Posted by: Kajun Coach () on Sat Dec 13 06:01:06 2003

have any of you guys tried this? because it feels good and helps stay close and connected. i have improved a lot since i do it.
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> > > > has anybody got anything against rotating on the heel? it seems most major leaguers doit. jeter for example. he strides closed and then opens up and rotates onthe heel. manny too.
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> > > > thanks toti
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> > > I assume you mean the front heel. The answer is yes. When you rotate on the front heel, you are hitting against the leg, which encourages rotation. Or to say it another way, you are taking more of the weight in the hip socket, rather than the front knee.....which will often give way and promote sway. Good job Toti....I can see your hard work is paying off.
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> > > A lot of great hitters hit between (or against) the legs, not on top of them. I don't like the term weight back. My set up is 50/50 and it's one small stride to the ball. Any forward move to the ball will stop as the lead hip absorbes the weight. When I stride I land toe/heel together for the most part. If I think toe touch first then I feel I would be spinning on the toe (thus spinning/or swaying my hips), rather than rotating on the heel, which puts the hips in the best possible position for true rotation around the center axis.
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> > >
> > > Good Luck,
> > > Coach C
> >
> > I personally feet that your weight should be on the balls of the feet even during rotation. Could you explain how you rotate on your front heel? I can't imagine this!
>
> Toti, you might have something here. Take a look at this site for some clips. http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/swings.html
> Look at the following where you can see the front foot
> Bonds #4; Giambi #1 Griffey #5 Renteria #1; and Sosa #6
> These guys are in fact on their front heel. Kajun Coach you need to take a look too.

After watching the clips, I do agree that the front foot pivots eventually on its heel. But, if you notice closely with all hitters, the front foot starts on the ball of the foot. I think that it is a natural reflex (of pivoting on the heel) caused by landing on the ball of the foot. I don't think anyone should concentrate on pivoting on their heel. I think it should flow naturally from landing on the ball of the foot.