Posted by: () on Sat Oct 26 10:51:23 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.

>>Jeff I have videoed alot of Bonds big hits in the series and well take a closer look for you ,but what I have seen in some of his homers is that he does get off his back side but for what I think are a couple of positive reasons it looks like he does not.For one his compact tight rotation never looks like he shifted weight forward,2nd the hard pulling back or hooking of the handpath pulls his weight back on the upper body,3rd the fact he hits the ball further back[letting it come to him hides the weight shift as well.I have seen him on numerous times up on his rear toe which shows drive off of rear leg tome ,but then the reactive torque in the follow thru quickly sets him back on the ball of his rear foot looking like he is a backfoot hitter.When I study my new footage I well be able to substaniate or throw out my theory,email me jeff if you want to tak hiting 1 night.