Posted by: John () on Fri Oct 25 14:29:05 2002

Hey Jack, I've been having some trouble getting off of my back leg in the swing. I try to imitate Bonds lower body, by staying back more, but I collapse the back leg a little too much. I was wondering how much of a factor this is in batspeed putting too much weight on the back leg, and what your Ideal lower body mechanics are for a power hitter? Thanks for the help
> > > The Hitman
> >
> > Hi folks
> >
> > I have been working on understanding the mechanics Jack describes for
> > about two years now as a former small college player and current summer amateur.
> >
> > Jack has said before that a dropping back side isn't caused by what
> > most people attribute it to. Most coaches ty to fix posture, the
> > dropping shoulder or spine angle.
> >
> > That doesn't work. Posture is a product of the energies the hitter
> > creates.
> >
> > I think Jack is correct when he says too much weight on the back leg
> > stems from the top hand wanting to drive forward. It wants to fall
> > into what the hitter feels is a stronger position for pushing. Every-
> > thing else falls down and in too to support this motion.
> >
> > Changing this is a monstrous problem. Before anyone can worry about
> > getting the bat moving before starting the swing, he must be able
> > to start a static bat with rotation only. Jack calls it "oarlocking"
> > the bottom hand near the shoulder, and spinning, letting the rotation
> > carry the arms and bat around.
> >
> > That keeps the posture from sagging. It takes time and the heavy bag.
> > I kind of laugh when people write in and say they taught this or that
> > to a youngster on Tuesday and he was hitting homers on Saturday.
> >
> > Only when the top arm and hand are roped in and tamed can a hitter
> > begin to experiment with getting the bat head moving before deciding
> > to swing. That is actually easier, and when learned, earns the hitter
> > the big dream: a one-motion swing that starts out on a foolproof
> > trajectory every time.
> >
> > That is the dream: a one-motion swing that starts before you know
> > where the ball is. What Jack calls top-hand torque (I think a better
> > term is something more ordinary, like maybe "early bat movement," or
> > something equivalent)is what separates great hitters from the rest.
> > Almost every great hitter has it, an no one who has it isn't a great
> > hitter.
> >
> > But getting off the back side -- not with a lunge or weight shift,
> > but with balanced rotation that keeps the top arm from pushing --
> > -- is the first step.
> >
> > Melvin
>
> Melvin,
>
> deleted -- XXX
>
> F. J.