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Re: Re: Jack--Thoughts on Initiation?


Posted by: BHL (donny) on Mon Feb 9 10:39:06 2004


>>> I am a little skeptical as to why you encourage landing on the ball of the front foot with the front heel closed, then pivoting it open (as it lowers) to initiate the swing. Believe me, I have tried this cue from a balanced position, and the only thing that seems to sputter open is the front foot. The hips do not move, and neither does the backside.
>
> Before I instruct, I often question the logic of the bio-mechanical movements. Perhaps you are correct, and there is another way to facilitate hip movement. I see that there is no way that you are going to agree on the cues I proposed, so, on that point, let's just "agree to disagree."
>
> I offered you my argument, now I want to hear how you would solve the following problem.
>
> The Problem: You are teaching a ballplayer to rotate around a stationary axis. You instruct him to have plenty of flex in the front knee, then to lower and rotate the front heel, spin the front knee, and extend it to the point of contact. When he hits the bag, you notice that all upper body movements are correct, but he lacks some swing speed. Your discovery--the ballplayer has his front leg straight with the toe pointed at the pitcher at contact (i.e., with an inside pitch), but the back foot and leg is still planted in the ground in the same position as it was before initiation.
>
> The Solution: You decide that the batter needs to "prod" his back foot and leg to rotate, before muscle memory sets in. Which "cues" do you use to assist the backside in forming its proper "L" position at contact, so that its hip can also rotate (or until the backside can move automatically without help)?
>
> I'm looking forward to the "cues" you offer to share with me.
>
> Please respond ASAP. <<<
>
> Hi BHL
>
> The cue is, “Rotate the heel – Rotate the bat-head.” It works fine for me. But if I got the results with it that you describe, I would certainly stop using it.
>
> Jack Mankin
>

Hello BHL,

I was working a player yesterday. He was staying tall on the rear leg and it was not dropping to parallel. His past tendecy has been to extend the rear leg and extend with rear elbow. Obviously he was not getting a hip turn. I made him sit in on a more bent rear leg. With it more "knock kneed" it served as a better spring. I also made him get more "linebacker" in his set up with the legs more bent at the knees and more spine angle. I asked him to get his rear elbow around and higher at toe touch. IMO rear side momentum comes from the circling and dropping of the rear elbow in the slot and the dropping of the rear knee to parallel. I then asked him to focus on not stopping the hip turn from launch to finish and keep his hips in front of his hands at all times. He did better on many swings but it takes time.


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