[Jeff]

GBD

Your post is of great interest because it implies that the loading of PA#4 doesn't occur in the backswing when the left arm is positioned across the upper chest, but only when the right shoulder thrusts downplane and applies increased pressure at PP#4. Does it state in TGM whether loading of PA#4 is a positional definition or whether PA#4 loading is defined in terms of the amount of pressure felt at PP#4?

The problem with defining loading of PA#4 as the "degree of pressure" felt at PP#4 and implying that PA#4 is not loaded if no/little pressure is felt at PP#4, then it becomes difficult to describe the Leslie King left arm swing methodology in terms of the loading and release of PA#4. In the Leslie King left arm swing methodology, the left arm is positioned against the left upper chest during the backswing without necessarily increasing pressure at PP#4, and during the downswing the left arm is pulled away from the chest due to the active contraction of the left shoulder girdle muscles, which means that no increased pressure is felt at PP#4. In fact, any sense of pressure at PP#4 decreases during the downswing.

The other problem with your concept of four barrel hitting being an increased sense of pressure at PP#4 (due to right shoulder thrust) is that even a triple barrel hitter's action must start with a right shoulder movement downplane that transports the power package down to a position where PA#1 starts to release. The right shoulder downplane thrust may not be as great in that situation and therefore it will not produce as much increased pressure at PP#4, but where would the dividing line be for the "degree of increased pressure sensed at PP#4" as being the definitional criteria that differentiates a triple barrel from a four barrel hitting action?

Jeff.