Posted by: coach () on Thu Apr 29 03:53:37 2004

Hi All,
> >
> > Apparently, one individual was having trouble with hip rotation. More specifically, this person thought dropping the heel was more of a timing step than a motion to trigger the swing, since he did not feel the backside rotating upon heel touch. Here is Mike Epstein's response:
> >
> > No, it is not a timing mechanism; it is a de facto mechanical movement necessary to initiate proper hip rotation. Try this. When you drop your front heel, lift your rear heel up at the same time (Do NOT “squish the bug”). Move your rear knee slightly down and in and then slightly turn your rear hip “around” the imaginary axis you’ve set up in your stride. Once you have done this a few times and feel comfortable, attempt it doing all the moves simultaneously. When you drop your front heel, you should feel a “swiveling” of your hips from back to front. Sometimes, and this may very well be true in your case, you have to “help” it along at first. Once the body understands its role, it will take over from there.
> >
> > This is my advice to all individual who have trouble with getting their backside into the swing.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > BHL
> > Knight1285@aol.com
> >
> > P.S. Couple these great "cues" with Jack Mankin's upper body "cues," and one will attain unbelievable results!
>
> Sorry BHL- you quoting Epstein on this specific front heel mechanic has come back too haunt you on this site. I would refer you and any other posters to his website (home page no less) to review one of his students in a video clip demonstrating his newly learned rotational swing. Clip reference is Nick Ammiriti of Sparta NJ.
> If Epstein advocates the front heel drop as a "de facto" then how come we don't see it at all in his students swing? Not once..not ever? Is EPSTEIN really teaching what "he sees" and what "he" promotes? Not if this student is one of his promo examples? By the way, this student does demo a pretty good rotatioal swing.
>
> My point is- I can get in my batting stance,lift and drop my front heel until the cows come home and my hips do not initiate rotation. I would agree with Epstein that the lifting of the back heel and inward rotation of the back knee initiates hip rotation but...and again as "witnessed" on his "own" sight with his own student...this can happen without any front heel drop whatsoever.
>
> Based on his own video clip I would change "de facto" to "in fact" the front heel drop is a timing mechanism and "NOT" necessary to generate hip rotation. This is not to bash Epstein's methods or his credibility but more so his contention that we coaches are not "teaching what we see" when in fact in this instance...neither is he.
>
> If any posters check out the referenced clip you will not be able to argue this fact of believing what you see...though I am sure BHL will linguistically and theoretically combat my post instead of telling all of us what he saw with his own eyes from that clip.


Nothing happens until the front heel drops. What really initiates the hips is debateable. I will tell you that I can lift my back heel and turn my knee in and not really open my hips as weel. What I think Mike is saying is that until the front heel drops the hips shouldn't really initiate and that the feel should be be more of the front side pulling around rather than the backise pushing forward.The backside just needs to come along for the ride. Meaning the back heels and knee turns in because the hips are rotating and help let the hips clear and are not starting the hip rotation.