Posted by: larry briody (ljbriody1@aol.com) on Thu Jan 9 06:10:35 2003

The debate on rotational mechanics and linear weight transfer
mechanics is as old as baseball itself. I'm not convinced it will
ever be agreed upon, mainly because neither term really applies to my
way of thinking.
> Unfortunately the body is not constructed with a single pole in
which to rotate upon, in fact, our legs, are like that of a tripod.
They help keep us grounded and if one leg is straigter than the other
we have hip or spine tilt. This straightning of the front leg is what
generally turns a level cut into a slight upswing, or in some cases an
extreme uppercut. The hip joints themselves do not turn, it is the
torso, constructed from the base of the spine that creates the torque.
However in an effort to add upper body torque, many hitters feel the
strong need contribute excessive leg action (ie..hip thrust) to get
the torso to turn. Normally it is young hitters that create this
excessive leg action that never really feel the torso power. In other
words they combine the torso turn with the leg thrust. This excessive
leg action is what most hitting instructors have the hardest time
seeing and teaching.
> I have a real concern with anyone that preaches straight legs in the
baseball swing, mainly because straight legs create angles and also
lock hips, which contribute to bad balance. In any sport that I lock
my legs I get beat. Lock the front leg early in a baseball swing.....
and I'll get beat. Now I must say, great hitters do lock there front
leg normally (not always), however, it comes with a price even for
them, but the real issue is how they go about locking the front leg.
Getting into that all too familiar "sit to hit position" is the art of
a great athlete and generally a great hitter. In viewing Jacks video
I see the kids just straightening the front leg, with never the notion
of sitting to hit. But then I see the hitting instructor, getting a
nice front knee bend, thereby, positioning the legs for all of this
upper body torque. In golf they call it the "magic move." This magic
move is a slight lateral slide while the upper body begins it
unwinding (rotation). This to me is why the debate is never ending.
Great atheletes/hitters can do both at the same time, but when either
becomes excessive , then you have a issues in my opinion. This is why
everyone looks different when they swing in my opinion.
>
> In summary the front leg becomes the core element of my teaching.
If I can get a kid to keep this leg in contact with the ground at the
initiation of the swing, but with good flexion and stability and I
give this kid the best opportunity to be succesful. If I see kids
locking legs than he or she will have problems, until they understand
how the front leg is supposed to lock, by rotating laterally with
athletic legs.
>
> The legs are stabalizers in a baseball swing, power drive is a
distant second. When they are not in the best position for stability,
they will fail and so too will the swing.
>
> In my humble opinion.
>
> Coach C,
It is my understanding that Mr.Mankin's tape instructs us to step
square (with front knee flexed),land lightly on the front toe(with
front knee flexed),which allows the ankle to rotate the heel backwards
therby facilitating the opening of the hips in a timely manner.The
front knee does not straighten until close to or at contact.Would
following this procedure jive with your post ?How does keeping the
front