Thread: locking the front leg prior to contact

Hate to diverge from the discussion point of the 4X6 drill, but I am curious of some of your thoughts.......... (from what I've read, there are some very knowledgeable and experienced coaches I'd like to hear from!)
1) I've heard various coaches talk to locking the front leg just prior to contact to "hit off the front leg", similar to a pitcher driving off her front leg.
** I've watched many videos where DIV1 batters and MLB batters lock that front leg.

2) I've ALSO heard NOT to bend the front leg and leave a slight bend....
- What is the reasoning for NOT locking the front leg?
I'm NOT arguing against it, just need to better understand the proper mechanics so my girls are benefiting.

Originally Posted by jimginas

Hate to diverge from the discussion point of the 4X6 drill, but I am curious of some of your thoughts.......... (from what I've read, there are some very knowledgeable and experienced coaches I'd like to hear from!)
1) I've heard various coaches talk to locking the front leg just prior to contact to "hit off the front leg", similar to a pitcher driving off her front leg.
** I've watched many videos where DIV1 batters and MLB batters lock that front leg.

2) I've ALSO heard NOT to bend the front leg and leave a slight bend....
- What is the reasoning for NOT locking the front leg?
I'm NOT arguing against it, just need to better understand the proper mechanics so my girls are benefiting.

Don't know if Boardmember still comes to this board, but he has a wicked good cue that makes the front leg work automatically.

Originally Posted by class_of_2012

my coach has always said the reason for not having a stiff front leg is it is not athletic. athletes don't lock their legs, but remain flexible.
Practice makes permanent!

Agree we don't lock BOTH legs, but we DO tell pitchers to work off their front leg, so how is that ok, when not athletic? Not saying your coach is not correct, that's whey I am trying to get varying opinions, but I still don't understand what the BENEFIT of a loose front leg ("being in an athletic position") BENEFITS the swing.... I also agree that it helps keep the body to rotate while minimizing dipping, minimizing the head and eyes from moving.

I do like your "Practice makes permanent!" comment though! I say this myself, for past 15+ years! Pracftice does NOT make PERFECT because NOONE can be PERFECT, not even the best in the world.
Practice makes permanent!"

Good luck in school and hope you are working hard, BUT get at LEAST 3 breaks during the year to rejuvinate your mucles and mental side! 50+ weeks a year of throwing is ABSURD! Burn out and muscle overuse is common today and coaches need to recognize this.

Thank you Ken.

2012 - Ken is a great source to learn from (assume you read teh blogs here to learn... same as me! 17 years of baseball and softball, 11+ softball..... and always learning from experienced and successful coaches)

What Ken said.

I have always been an advocate for straightened front leg at contact. My understanding is that the leg straightening out is more a function of correct pelvic rotation.
As you can see in this clip, Michelle only has it straightened out for a fraction of a second (at Contact)
Photo 1 of 16, Fastpitch

Here, Caitlin keeps it straight for longerPhoto 10 of 16, Fastpitch

Kristen straightening out at contact:
http://imageevent.com/siggy/hitting/...=1&n=1&l=0&z=9

A hitter that is lunging is usually found to have shifted their weight over their back leg while loading and then in order to pick up the lead foot they tilt backwards and you will see their head actually move off center and to catch up to the incoming pitch they push off the back leg too much and land flat footed and the front side opens too quickly.

We explain while standing in front of a mirror and we stand behind them that at about 1.5 times the width of their shoulders is a good stance to start from. For example if the shoulders measure 16 wide divide by half and add 8 inches or 24 inches is a good starting point. Lay the bat between your feet and see what on the bat graphics line up with the bat to be consistent.

Have the hitter bend at the waist and then soften the knees in that sequence. Explain while looking into the mirror that the shape between their legs is like a pyramid and the lead hip is the front side of the pyramid and the back hip is the backside. Do a simple knee cock or turn the lead foot knee in so you turn the foot so it is inside in the big toe area. We try in the beginning to avoid the extremeness in the mechanics. I will put my foot between theirs so they see what it looks like in the mirror. See it feel it and fix it. We do not want the hips to sway or the head to be moving backwards. A good teaching point is to ask them to pick up their lead foot and when they try it they will see their weight had to be shifted to the back leg and over it as indicated by the knee being over the foot and their head moves rearward in order to pick the leg up off the ground. Now get around to lead shoulder and have them set up again and put your hands on their lead shoulder and brace yourself. Ask them to load by doing the knee cock and then ask them to pick up their lead foot and if done correctly you will be supporting their weight and they will see an angle to the back leg and feel the pressure inside their back leg. Another teaching point is the knees are inside the feet. Now have them do it. Slow to load, soft to step on a flexed front knee. Step without the lead foot shoe on and the weight is on the inside edge of the big toe and the weight is on the inside edge and the pinky toe will be off the ground enough so the can wiggle it or as we say wave it at the pitcher. We gently slap their lead foot hip and IF the knee is flexed they will feel their hip move like Jell-O on a plate. No flex and they will feel resistance and you know the front side will open too soon. In another post we explained how to do the bend, bend, bend drill and they will lock out up against the lead foot leg and drive off the back leg provided both knee caps are facing the first baseman's playing position. Otherwise the lead foot knee cap will be facing the catcher and the heel will not get planted and they spin out.

The idea is to get the hitter to feel and understand weight transfer. Have them put their shoulder up against a wall with their feet directly under them and then ask them to lift the foot up that is not against the wall and they will not be able to do it because they can not transfer the weight. Also point out as we walk it is heel toe transfer and repeat to be able to lift our foot and we want to control this as think slow to load, soft to step on a flexed front knee and separate our hands rearward and that our hips never stop moving and neither do our hands. We just want them to change direction like we do in Tai Chi when doing the flowing move. We also do this with a half empty bottle of water and place it in the hitters hand horizontally and say load and shift the water back and then shift it forward and they feel it move in their hand. We want to be in control of our weight shift so we do not want the water to have bubbles so we control the flow and how it feels. We try to keep the explanations simple enough for a 12 year old to understand and so the parents can help them see it, feel it and fix it. We are losing kids and parents in my opinion when we become so scientific in our explanations!

when we throw we land on a flexed knee by landing on the ball of the foot and knee is soft or flexed. We do the same thing for hitting and keep the weight on the inside portion of the lead foot to prevent the knees from locking out at contact suddenly. We want a weight transfer or weight that is transferring back to forward to build momentum.

obbay, I agree that the straightening of the front leg is the result of the rotation of the hips rotating around the center of the body. If the rotation is around the front hip, you may or may not straighten the leg. To me, if the rotation is around the front hip the body weight will be on the front foot. If rotation is around the center of the body the weight will transfer onto the front foot but then settle back on the rear foot after the finish of the swing.
SBFamily, Where does Hitter fall on the rotation of the body?