Posted by: Bart () on Sun Oct 6 08:04:17 2002

This cue reality stuff is very complicated/detailed and interpretations are shaded by feel and assumptions about how feel is associated with video.
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> Epstein defines the torque position as the angle os separation after the heel has dropped.This may be important for drills and part practice.However,My thinking is that when the hips "hook up" to reversse/uncoil the torso(something that actually works up the spine,not just a 2 parter),it may be possible for the front foot to still be in the air or for there to be toe touch without heel drop,especially when you have to turn fast on the inside pitch.The front foot probably has to be down for good hip deceleration.This may only matter diagnostically at many frames per second.Or it may be useless or worse,confusing.Just some thoughts from looking at too much slowmo.

Tom, I agree, or perhaps I should say I will acquiesce to Epstein's definition of the torque position. Afterall, it's simply his definition of a particular key moment in the swing. Where I disagree with Epstein is in the need for drills in order to achieve a position which I think a hitter will achieve anyway if he does everything right from the beginning.

I agree that sometimes wrong conclusions can be drawn from video analysis, whether it's slo-mo or not. The key to slo-mo/freeze frame video analysis (and that is the best kind of video analysis)is sample size.

For example, I have a countless number of clips where the following observations are consistent with 90 percent of the major league hitters: (1) from initial toe touch to contact is 6 frames. (2) to narrow it down even more, at toe touch (first frame) the bat angle is generally about 30 degrees. By the end of the second frame, the heel has landed, the bat has began uncocking to the point where it is near-vertical, and the hips have rotated about 30 degrees. This is Epsteins torque position, although he doesn't get into as many specifics as I do.From this torque position, contact is 4 frames away.

At the risk of boring you with even more specifics, by the end of the 4th frame (2 frames away from contact), generally the hands/knob are even with the back knee, with the bat still not being quite parallel with the ground. 1/2 frame later (1 1/2 frames away from contact), the bat is parallel with the ground and this is the "lag position".

Study of the lag position is important for various reasons. This is the point where the bat has come down and out and it is ready to be arced out. It is the first and last point where the knob is facing the pitcher.

These various reference points are consistent from good hitter to good hitter, and I think youth hitters should spend more time comparing their swing in it's various stages with these reference points...a lot could be learned about what may be right or wrong with their swing.