Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Fri Dec 20 08:45:59 2002

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> >Tom,#3 interesting,would you say that when you get inside pitch you speed up hip uncock or maybe just when your late on timing of inside pitch and your usually timing it to toe touch.Also would you delay toe touch or delay hip uncock after toe touch on an outside pitch.Seems like this could be a reality that I may could turn into a cue for hitters,what are your thoughts.rql

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> > > > www.angelfire.com/80s/baseball1/hitting/bondshrd.html
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> > > > A rear shot of Bonds in the home run derby.
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> > > > Ultimately we are teaching/learning feel that needs to become automatic.
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> > 3-key moment ending scap load is: back elbow drop simultaneous with hips uncocking when scap is fully loaded.Exactly when this happens varies depending on location.Timing info is oriented by consistent toe touch.Some players who need to turn really quick may uncock the hip/drop back elbow as the toe is touching,most of the time this move will be at a variable time after toe touch.
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A few thoughts:

-Better a little late than a little early.Once you slow down,mechanics go down the tubes unless you get enough time to really re-load.

-Hard to say when the swing/dance with pitcher begins.You can consciously think about when you start the dance,but once started try to keep the time to toe touch the same.

-It is possible to start rotation/uncock hip(and back elbow drop)while the front foot is still in the air.In fact this will be necessary if you take a big forward stride like Aaron to get around on the very inside location(see clip under video fun).However,this should not be necessary with the shorter or slower(Arod pitcher type stride).The front foot does not have to bear weight until it's time for the hips to start decelerating which is just after torso launch(it takes a frame or so for uncocking the hip to start driving the torso during which time you want to get the bat moving and lined up with the front arm).

-I think the body has more to work with to get excellent timing when the toe touch happens before the hips uncock/when toe touch happens as predicted/anticipated.

-The pitch is mostly recognized well before toe touch.The last bit of info recognized is the velocity related front to back location which is the biggest timing challenge.A few extra milliseconds of reaction time pays big dividends here if you can have a quick swing and trust it.

-First preference would therefore be to start generic dance with pitcher/usual tempo at a different time depending on what is anticipated,erring on side of being slightly early.

-Second option if unable to catch up with a go to pitch(?inside heater) is to increase overall tempo of swing from start to finish.In this case time from start of dance to toe touch WILL be compressed,but relative timing of swing pieces will be same(motor programs scale up and down like this by everything compressing or expanding equally without changing the proportion of time each piece takes-another confusing but important principle stated by Nyman-"relative timing stays constant".Timing error will increase in this case(but acceptably)and range of possible timing adjustment(when hip triggers rotation by uncocking)will be smaller before the overall muscle chain is broken and timing ruined.

-It is much better(less timing challenge) to be looking inside or out,not trying to cover both unless in 2-strike type situation(in which case you might want to shorten mechanics-see Epstein's method).

-These adjustments should offer good timing coverage.Then you need enough practice of all variables so that the timing of when the hip uncocks becomes automatic/subconscious in each swing as the learned motor program is chosen and executed as the location(in 3D) is recognized.Uncock will be earlier inside than out,but the adjustment will be automatic as the swing unfolds.(Another Nyman principle-Automaticity).

-You do speed up hip uncock for inside,but it is automatic within tempo you have set up.Try not to mess with tempo of dance to toe touch if you don't have to.

-Remember another way of adjusting is to tightn the arc of the handpath which accelerates torso turn-I prefer to try to encourage this rather than starting hip uncock so early that the front toe has not touched yet.A combo of minimal enough stride plus handpath tightening should mean you could initiate uncocking the hips only at or after feeling the front toe touch.