[yodeli]

I understand that the only time both arms are fully extended is at the Follow-through position. I have been looking at many still photographs of professionals in this position and it looks like they ALL have their arms connected to their sides.

My question then are the arms still connected to the upper torso (closed arm pits) at follow-through, or do they both extend out and I'm not seeing that?

Thanks,
Wali

I think it is a personal preference because I don't see this element having any importance in the followthrough, provided your hands are on the right track:

Mechanically, at both arms straight, the more you lift your left arm, the more it "disconnects" from the upper torso.

But the position (more up/down (more disconnected/connected)) of you left arm is not randomly choosen: it is a combination of your swing plane and the way you trace the base of the swing plane at both arms straight.

Imagine a very very small player with a swing plane close to horizontal.
The base of the inclined plane will be very far away from his feets.
If such a player correctly traces the base of this plane with his hands, he will end up at both arms straight with his hands fairly up and his arms very disconnected.......but he will be "geometrically correct".

For such a player, at both arms straight, attempting to connect the arms more means lowering the arms and the hands. This will put the hands off track - under the plane - tracing is lost .

Reverse the example and picture an X-tra tall guy (say 10 meters tall!!!): From his point of view, the base of his plane will be almost at his feet.
At both arms straight, his hands tracing the plane line will be very very low and his arms will be very connected..... but he will still be "geometrically correct".

Plane angle is the boss here.