Step 3: Hitting and Follow-Through
Description of Step 3 The final step of the swinging movement is covered by downswing (release), impact (hitting) and follow-through with the finish. At the end of the backswing the swing movement has reached the “top of the swing”. Of course, body tension here is of basic importance. To be able to visualize this phenomenon just imagine the backswing is like winding up a spring, which has absolute tension at its upper dead center, being ready to transform this into a maximum rotation during the downswing. All the muscles, tendons and joints concerned are strained. In order to relax this posture, the backswing results in an automatic reflective release. Here, only the torso will rotate; the head stays still, with eyes kept on the ball. The downswing is introduced by a downward movement of the right shoulder and is supposed to follow-up the backswing fluently. Move the mallet downwards clockwise. Basically, the straightened arm “falls down”, the grip does not change and during this downward movement the wrist is straightened. Consequently, the mallet head (and the wrist) turns, so that the mallet hits the ball with the broad side of the cigar. Eyes are still kept on the ball. For the highest possible impulse change, ball and head have to contact precisely.
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