Subject: Why the hips prematurely open.

A good hitter will always stride with the "front toe closed." Batting coaches have preached this rule since the first game was played. "If you stride with the toe open, the hips are sure follow." What young hopeful hasn't heard those words of advice time and time again?

I have no real problem with the intent of the rule. But, I do have a problem with the batting mechanics that made the rule necessary. Many of the great hitters, Ted Williams for example, developed their swing without the aid of an instructor and yet have no problem with their hips opening too soon. What is it about the mechanics of great hitters that allows them to perform that loose powerful swing without worrying about their front toe? One might then wonder; what is it about the batting mechanics we teach that makes the hips want to open to soon?

The top hand is the dominant hand for most average batters. This would be the right hand for a right-handed hitter. If, while observing the swing of an average hitter, the bat were taken away and we observed only the hand-path of the top hand, it would closely resemble that of a boxer delivering a blow straight out to the midsection of an opponent. If you were to stand up and simulate delivering such a blow, you would quickly note that the "front toe" and hips would want to open to facilitate this type of action. Open-hips is a more powerful position whenever pushing (or driving) straight out with the hand is required. --- Sawing a board for example.

In the swing of a great hitter, there is no tendency for the top hand to drive straight back at the pitcher at the start of the swing. The direction of force of the top hand is AWAY from the pitcher. During the initiation of the swing, the great hitter "PULLS" on the bat handle with the fingers similar to the way an archer pulls on the bowstring. Now, the body is not setting up to extend the top hand and there will be no tendency for the hips to open to a driving position until later in the swing. Therefore, striding with the "front toe closed" would be a natural position. The lead knee will also want to be in a flexed closed position to maximize body rotation.