Recently I counted the number of airplanes I've been on since November. It is 38 and counting as I will be headed to NY in a few days. I have had the opportunity to share and teach the high level swing with some amazing success stories resulting.

As I review the swings of those I've worked with I feel a very important element is often overlooked. It could be because of my teaching sequence. Yet, my sequence should lead to this important element. Sometimes students fall right into it. Sometimes not. So the purpose of this blog entry is to try to help those find that one last ingredient to the recipe.

In each of my clinics I start with the Hand Pivot Point and then move to the Rear Hip/Leg Pivot Point and then move to Creating the Stretch between the pivot points. It seems as though a very high percentage 'get' and understand things as we drill them. But it is that last element, the "stretch between the pivot points" that is often missing as the hitters try to take their new swing to a moving ball.

I can't tell you how often I've said "launch it rearward", "keep pulling back", "don't stop pulling back" etc etc. Yet, the point doesn't resonate with some. No matter what I say, they attack forward and apply force into the ball. Which means they are not stretching and using the stretch. They are not getting the snap. Launching rearward is the most counter-intuitive part of teaching the swing. You have to concentrate on applying force REARWARD INTO THE HANDLE and not forward into the ball. And during the drills the students do a good job of it. But when transitioning into a moving ball they fall short.

Much of our drill work is static work. I believe no stride work is the only way for a hitter to learn the pivot points with stretch between them. Forward momentum is the enemy. Most hitters use forward momentum to power their swing at the expense of the stretch and fire technique. And by doing so they put a low ceiling on their development. So I remove all forward momentum to prove to them their stretch and fire capabilities. And it works. They feel something they have never felt before. As long as they no stride. But when that ball is tossed most want to stride. And things break down when the stride is added. I know that happens. It has happened since I started teaching. So I then teach how to "hover" to keep the rear leg loaded as they move out. It's not that hard to do. It takes some knowledge and some reps. But most get it. Most do well.

Then along come their games. Game speed. With pitchers trying to get them out instead of tossers trying to give them a good pitch to hit. And we find there is something else missing.

WHAT IT MISSING? It's real simple. Yet not done.

The fix is "On Around". You can not load back to swing forth in a game and expect to hit when dealing with good pitching. There has to be a running start that continues "on around". The dreaded pause is a killer. Your movement must be continuous. Without pause. Without delay. And the rearward launch allows it. It is the only technique that allows it. The tendency is to load back. Pause. Read. Decide. Swing forward. But in so doing you don't continue the stretching process. You must continue on around to continue the stretching so that the snap is there at go. What is "on around". You will find it many different ways.