Posted by: grc (bart) () on Thu Nov 13 07:11:54 2003

Hey guys,
> >
> > Just thought I'd ask you guys for some input. Here's something in my swing that I thought you guys could give me some help with (Jack, I'll send you some swings soon so you can get an in-depth look at it). When I stride, I reach with the front foot and glide to center with my body. Once heel drop occurs, there is usually a couple frames of gliding in order to compensate for my weight being back. First of all, I would like your opinions as to what this costs me in my swing (i.e. power, time??). Secondly, give me your opinions on how to fix this. Really, I think I already know how, but I'm just curious as to how you guys would handle it. Most of all, I want to know what this few frames of gliding (I like that word better than lunging because my weight doesn't go past center) costs me. Once the swing begins, there is no more forward movement and my axis of rotation is stationary. Just wanted you guys to throw some opinions out. Thanks
> >
> > Andy
>
> I think it could cost you alot. Most importantly power and time. Any degree of slide between heel drop and rotation is a delay in the swing. Seems to me that this needs to be eliminated.
>
> I think the time between decision and contact has to be as short as your body will allow. Those two frames of slide, if you're talking 30 frames per second is approaching a tenth of a second. Considering you only have a few tenths of a second to work with I'd work to remove that delay. Those precious tenths of a second will make all the difference in catching up to the 95+ heater. They'll make all the difference in you be allowed to "wait" so that a good decision can be made.
>
> How? Bracing the front knee? Feeling an attachment between heel and shoulder so that heel drop pulls shoulder turn? Making sure weight gets to center before at toe touch before heel drop?



pro hitter....here are my observations as to what the mlb hitters do (sample size about 100 power hitters)....

about half take 6 frames from toe touch to contact and about half take 5 frames....

for the latter, toe touch to heel plant, one frame, putting them in epstein's "torque position"....the other 4 frames is the standard amount of time for the swing....

for the former, about 2 frames for toe touch to "torque position", 4 frames for the swing itself...

when you consider that one frame = .033/sec and the difference in the different speeds of the pitches genenerally ranges from .030 to .060/sec, it is easy to conclude that the hitter taking an extra frame between toe touch & heel plant/torque position is due to the speed/timing of the pitch and NOT due to any implied faulty mechanics...

HOWEVER... "Once heel drop occurs, there is usually a couple frames of gliding"....this needs to be clarified....does this "glide" happen before the last 4 frames? if so, there's a chance that as you are "gliding" the front knee is bending too much, and this will inhibit rotation ( cause arms to come in too close to body, shoulder & hips wait too long to start rotating, resulting in a fence-drill-type of swing)...

on the other hand, if the "glide" is happening as the swing (last four swings) is starting, this may not be so bad (although i think jack has reasons to believe that this would constitute a mixing of "rotational" and "linear" mechanics, and therefore bad)....

but back to the numbers: NONE of the mlb hitters are taking more than 6 frames from toe touch to contact, and NONE are taking more than 2 frames from toe touch to torque position...if you are taking more than this, the reasons certainly should ne analyzed in detail....my general philosophy on video analysis of mlb hitters is that when 95 percent of the hitters are consistently doing one particular aspect of the swing exactly alike, even if we can not understand WHY, there MUST be a vaild reason why....certainly there are certain aspects of the swing that will vary, but any specific mechanic that is universally employed must have a valid reason....