tom.guerry

Dixon's entire premise was based on how similar overhand throw is to hitting.

Dixon was a large animal photographer and a very visual analytical person.


One son benefitted tremendously from Charley Lau's absolutes approach to hitting which inspired Dixon to set out to try to explain overhand throw the same way, emphasizing the similarities between the throwing and hitting motions. He identified a progression of 3 developmental patterns that applied to learning both skills, starting with arm only then moving to arm and upper body/spin and then on to high level total body pattern.

I'm not sure why Mark finds this similar to the way he/siggy describe the swing which has little if anything similar to the overhand/sidearm throw.

Dixon had some good observations, particularly with regard to describing "hip cock" which is often not described well and perhaps best learned in throwing and then carried over to hitting.

His ideas on weight shift or what he thought Lau mean by weight shift were interesting, describing aspects of "vertical loading" which he called "V" formation.

He missed some very important things such as how the upper and lower body synch and how the lower body can open while the hands stay back (coil/horizontal loading).

His later work was based more on a natural learning approach as opposed to the absolutes approach as he ended up thinking that any conscious/absolutes/rational approach tended to obstruct rather than accelerate learning. The later work was very similar to the "Alexander apporach" type process plus some good ol fashion religion.

Some online Dixon excerpts can be found at setpro:

A Tribute to Jim Dixon - SETPRO Smart Power Training Forum