Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Sat Jan 17 06:01:17 2004

Nice to debate on this site again. I read some posts near the end of December 2003 where you stated that the heel drop--and not the turning of the front foot--was primarily responsible for initiating hip rotation. If this is true, why does a person have to begin with their front foot closed, and pivot it? Would it not make more anatomical sense to just open it 90 degrees, and drop it straight down (we are assuming that a person has also tucked the front shoulder under his or her chin) to initiate hip rotation?
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> Hi BHL
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> I think Donny’s comments were right on target. -- The stipulation you added, “(we are assuming that a person has also tucked the front shoulder under his or her chin)” is a key factor in why I like teaching a student to land with the foot more closed and rotating the foot open to initiate the swing.
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> One of the Absolutes to generating maximum bat speed by contact is that after the “in-ward turn”, the hands must stay back at the back-shoulder during initiation. I refer to this as “Hiding the hands” from the pitcher in the launch position. I noted while doing hundreds of video swing analysis of young hitter’s swings, that there was a definite correlation between how open the front-foot was at toe-plant and how far the hands pre-maturely opened before initiation.
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> After pointing this out to the students with a frame-by-frame analysis and recommending they land more closed and rotate the foot open at initiation, those that I reviewed again later showed much improved performance. I am not saying that a batter cannot keep their hands back while striding to an open foot – but I am saying it makes it much more difficult.
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> Jack Mankin
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Greetings Jack,

You crystallized your message about how turning the shoulder back, while opening the front leg 90 degrees--then dropping it straight down--creates an inordinate amount of tension, which, although some individuals can use effectively (e.g, Ted Williams), should be avoided by most "do-it-yourselfers." However, I never like to understand exclusively not what to do, without understanding what to do. That being said, I watched your DVD thrice this weekend.

At the end of your DVD, I noticed that when John Elliot turns his heel, you point out how he shifts his weight on the front foot before rotation begins. This is so when the heel hits the ground rotation can begin. I also noticed that, at impact, his front foot pointed directly at the pitcher, meaning that his hips were wide open at contact. So, I guess your point that striding with a closed front foot, as long as you swivel it, is well taken.

I am waiting for the leaves to twitch, the blades of grass to bristle my cleats, and the sun to balm the head of shrubs. Until then, I need suggestions on a leg rotation exercise I devised. In this exercise, I flex my front knee, and have my front heel up, and pointing towards an imaginary "plate." I then shift weight onto that foot, and "squish the bug" like you said, until my front foot opens 90 degrees. This will make the "L" naturally, as you suggested, and will afford me the ability to concentrate on a new way of opening my hips. Remember, I'm just using my legs. Then, I'll pick up a bat.

Any suggestions? Change is difficult, so help me through it.

Sincerely,
BHL
Knightt1285@aol.com