Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Mon Aug 18 20:44:56 2008

> > > > > This is going to be difficult to explain so bear with me.
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> > > > > I'm tired of hearing coaches say that the power source of a swing comes from the inward turn of the back leg. This well intentioned but incorrect advice has prevented/stalled players, including myself, from experiencing their full power potential.
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> > > > > The real power source of a baseball swing comes from the sideways hip thrust towards the pitcher. Once the hips begin moving toward the pitcher the legs simply redirect the energy generated from that linear movement into semi-rotational energy.
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> > > > > The reason coaches/instructors don’t pick up on this movement is because it’s EXTREMELY subtle, it’s not an exaggerated movement. Even when analyzing slow-motion video you might not be able to recognize it. Another reason this movement isn’t acknowledged even if it is seen is because it’s such a small movement, it’s natural to assume that such a small movement couldn’t be the cause of a 400ft blast, but then again it’s natural to think that the splitting of a microscopic atom couldn’t destroy a whole city.
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> > > > > Although the hip thrust is subtle, there are a few clues that it does occur.
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> > > > > 1. If you look at a frontal (pitcher’s mound) view of a major league hitter’s swing at contact you’ll see that the hips stick out slightly (for a righty they’ll be toward the third-base side, for a lefty they’ll be toward the first-base side). Watch the finish also, the front leg of the hitter will sometimes experience such a powerful pull force that it will actually move over a bit towards (third base for righties and first base for lefties). Now if the swing was simply a powerful rotation on a stationary axis the front leg would have the tendency to open up but not move over.
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> > > > > 2. The second and most obvious clue that hip thrust occurs is the back foot. (Jack this is where I disagree with you) At CONTACT a Major League Hitter’s back foot will be on the toe, sometimes so much force is generated that the back foot is in the air or is being pulled forward. This is the biggest hint that the back leg isn’t driving the hips but rather the hips are pulling the back leg. The inward turn of the back leg simply allows your hips to continue moving without resistance but they don’t cause the hips to move. If I’m holding onto the leash of a dog trying to run away and I let go of the leash I allow the dog to run away without resistance but I don’t cause the dog to run away. The inward turn of the back leg releases the hips, it doesn’t push the hips.
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> > > > > 33.3% of biomechanical movements is creating the maximum load (Potential Energy)
> > > > > 33.3% is channeling the forces for optimal delivery (Kinetic Energy)
> > > > > 33.4 is minimizing internal resistance.
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> > > >
> > > > Your Statement, "This is the biggest hint that the back leg isn’t driving the hips but rather the hips are pulling the back leg."
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> > > > If this is so then why not just stand with your weight on the front leg and turn the hips? What I'm trying to say is the hips may pull the back foot off of the ground but there has to be a push off of the ground with the back foot. This push is what gives the hips that final bit of power.
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> > > > Graylon
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> > > Because as Mankin already said in an early post, a baseball swing is a ballistic motion, so the back leg will be pulled off the ground without all of the weight resting on the front leg. You have to think ballistically not statically. Yes, standing with all of your weight on the front produces a similar but static result.
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> > > The sideways hip thrust toward the pitcher could be interpreted as the back leg pushing the hip to the side. But this is a sideways push toward the pitcher so the sartorius muscle (inner knee) of the back leg will be pulled toward the ground. The back heel wouldn't come off of the ground which would constitute an upward push.
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> > Exactly!! But the point I am trying to make is the swing does not happen middle out. Just because I push with the back leg does not make my rear hip slide. The lead hip is opening, clearing the path, getting out of the way. The back knee comes down, such as throwing. Then the push is what gets the rear hip exploding up and through the ball.
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> > what it sounds like to me what you are expaining is the back leg does nothing, that it is just along for the ride, that the rotational turn of the hips pulls it. What gets the hips moving to give them the energy to pull the foot off of the ground? It is a push off of the back leg.
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> > Graylon
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> Yes it is that initial sideways push with the back leg. That's all the back leg does as far as helping to create power. After that it is really just along for the ride. The inward turn of the back leg just acts as a release, it allows hip rotation to occur unimpeded but it doesn't cause the rotation or generate the power. I've seen countless pictures of Mark McGwire hitting homeruns where his back leg was barely even rotated (off course he was an andro user) this should tell anyone that his power obviously wasn't coming from the inward turn of the back leg.
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> No offense but your comment on exploding up and through the ball was silly, you don't explode "up and through the ball" your not jumping are you? The only reason that the back foot clears the ground at times is because the back thigh is pulled forward so forcefully that a load is actually created between the lower leg and thigh (similar to when a football player kicks a ball) this load is what causes the back foot to clear the ground.

Chuck,

You say my comment about the rear hip moving up is silly. Watch video of a MLB hitter and then get back to me. Really watch it, with an emphasis on the rear hip and then get back to me. If you really watch it and try to feel it, you will see the COG lower and around contact you will see the rear hip "pop" and it will "pop" up, in order to drive the energy in the direction of the path of the ball.

Graylon