air right in front of your upper body and rotate around your upper body, form of finish should not be the chicken wing.

As experimented above, chicken wing is a result of not completed smoothly the wrist rotation. Single-hand-follow brings forward the timing of wrist roll itself. But, at the same time, it robs flexibility from your swing as mentioned above. As a result, arm swing becomes linear movement without twist or rotation. Therefore, wrist roll is ended at halfway point of complete. That is reason of chicken elbow.

※) Good pentagon and bad pentagon

Example of good pentagon (Barry Bonds)

When Barry Bonds and Derek Jeter hit a inside ball, they often made a pentagon with their arms. And this form is also seen in many other hitters of today's MLB. (Before the 1980~1970's, this kind of swing could almost not be seen among the leading sluggers. Of course, that means odyssey of hitting mechanics from swinger type to puncher type. )

By the way, pentagon-arm is characteristics that is seen when puncher type hitters hit a inside ball. But at the same time, pentagon-arm is also seen in poor swing and it concerns with chicken wing.

As a result of conscious muscle contraction of bottom-hand-back-muscle, if bottom-hand-scapula makes inward rotation too early timing, hands will make a circular movement earlier more than body rotation. As a result, bat head will reach a contact point with the state that shoulder rotates to halfway point.  In that state, arms should make pentagon expect the case that hitting a far outside ball. This is a bad pentagon and it is often caused by repeating single-hand-follow.

On the other hand, good pentagon is made just for hitting an inside ball, and it is caused just by bottom hand elbow flexion. Namely, in the good pentagon, bottom-hand-scapula keep the position of scapula-outward-rotation at the point of contact.

As mentioned above, we must distinguish between good pentagon and bad pentagon. However it is not always distinguished between right and wrong, or rather these are often blended together. So it isn't easy that distinguish between good pentagon and bad pentagon.

May be, good pentagon : bad pentagon = about 7 : 3 (Ryan Howard )

2) Weak contact
As mentioned above, single-hand-follow brings forward the timing of wrist roll. As a result, single-hand-follow hitters tend to make a bad contact form that top-hand-palm and bottom-hand-back toward pitcher and it means halfway point of wrist rotation. Of course, wrist roll should be used for pushing the ball. Therefore, half rolled contact causes power loss. In addition, in the case of half rolled contact, top hand wrist tends to make a dorsiflexion at the point of contact. As a result, shock of impact is received by top hand wrist dorsiflexion and it's too weak to hit hard. So that can be called as "weak contact".


Proper form of contact needs the state that top-hand-palm and bottom-hand-back toward the air, and it can be called as "strong contact". In the strong contact, top hand shoulder makes external rotation and it makes elbow to slide deeper into under the axilla like a fist pumping of Tiger Woods. As a result, you can receive the shock of impact tightly because strong contact produces the unification of body trunk and arm.


3) Shrugged shoulder
Heavy user of single-hand-follow often shows a symptom, that of shrugging bottom-hand-shoulder at the point of contact. First, it means that bottom hand scapula doesn't keep the position of scapula-outward-rotation at the point of contact. In addition, at the same time, shrugged shoulder means that trapezius muscle comes to stiffen and atrophy by repeating conscious muscle contraction of bottom-hand-trapezius muscle. Of course, that conscious muscle contraction is caused by single-hand-follow. And this phenomenon is concerned with weak contact and chicken elbow. In other words, these are the fundamentally the same problems which have same roots. 


4) "L" shape hinge
This word means that wrist roll occurs too much at the early stage of swing. In this case, anterachial region and bat make "L" shape hinge in the earlier stage of follow through more than proper swing. Of course, this form expresses the too much rolling over of wrist and this phenomenon is also often shown in heavy user of single-hand-follow. Originally, anterachial region and bat should keep a strait line in the early stage of follow through and it's proof of a good swing.
In addition, in the case of "L" shape hinge, palm of bottom hand often faces toward the air, and it expresses the too-too much rolling over of wrist. If this form appears in your swing, it means that your swing has very serious problem. And in that case, your finish should go in the low position.

A good example of single-hand-follow. Bottom hand anterachial region and bat keep a strait line until the rate stage of follow through. But repeating single-hand-follow will destroy this good state.  (Andruw Jones)

~ Why double-hands-follow?  ACT-5 ~


By the way, why do so many hitters chose the single-hand-follow in today's MLB? May be, there is a reason besides handsomeness and tendency of hitting theory. So, in ACT-5, I will describe the reason of prevalence of single-hand-follow.


1) Pinky hook grip
Many hitters put their pinky finger on the knob of bat. (I call it as the pinky hook grip) By the way, pinky hook grip causes an instability of bottom hand as a fulcrum for pushing with top hand. Therefore, if you take double-hands-follow with pinky hook grip, your wrist will roll over too much by instability of fulcrum. In short, pinky hook grip isn't suitable for double-hands-follow. Probably, prevalence of pinky hook grip and single-hand-follow are in correlation with each other.


