Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Tue Feb 10 18:21:07 2004

>>> I agree with the back-side through the front-side terminolgy, I find it helpful in teaching the BHT Jack has described. As far as the legs go for me....get the swing plane right and the legs do the right thing.....problem I see is that most don't have the swing plane right placing the legs into the act of compensation (for balance). However, if one was having success with driving the back knee down, I'd stick with it, especially if my buddy RQL is likes it.
> > > >
> > > > Had a youngster tell me the other day....you know what it's not front-side or back-side, it's shoulders as a unit. I said "exactly!" this is coming from a kid who used to pull the bat with his front side, by trying to turn the lead shoulder back or by pulling the lead arm. It's not always as simple, but in this particular case, we worked (in slow motion) the act of driving the backside throught the front and feeling the bat-head release, through BHT. The transformation has been miraculous for him. We never talked about the legs. Bat/Shoulders must work as a unit in my opinion.....same plane. So I think that on lower pitches there will be some spine tilt....certainly more than would be on a high pitch. Bonds definitly does this!
> > > >
> > > > Think shoulders/bathead same plane....get BHT torque right to feel the bathead release (as Jack has stated) and the legs will work correctly. <<<
> > > >
> > > > Hi Coach C
> > > >
> > > > Well stated. The ultimate purpose of all swing mechanics is to apply forces to the bat that generate maximum acceleration of the bat-head into a predicable swing plane. If accelerating the bat-head is not foremost in the batters practice sessions, he may wind up with good hip and shoulder rotation but a bat that lags behind. --- "Of what use is a 1000 HP engine .. if the transmission slips."
> > > >
> > > > Jack Mankin
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks Jack!!! It was nice to meet you...take care!!
> > >
> > > Coach C
> > > >
> >
> > I would agree when things go well there is the "connected feel" of the shoulders/arms/hands/bat getting loccked together for the last bit of coiling and the first part of uncoiling.Then connection is continued through contact with the lead shoulder pull back/bht/handpath hook .
> >
> > Epstein talks about a "one-piece" feel similar to the takeaway in golf,but I think this takeaway(initial inward turn) happens with a different feel in hitting.I feel the takeaway as a 2 piece action (first piece is internal rotation of back arm with hip cock,second piece is scap load as stride foot goes out)then comes the gradual establishment of the one-piece feel as you rotate into toe touch and drop and tilt.
> >
> > Here's a setpro thread with a golf plane rear shot of aaron:
> >
> > http://www.setpro.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000200#000001
> >
> >
>
> Tom,
>
> He gets on top of pitch, flattening out the swing. The extra up is from getting on top of the pitch.
>
> Back side or front side. The last clip of Aaron shows everything starting off the backside and finishing off the frontside. What I like about this clip is his forward momentum is caused from the work done on the backside and the 'stride' has nothing to do with how far forward he travels. The stride foot/knee are cocking backwards and not just reaching or striding.
>
> But'', his rotation is more like a spring action (coiling and uncoiling), as compared to foot or leg cues (using both legs as an example).
>
> He is, does or did, step into the swing so to speak. Or the hips were initiated in the stride like he said.
>
> But, I've seen very few who swung like Aaron (coiled, uncoiled).
>
> Shawn
>
> P.S. This is one way to convert momentum.
>
> Dear Shawn and Jack,

I think this topic is interesting, but would like to point out in "Get Your Arms Extended," the correct position for the middle-in pitch is front leg straight, back leg in an "L" position at contact. If you can attain this position at "crunch time," does it matter what "mental cues" one uses to attain it? Just a thought.

Secondly, I would like to defend my logic. According to Newtown's law of physics, for every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction.

If the equal but opposite reaction (i.e., hip rotation) by landing on the ball of the front foot, opening it 45+ degrees, and dropping the heel, I propose the following measures:

1) Roll onto the outside part of the front heel. This should occur naturally, since the weight distribution of both feet are equal but opposite. By this I mean that if the front foot does not roll, the weight will not "favor the outside of the back toe [on the back foot] during the follow through," as Steve Ferroli notices in Hit Your Potential. This mean hip rotation will be truncated, unless this movement occurs during the swing.

2) Turn the back foot and raise the back heel slightly. If the front foot drops and turns, then so too the back foot. If this does not occur, rotation will not but be stationary, but will take place around the backside.

3) Turn the back knee down and in. It makes sense that if the front leg straightens, causing the front knee to rotate up and away, it must be counterbalanced by a back knee turning down and in.

4) Turn the back hip around its axis. The front hip must rotate around its axis at the same rate of the back hip. If it does not, there is no harm in turning it proactively.

These equal but opposites cause rotation around a stationary axis.

Hope it becomes clear.

Sincerely,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com