Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Wed Mar 19 08:48:58 2003

ray-

My simple minded non-scientific personal intepretation of my own feel/video(I hope that's enough disclaimers-I never played pro ball,I never taught a pro,I am just a poor old broken down ex-soccer player -beware,it's the internet,nothing is what it seems,etc.,etc,)is that using weight shift "energy" to boost hip turn to the max is what Initaites the swing from a timing perpspective.The swing can probably still be aborted after this point.A lot of this is based on Nyman's ideas(my idiosyncratic interpretation,not what he actually says/supports with data/info).

It is all about timing,and the shorter the path of the sweetspot from launch to contact and the quicker this path is traversed,the lower the timing error.So you want the shortest,quickest swing possibly which is a short handpath radius rotational swing as demonstrated by Bonds,for example.

I think it's a good idea to keep the center of gravity between the feet.The center of gravity gets started forward early in the swing,perhaps just before the "hip cocks".It continues forward controlled mostly by back leg flex.As the pitch is recognized,you automatically have trained yourself to get your entire body to a particular position at a particular time,and the timing of the weight coming forward and even when the stride toe touches can be slightly changed.

In addition/superimposed over this is the rotational action of the body created by loading/stretching separating.The key timing factor here is how much you "load back" as rql calls it.If you "load back more"(very slight spectrum/range of difference here)you create a longer handpath radius for the arcinghandpath that needs to be tightly connected at "launch"(when torso turn drives handpath).More load back/longer handpath radius/higher load/more separation/slower torso turn/more swinging out of bat arc for getting sweetspot to outside location.

Your body needs to be rotating in space and still separating(lower half opening,torso staying back,still loading) before the front foot comes down as weight is still shifting forward,but not beyond where the front foot is coming down.

After the front toe touch,you can then stop the forward weight shift at the right time to maximize hip turn velocity which is then when you "launch" the torso.Most of the timing adjustment is after front toe touch,although rate of weight shift and degree of load and separation are somewhat set earlier.All this depends on great visual recognition and experience.

The commonest way this is taught that I have seen is the same for overhand throw,underhand throw(fastpitch windmill) and hitting is to focus on vigorous hip turn after the front toe touches/toe touch as a "trigger" for forceful hip turn.This can be somewhat sucessful and some who use this get good results because they know a good overall motion when they see it,but they don't understand what really happens visually(separation has alredy been created,how do you optimize that for example)so teaching how to teach this is not usually successful..As Jack has mentioned,it feesl like the hips and torso turn together,yet the hips lead the hands.As Nyman has said,it is a single overall body motor program adn arm/hand action is king.

Just some personal idiosyncratic thoughts from another timing is king believer.