Rear Forearm
- Thread starter Tango
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The rear forearm is roughly horizontal/flat/level at toe touch on almost every MLB hitter. It makes no difference whatsoever where it is in the stance.
Also notice where the bat is pointed. The forearm and bat are in an "L" position
Also notice where the bat is pointed. The forearm and bat are in an "L" position
What do you teach once the swing starts?
I promote whatever MLB players do in games. They take their back elbow down toward the hip, as far down as the belt. Of course, the rear forearm starts to supinate. Then, you're trying to keep both biceps as close to the torso as possible because of the Conservation of Angular momentum (think of ice skaters slowing/speeding up), and because that's what most MLB hitters do.
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Forearm high and tight as long as possible?
I'm assuming your still talking about after toe touch. But, no the rear forearm would not remain high or tight after toe touch.
The forearm must extend after hip slot in order for the bat head to cover the plate.
The forearm then would move 'high' (even with elbow) or low depending on where the ball is.
90+% of youth hitters don't get the rear forearm correct at toe touch, so it ruins everything else afterwards.
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Do you want it at a 90 angle at elbow slot?
From toe touch to hip/elbow slot, yes, you would try to keep as much slack out of this as possible and try to maintain a 90 deg angle with bat and forearm.
From hip slot to contact, generally the bat head will get 'closer' to the back elbow, so the angle narrows, then roughly at contact, the bat head catches up. This happens during this phase because the hands are going forward/around and the bat head is going down, then forward/around.
Great questions, Tango.
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What does the rear elbow do between launch and elbow slot is really what I'm looking for. I have been messing around with it and I have always taught hands high and inside but it seems to me that the forearm getting away from the body and flaring maybe more of the problem and an easier feel. Thoughts?
Toe touch to hip/elbow slot
1) Rear elbow
The rear elbow simply drives straight down to the hip (without quite touching) around belt level. You do not want to cast the rear elbow away from the body. You're trying to get the rear bicep close to the torso (think ice skater speeding up).
2) Hands
Yes. And No.
Hands go down and away - and around. I always 'feel' as if I'm slamming them down to my front foot. Yet, if you look closely, actually they stay very close to the rotating shoulder (which is going down and around). The rotating torso is making most of this happen.
However, you don't want your hands to 'cast' too far away from the body during this phase, so I understand why many would teach keep the hands 'inside'. It's not really possible to 'cast' if the torso rotates here, since the front arm can only stretch so far. So, if you rotate properly you should probably be trying to stretch the front arm with the hands as much as possible.
If you were not rotating fully or optimally, then you could easily cast the hands/arms away from the torso.
I will add that you must drive your back elbow down to belt level. Many/most non-MLB people 'spin' around because their elbow is 3-5 inches too high at hip slot.
So, having said all that, and with all the caveats and realities above, I would be thinking/feeling get my elbow down to my belt, and pushing my hands down/away.
90% of people are dead in the water at toe touch, so they never get this far.
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