Posted by: Shawn (bellshw@aol.com) on Tue Jan 16 13:16:36 2001

Dear Shawn,
> > > One of the purest, simplest, and effective rhetoric ever bestowed upon me came from a batter instructor that taught SLOW STEP, FAST HIP.
> > >
> > > After a careful examination of the muscle groups in the body, I have decided that the "back hip pocket" (a term Dusty Baker uses, but only to describe the inward turn) must pivot and try to face the pitcher, although it will only end up facing the catcher. I no longer pivot, but keep all my weight on my back foot, and turn hard.
> > >
> > > Believe me, it's the only way to hit a softball 400+ feet.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > > Knight1285@aol.com
> > > The Black Hole Lexicographer
> >
> > BHL -
> > If turning hard with your back leg/foot gives you power, what would happen if you also turned your front hip back at the same time by using your front leg as well? Wouldn't two legs work even better than one to get the job done?
>
> BHL,
>
> Are you pre coiled in the stance or prior to release (upper body already pointing toward the pitcher)?
>
> Major Dan,
>
> Both legs are important, but there is a bind that happens in the back hip (above the hip) from the upper body working against the lower body.
>
> Stabilizing the back hip (or leg) is more important than just shifting your weight back. Loading the back hip stabilizes the hip (leg) and sets up the "bind" and the inward turn. This bind must and will release (twist in the abs) as you prepare to swing.
>
> Stride, stride length, inward turn, stance (square, open, closed) all play a factor in how the hitter starts the lower body. Weight shifty hitters "usually" just release later.
>
> Helton and Nomar are like springs ready to "go" (Nomar more so). Comparing Helton to Rafeal and you can argue weight shift and rotational for days. Helton comes off the backside (knee, or drops of the back knee), and Rafeal's "bind" and rotation is released much later (glides, drives forward off the back foot/knee).
>
> Rotation comes very natural for hitters who have this going on. Squashing the bug just doesn't get the job done correctly (IMO).
>
> BHL, pointed out something I look for while watching the lower body. The knees will come forward as the stride is being completed and you can "see" if the back side (front of the thigh, hip) is actually being used correctly. It's why it "looks" like the front knee/leg extension is more important during the actual swing, and why some may over teach throwing the backside.
>
> My favorite place to stand is facing the hitters back and watching the lower body, easy to see when the bind happens naturally and therefor rotation. Or if they good leverage off the back knee (leg, back foot rotation), or just spin, or to much weight on the back foot, etc. Almost all of it depends on how the player swings as a whole, timing, upper body starting to soon, to late, etc. The entire swing, process is more important than a single element.
>
> Some hitters may stride, stop and then swing trying to force rotation after the completion of the stride (can never really get the back side into the swing). This will happen even with a good hitter when they start to swing to soon, or maybe try to hard to rotate.
>
> And maybe one of biggest problems with instructions maybe to stride 'straight'. The slide step is then formed to stride straight, and there is little to no "signs" of setting up rotation (loading the back hip, no inward turn). Yes, the stride foot ends up fairly straight forward, but the path to set up or create rotation is anything but straight (front knee, front hip).
>
> Lower body rotation is set up to be released upon/as the stride is being completed, the backside releases first (back knee). Then both legs become important, stabilizing rotation and creating a base for the swing. Simple preparing to swing and swinging (coiling and coiling), except technique is more important than how much you can "STRETCH" before swinging (the cat preparing to strike, slow feet fast hip, muscle activation, quickness). It's why a certain individual say's rotation is initiated in the stride (front heel dropping), because if the upper and lower body are working correctly the bind will happen naturally and therefor rotation (must release).
>
> I think what BHL is referring to is an conversation about thinking the legs are completely responsible for rotation. Trying to force rotation late, or trying to push hip rotation after the stride. The interactions between the upper and lower body plays a huge role in the ML swing, and why ML hitters say very little about their swing, rotation, etc.. It's always I load my backside and stride, I coil and uncoil, I prepare to swing and swing, always something easy and important (simple) being said.
>
> Shawn

BHL,

Do you feel it's combining a little weight shift and then turn? Both legs and hips (torso) adding to quickness and batspeed? (turning off the backside).

Shawn