Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Tue Feb 5 19:15:55 2008

> > > > My son recently attended a hitting clinic at a D1 college. He has always been taught to 'squash the bug' meaning his weight has ended up back, or at least somewhat middle at the end of his swing. But they are teaching to end up on the back toe (looks like a ballerina) which means that the majority of his weight has to end up on his front leg. He is totally confused and so am I. Help!
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> > > We would all be better off if the person that coined the phrase "Squash the bug" would have said "get off the bug".Forget trying to squash anything.Just have him explode his hips and his foot will appear as if it "squashed the bug" if they open correctly.There should be little weight on his backside when the hips start.
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> > Pardon me I'm new here. I'm trying to go over all the content and posts but it's going to take some time! Are you saying that after loading, much/most of his weight should be on his front leg, or just take a 'in the middle' stance?
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> Hey David-
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> If you look at a batter that swings at a pitch that allows him to fully open his hips it will "appear" that he has squashed the bug if he swings correctly.The problem is what "squashing the bug" implies to some, which is pivot on the rear foot before shifting weight.
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> The batter should push off from the ball of his rear foot to shift weight to the front side but there should be little weight on the rear foot as it pivots.Weight on the back side while the batter is attempting to rotate his hips will constrict the swing.
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> To answer your question about where the weight should go I tell the player to land on his front foot like he is stepping on ice and EXPLODE HIS HIPS.In my opinion, the more weight on the front foot as the hips BEGIN to rotate,the less explosive the hip movement will be.As the hips and shoulders come around, the batter will seek balance and naturally put more weight on the front foot but I would never tell some one to make an effort to put weight on the front foot.
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> For what it's worth I work with younger kids and I never mention "squashing the bug" because it can be so easily misunderstood.I instead say "hips first".The momentum created by proper hip rotation will put the swing on rails and everything else just falls into place.
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> There is a lot of great information on this site, although I don't agree with it all.And I'm sure there will be some that won't agree with what I've said... but it works for me.
>
> Good Luck


Bill Y,

I'm a little confused with these statements, although I agree with some of it.

"The batter should push off from the ball of his rear foot to shift weight to the front side but there should be little weight on the rear foot as it pivots.Weight on the back side while the batter is attempting to rotate his hips will constrict the swing.

To answer your question about where the weight should go I tell the player to land on his front foot like he is stepping on ice and EXPLODE HIS HIPS.In my opinion, the more weight on the front foot as the hips BEGIN to rotate,the less explosive the hip movement will be."

You may have written it wrong or I may be reading it wrong, but in the first paragraph you say, "Weight on the back side while the batter is atempting to rotate his hips will constrict the swing" and in the second paragraph you write, " IMO, the more weight on the front foot as the hips begin to rotate, the less explosive the hip movement will be." So where do you think the weight should be?

IMO, as the batter loads his weight will move back. As he strides I agree that he should be placing his foot down, while the weight stays back. The lead hip will be clearing to make room for the swing to take place. The weight is still back, at "go" is when the weight shifts forward with a push off of the rear leg, as the rear hip is driven forward this will some times pull the rear foot off of the ground. The energy is then, into the firm front leg and since the lead hip is already out of the way it becomes rotational energy. I think of it as my weight is still back but my energy and momentum is moving forward. I know the scientists out there will have a field day with that last statement.

Graylon