Time For A Revolution In Baseball Swing Mechanics
Below is a group of pictures of some influential hitting coaches and products being sold that promote bending of the front arm to start the forward swing. Tom Emanski (top left), Justin Stone (the current director of hitting for the Cubs!), Tim Hyers (hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox), Craig Wallenbrock (middle, bottom). In these pictures, they are all advocating positions that are detrimental to your swing. I don't know what video they have looked at. The greatest hitters of all time clearly didn't get into this position at the very start of the forward swing and they didn't get into these contact positions either.
Below are some pictures of some of the greatest swings - I mean guys who hit for tremendous power AND consistency for their size. What I call the best pound for pound hitters. Guys like Jimmy Fox, Mel Ott (5'9", 170), Mike Trout, Ken Griffey, and Babe Ruth. Notice the front arm at the start of the swing and how that effects contact - Ruth and Trout are in very connected contact positions. Yes, Trout bends his front arm often at contact, but this only allows him to be more compressed at contact. His right arm is always so extremely bent - a great indication of front arm dominant swing.
We need to stop just modeling any all star in the Major Leagues and instead focus in on the absolute greatest hitters, pound for pound, of all time. Because they are going to do things mechanically that sets them apart. This is a very important point and one that will finally be realized in the swing revolution that's to come. We must model the right guys.
Right now, I'm the only swing coach who advocates an extreme compression (against the chest) and straightening of the front arm at the start of the forward swing. The position you see Jimmy Fox and Ken Griffey in above. This one position will be the main reason for the revolution in swing instruction, as no other swing coach is getting this right.
You can have this trait in your swing with one simple drill progression.