2) Tee batting
Batting practice by using a batting tee requires erroneous face angle that is different from proper face angle in the game. Namely, when you hit a ball on batting tee, your face should turn toward the point of contact and it means that your face doesn't turn toward the direction of pitcher. In other words, face angle of tee batting is toward the direction of first base. But when you hit a ball that is thrown from the direction of pitcher, your face should turn toward the direction of pitcher. As a result, tee batting makes your swing difficult to complete the full degree shoulder rotation. In short, tee batting makes you difficult to rotate your body. And farther result, you will not be able to make an enough arm extension because top hand doesn't reach the place of bottom hand. Therefore, wrist roll begins from early stage of swing without enough extension. In short, follow through becomes small. 
However, at this state, you will get a tight and stiff feeling by small follow through. As a result, many hitters come to want to take the single-hand-follow wishing for a good feeling that is accompanied by exhilaration. However, it is a trap.

3) Swing practice
As same as tee batting, many players take a swing practice with erroneous face angle. Almost players turn their face toward the direction of first base and ground. As a result, their follow through become small and they come to chose the single-hand-follow wishing for a seeming largeness of follow through. However, swing practice doesn't really required erroneous face angle unlike tee batting. It means just that many players make a mistake about face angle in the swing practice.
In addition, in many cases, swing practice is performed with half or three quarters power. As a result, in the swing practice, shoulder rotation tends to end at the halfway point of full degree rotation. This will also be a reason of that single-hand-follow tends to be chosen in the swing practice. In short, single-hand-follow is suitable for the half powered swing. Therefore, single-hand-follow-hitter should often be produced in the usual B.P.

4) Recoil action
Recoil action means reverse swing that occurs after the finish especially in the "swing-and-miss". Recoil action itself is a proof of good swing, but at the same time, it's troublesome motion for swing practice. Because it reduces number of times the swing per unit time. Therefore, single-hand-follow-hitter should often be produced in the swing practice.

5)軽く打つ意識


As mentioned above, many reasons can be thought as reason of choosing the single-hand-follow. But most primary reason is a characteristic glamour of puncher type's single-hand-follow. And it is caused by the power of bottom-hand-pull that is used in the follow through. However, as a complicated problem, it's a result of not using bottom-hand-pull before the contact. Therefore, single-hand-follow that tends to cause the bottom-hand-pull before the contact isn't suitable for puncher-type-hitters. And it is very difficult to realize this TRICK that is accompanied by irony about which hands dominate swing.

※) Another misdirected follow through. (hit-back-follow)

It is seen some times that some of double-hands-follow-hitters take the unique follow, means that they hit their back by their bat in the follow through.(hit-back-follow) Probably, this technique is spread from Cuba, may be. Because, Omar Linarez (the central player of Cuban national team as the strongest team in amateur baseball world at that time.) takes this kind follow through and it seemed very aggressive and stylish. And it gave us an innovative impression. Probably, it's one kind of fashion. In fact, even now, many Cuban hitters take the hit-back-follow.
In, addition, hit-back-follow came to be seen in MLB from nearly Linarez generation. For example, Vinny Castilla and Todd Helton took the hit-back-follow and Mike Piaza often took the hit-back-follow too.

Examples of hit-back-follow  Carlos Beltran,  Austin Kearns

By the way, does hit-back-follow cause the what kind of the bad influence on our swing? First, it's intentional movement at the first place. You shouldn't be able to take a hit-back-follow without conscious for it. This technique requires an emphasized shoulder turn and slackness of arm muscles. Hit -back-follow can be done By turning the shoulder largely with keeping the slackness of arm muscles.
As a result, your bat will hit your back by coiling your slacked arms around the body trunk that is turning largely. That is, hit-back-follow requires an emphasized upper body's circular movement. And it is important that an emphasized motion causes a conscious muscle contraction that robs flexibility from your swing. As a result, hit-back-follow causes at least three problems.

First, hit-back-follow causes upper-body-initiative-swing as a result of conscious muscle contraction of upper body muscles, and it causes a too much rolling over of wrist, a weak contact and a chicken elbow, namely it's almost same as bad influence of single-hand-follow. Because these cause a conscious muscle contraction of upper body together.

Second, hit-back-follow causes lack of extension by emphasizing of circular movement. As a result, hit-back-follow makes your swing difficult to push out a ball straightly. Of course it causes the power loss.

Third, hit-back-follow causes the outside-in-swing by emphasizing of arm's circular movement. in the hit-back-follow, arm's circular movement is also emphasizing, not only shoulder's circular movement. Because to coil your arm around the body trunk that is turning largely, your arms also have to turn largely. As a result, your hands beginning the circular movement in the early stage of body rotation, namely, your hands go through the hitting zone earlier more than shoulder rotation. As mentioned above, this state means the outside-in-swing. So users of hit-back-follow tend to be a pull-hitter.

Be that as it may, follow through should be taken automatically by muscle reflex and physical law. Therefore, single-hand-follow and hit-back-follow can be said that isn't proper follow through.