Posted by: Coach C () on Sat Dec 13 11:08:59 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
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> thanks for the praise, it is invaluable a this point to have anybody actually saying something about what you do, it is a lonely road.
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> talking mechanics, i strive to be 50-50 in my stride and then go on the heel and rotate. it is true that landing on the interior of the foot that is, toe and heel together, not only is much more balanced but also gives a chance to rotate violently. i am experimenting with striding closed, cocking the front knee and then rotating the lead knee outside and it seems to work better. your thoughts?? you get a violent rotation plus a huge tilt and lean back a la griffey. this coupled with a lead hand extend across the chest seems to accelarate the bat head tremendously. i dont know if it works for real because i only have tried with wiffles at this point. all i know is that those wiffels get stinged meanly.
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> toti.
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> My best advise is this when it come to the front knee cock. While you're experimenting try to make things simple.....meaning no extra movement. Perfect the mechanics of planting the lead foot, with the proper upper body load sequence. As for the upper body sequence, try to maintain a strong connection with the upper arms and torso. Think short arms..no extension and this will help keep the arms connected to torso. You'll still get extension, but not with the arms flying away from the body. I am very curious about your progress, so keep me posted.

Take care,

Coach C