Posted by: Jimmy () on Wed Feb 28 12:45:47 2007

> > > Jimmy -
> > >
> > > Don't get me wrong I understand that the back foot starts first, but what always
works
> > for my athletes is the simple fact of getting the hips through. From a teaching stand
point
> > this automatically turns the back foot into the upright position (Heel up).
> > >
> > > I have clips of several big league guys and one of my college clients that plays at
Dallas
> > Baptist University where they are making contact, the hips are about to finish, and the
> > back foot is only half turned. Granted it does come through after contact, but
"squishing
> > the bug" is a term I don't like to use because some literally turn their foot and the heel
> > never comes up. Which causes a shortage in full hip rotation.
> > >
> > > I know it's right the way what you are telling me, but it's just easier to get an athlete
to
> > rotate his hips, correctly, than to concentrate on the foot itself.
> > >
> > > Coach Matthews
> >
> > Coach,
> >
> > I hear your point, but the problem that I have with having the hitter concentrate on
> > rotating their hips is the tendancy to rotate too soon and too hard.
> >
> > The hips come through at different degrees depending on the pitch location. When
the
> > hitter puts too much emphasis on hip turn, his hips will end up working too soon, too
> > hard, and too much. The legs help to rotate the hips and the feet help to rotate the
legs,
> > so this is why I would rather have the hitter work from his feet up instead of just right
to
> > the hips. This also helps with the natural progression of the swing in terms of rythm.
> >
> > Jimmy
>
> Hi Jimmy and Coach Matthews,
>
> I have read the arguments of whether one should squish the bug or just just rotate the
hips. This proves a point of dissention between Jack Mankin and Paul Nyman. Jack, on the
one end, believes that proper hip rotation is the cause of proper lower body mechanics.
Paul, inversely, believes that hip rotation causes the pivoting the feet. Some may believe
that both actions are simultaneous rather than a product of causality.
>
> While I believe that rotation starts from the ground up, and therefore am firmly in Jack's
camp concerning this matter, this does not mean that all of Paul's opinion on this matter
amount to useless rhetoric. Paul, for example, suggests one way that his credoes can be
combined with those of Jack. If, for example, thinking "ground-up" causes the hips to
turn, according to Paul, then that person has found "the right cue." Jack, on the other
hand, would suggest that lower body mechanics actually enhance hip turn, and not just a
cue.
>
> Personally, I like how Mike Epstein's synergy of lower body and hip movements drills
allow an individual to use his or her hips effectively. (Please remember, though, that this
is just my opinions.) Here are Epstein's cues:
>
> Here is an example of a cue that has helped me. This is taken from Mike Epstein.
>
> Mike,
> I'm now on my fourth time watching the videos and you're right, I am picking up on little
things that I didn't notice before.
>
> But this 1-2 heel drop is still puzzling me. I've actually tried it for myself. And I don't
feel the heel drop making my hips turn. Is the heel drop more or less a timing mechanism?
>
> Mike's Answer:
>
> 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 have 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.
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Good luck, continued success, and “get a good pitch to hit!”
>
> -Mike
>
> I hope this serves both of you well.
>
> Best,
> BHL
> Knight1285@aol.com
>
> P.S. In the end, the goal is hip rotation, and the goal is to get it whatever way you can.

BHL,

Thanks for the post. I do agree with Mike Epstien in the description of how the feet are
related to proper hip turn. The front heel and back heel work in unison (as front heel
lands/back heel rises). This starts the proper sequence in the lower half to maximize its
strength.

I have seen many hitters get hip turn without the proper start of the feet, but the hip turn
is not maximized, nor is the strength. I guess the hips get through just enough when this
happens but I wouldn't teach it. You can see this when the hitters back foot doesn't turn at
all, but rather rolls onto its instep toward the inside of the ankle. (example would be Sean
Casey).

Anyways, thanks again for your input.

Jimmy