Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: Daniel () on Thu Jun 28 06:34:39 2001

Jack,
>
> It is my belief that power starts with the feet and continues up the body and creats torque with a hip turn that pulls the upper body into the swing.
>
> I compare it to an "unfolding flower" that starts at the feet moes through the hips shoulders, arms and ends with the bat powering through the ball. Each movement following the other from the bottom to the top.
>
> If you don't agree with this, I would like to know your reason.
>
> Assuming you do, this requires that the hips turn before the shoulders and should be a little more open until the shoulders catch up after contact with the ball.
>
> It has been my observation that the "crush the bug" drill encourages batters to turn their hips and shoulders at the same time. Further, that even without the "bug" drill some hitters get into this habit.
>
> I beleive that hips first is the most important source of power in the swing. It allows for the creation of power with out a explosion of movement that results in a control causing misshits. Many coaches miss this hard to see
> out-of-sync movement or do not think it's a problem.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Joe B.
>
> I think you're exactly right - I always thought of the swing as uncoiling from the ground up. The problem with this being universally accepted is that it almost impossible to feel and see in real time. In slow motion, frame by frame analysis, it's clear that there is a sequence of rotation starting with the feet turning followed by the knees, hips, shoulder and bat. It looks like the whole body is turning simultaneously when you watch a batter live. If I initiate a full speed swing and pay as close as attention as possible to what is happening, I still can't really feel the sequential nature of the rotation, even if I know it's happening. So - the same thing applies to drills, it's very difficult to turn the hips and shoulders at exactly the same time. So it's possible that the "bug" drill is reinforcing the proper sequence of rotation - but you have to analyze the swing even during the drill with frame by frame video to confirm it. Daniel

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Re: Re: Torque, Hips and The Bug Joe B. [ Fri Jun 29 07:20:14 2001 ]

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> Jack,
> > 
> > It is my belief that power starts with the feet and continues up the body and creats torque with a hip turn that pulls the upper body into the swing.
> > 
> > I compare it to an "unfolding flower" that starts at the feet moes through the hips shoulders, arms and ends with the bat powering through the ball.  Each movement following the other from the bottom to the top.
> > 
> > If you don't agree with this, I would like to know your reason.  
> > 
> > Assuming you do, this requires that the hips turn before the shoulders and should be a little more open until the shoulders catch up after contact with the ball.  
> > 
> > It has been my observation that the "crush the bug" drill encourages batters to turn their hips and shoulders at the same time.  Further, that even without the "bug" drill some hitters get into this habit.
> > 
> > I beleive that hips first is the most important source of power in the swing. It allows for the creation of power with out a explosion of movement that results in a control causing misshits. Many coaches miss this hard to see 
> > out-of-sync movement or do not think it's a problem.
> > 
> > What do you think?
> > 
> > Joe B.  
> > 
> >  I think you're exactly right - I always thought of the swing as uncoiling from the ground up.  The problem with this being universally accepted is that it almost impossible to feel and see in real time.   In slow motion, frame by frame analysis, it's clear that there is a sequence of rotation starting with the feet turning followed by the knees, hips, shoulder and bat.  It looks like the whole body is turning simultaneously when you watch a batter live.  If I initiate a full speed swing and pay as close as attention as possible to what is happening, I still can't really feel the sequential nature of the rotation, even if I know it's happening.  So - the same thing applies to drills, it's very difficult to turn the hips and shoulders at exactly the same time.  So it's possible that the "bug" drill is reinforcing the proper sequence of rotation - but you have to analyze the swing even during the drill with frame by frame video to confirm it.  Daniel

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