[Matt]

I first learned this by using a feeling of the right shoulder moving almost behind you at startdown. It'll feel like you "punch" something that's back behind your right shoulder. Imagine a clock. At address you're facing 12:00 and the target is 9:00. At startdown, punch the right shoulder to about 4:00.

This ensures you don't dive into the ball at startdown. The right shoulder moves back and around and then downplane. Feel like your right pectoral is dragging your right shoulder. I would agree that the first move is pretty much "away" from the target. Simply a Rotated shoulder turn in both directions. Lots of people "drive the right shoulder at the ball" but in the process forget (or perhaps have never been taught) that it must, at the same time, stay back too. Back and down.

As to the top arc, I don't think the Swinger has much of an option. The hands, in an End backstroke position, are basically blocked by the body. You can only straight-line from shoulder height. Swingers who take the backstroke (the hands) past shoulder height must first return the hands to shoulder height and then straight downplane. However, in my experience, feeling a straight-line path from the End won't be counterproductive. A straight-line feel, from the End, will result in a Top Arc and Straight-Line path. So don't necessarily try to consciously feel an arc and then a line. Your Computer knows that body parts are in the way and will move them accordingly to provide a clear path for the hands.

The Computer automatically knowing the pivot must accommodate the path of the hands...sounds familiar...hand controlled pivot? Aim the hands. Fire the right shoulder. Hang on for the ride.