Posted by: Jimmy () on Sun Nov 25 13:49:46 2007

> Mike-
>
> While we can't see your swing, it can still help to understand that you should try to swing the way the good mlb hitters do and to learn what this consists of so you will have some idea of what it is you are trying to learn.
>
> Also start getting an idea of what this looks like on video/in person/try to start converging "look and feel"/visualization and execution.
>
> Jack explains the mechanics your body is trying to take advantage of best.
>
> RQL has some good advice about weight shift and rotation sequence.
>
> What do mlb hitters mean, though, by a firm front side ?
>
> What might the advantage of a narrow stance be in addition to making hip turn easier and hip sway less likely ?
>
> MLB hitters need to read the pitch as long as possible. This requires:
>
> 1- Having a quick swing which consists of the best possible combo of short swing (path of bathead from launch - a difficult landmark to pin down - to contact) taken as fast as possible
>
> 2 - being able to start the swing acceleration/bathead launch well behind them if necessary.
>
> #1 + #2 = "early batspeed" which is a necessary foundation for maximum read time and the all important :
>
> 3 - "late adjustment". A good swing is about the adjustment you make on the fly which requires good anticipation and adequate "read time".
>
>
> Jack explains very well/in detail how the in vs out adjustment happens, how the upper body controls the swing and how to synch the upper and lower body when you turn the handle/turn the (front) heel.
>
> Jack does not explain much detail of any possible "absolutes" of the lower body/weight shift or up/down adjustment.
>
> Here are some essential absolutes for consideration given the above requirements.
>
> 1 - rhythmic preswing activity, because you have to get your body in a mode/rhythm where you will control the swing by a push/pull/torquing/2 handed action on the bat handle.
>
>
> 2- inward turn of whole body associated with shifting of weight (not necessarily center, but center can also shift back) so that it is carried more/entirely on back foot AND by rocking the shoulders. front shoulder down and in, back shoulder up.
>
> - the inward turn will be important because turning back will then make it possible to start the bathead launch/acceleration further back.
>
> - the narrow stance/base makes this inward turn easier, later you can use a wider base for firing the hips using the front foot as a base which is one reason a stride is a very good thing (another reason is that a stride makes it much easier for the upper body to synch with the lower body for good control of timing of coil/loading).
>
> - the weight shift will be important as the swing procceds because the weight must shift forward and up as the swing load and unoad proceeds with center ideally not falling back until after contact.
>
> -note, it is important that the entire body rotate backward without creating much separation (EXCESSIVE "counter-rotation") between how much the hips vs shoulders turn back this early in the swing.
>
> -The shoulder "rock" is necessary to prepare for later "tilt" which is necessary to load right for a quick swing (Jack not a believer here as far as I can tell) AND "late adjustment" which involves the in out adjustment as Jack has described it well, and involves the up/down adjustment which he does not describe much as far as I know.
>
> 3- hip cock which consists of pinching the waist and establishing a type of total body muscle tone that enables the riding of the back leg as described above by rql (back leg is carrying all the weight at this point) without swaying the hips AND which involves a strong
> tendency for the lower body action to mimic the upper body sequence (especially back arm and lead leg synch as in loading for overhand throw).
>
> - hip cock muscle tone is triggered by retaining balance as you go forward after establishing "offcenter balance" after picking up the front/stride foot.
>
> - the upper body continues turning back/bat cocks/tips as the hips then turn back less due to cocking, so some slight separation between hips and shoulders begins to develop which means your body (shifts) "forward by turning (backward)" as Dixon described it.
>
> 4- hand cock which involves primarily the lifting of the back arm synched to the spreading of the legs as the stride foot goes out and the forward motion of the body (lnear momentum) increases. Hand cock finishes when the bat finishes tipping/cocking and when the hips turn back to their max, immediately prior to any uncocking of the bat or opening of the front knee which comes next
>
> 5- rubberbandwinding/rotation into toe touch. This is controlled by the synched external rotation of the back arm and front leg. The back elbow plateaus and starts down. At the same tie, the front knee is turned open and then the hips begin to turn open, then the back leg. Front toe may touch, but :
>
> -weight is held back/not "shifted" yet
>
> -front shoulder remains tilted down, shoulders and hands "stay back"
>
> - legs continue to bend as you "sit"
> This is the phase Jack calls "pre-launch THT".
>
> Ball location/speed is starting to be recognized and adjustments for this unique pitch are starting to be made in the context of the plan/anticipation for this particular situation. (always have a plan and try to get a good pitch to hit and don't start late).
>
> As rubberband winding proceeds (uninterrupted additional separation of upper and lower body/increasing "x-factor"), the back leg and front arm internally rotate in synch while shoulders remain tilted down which continues to torque the handle and untip/uncock the
> bat as the hips continue to open for a synched "running start" while the shouders and hands continue to stay back.
>
> Location, swing timing and direction are then forced to be set and the "go" decisin is made. This results in the:
>
> 5 - "drop and tilt". Jack describes this phase as "THT at launch". Firing the hips open as the shoulders "tilt" or "laterally tilt" or "UNtilt" (if you think of them as still being tilted front shoulder down at this point. This is synched with weight shifting fully to the front foot.
>
> The shoulder "tilt" continues to keep the hands back and finishes the rubberband winding with a last quick stretch as the bathead is torqued out to the point of demanding momentum transfer from the body.
>
> ALL OF THIS IS HOW YOU CREATE A "FIRM FRONT SIDE" SO THAT YOUR FRONT SHOULDER DOES NOT "FLY OPEN".
>
> And you have early batspeed, max read time and accurate late adjustment to make for as long an effective (well lined p) "contact zone" and the lowest timing error possible for a fair/hard hit.
>
> The firm front side "feel" and the quick swing to contact without deceleration and with max batspeed AT contact can then be produced as:
>
> 6- the swing from bathead "launch" (when bathead fires out of arc of handpath to contact).
>
> The hips must continue to be turned/fired as much as possible. They WILL decelerae/slow/stop/give up their mmentum IF you have set the rest of the chain up as described. The body twist/torque that powers the swing will be felt as a firm front side that does not fly open IF you have stretched and unstretched/loaded and unloaded the body as described which requires the tilt of the shoulders controlled by the hands on the handle of the bat which also control the upper and lower body synch, the direction of weight shift and permit optimal synch of reversal of loading with firing of the bathead to trigger
> momentum transfer/segmented rotation for an early/quick/well matched swing plane.
>
> Good timing of coil and bathead firing AS the hips continue trying to turn WILL give you a firm front side AND get your leg well extended (less so for outside).
>
> This omits the details of in vs out and up vs down and fast vs slow adjustment.


Mike,

I would not advise trying to do all of Tom's suggestions this at once.

Actually, most that is described should never consciously be thought of ever. Most of the details that I do agree with here in Tom's post, happen naturally with some good basic fundamentals.

Part of your problem Mike, is that you are looking to fix something that should happen naturally with solid, basic fundamentals.

Focus on perfecting the basic fundamentals instead of focusing on the tiny details that should happen without extra thought or effort.

1.Good vision

2.Good balance

3.Good timing/rythm

Too much info Tom.

Good luck Mike.