Role of the front leg in hitting

[RichK]

This new meme of "why use one leg when you can use both" is misguided. Why? Because 2 is a bigger number than 1?

In my mind, the question is where to put active emphasis. Where do you try to make things happen and create the forces and resistance you need? To me, it happens on the rear side. I personally find the concepts of hand and rear hip pivot points extremely useful. Let the front leg do its thing, it certainly catches, there's some element of push and block in helping finish rotation, etc...but I can't see any advantage in working or focusing on those things. Doing so takes away emphasis and time spent focusing on more important things and more importantly can even harm the creation/use of more important actions.

To me the analogy would be the throw. What does the front arm do when throwing? Some conventional instruction would say actively pull in and hug the glove to the chest. Turns out that doing so removes a lot of the resistance and stretch that powerful throwers should be working so hard to create and use. But isn't teaching a throwing mechanic focusing on the role of both arms better than focusing on just the rear-side? Two is more/better than one, right?

 

[Lenski]

This new meme of "why use one leg when you can use both" is misguided. Why? Because 2 is a bigger number than 1?

No, not because it's a bigger number. You use both legs because the power in both legs is additive. IOW, you will generate more power.

In my mind, the question is where to put active emphasis. Where do you try to make things happen and create the forces and resistance you need? To me, it happens on the rear side.

To me, it is middle of the body on out. Remember, a twisting motion is a torque.

I personally find the concepts of hand and rear hip pivot points extremely useful. Let the front leg do its thing, it certainly catches, there's some element of push and block in helping finish rotation, etc...but I can't see any advantage in working or focusing on those things.

I consider that half a$$ing it.

Doing so takes away emphasis and time spent focusing on more important things and more importantly can even harm the creation/use of more important actions.

The harm occurs when you ignore steps of a process. That's when flaws appear.

To me the analogy would be the throw. What does the front arm do when throwing? Some conventional instruction would say actively pull in and hug the glove to the chest. Turns out that doing so removes a lot of the resistance and stretch that powerful throwers should be working so hard to create and use. But isn't teaching a throwing mechanic focusing on the role of both arms better than focusing on just the rear-side? Two is more/better than one, right?

Umm....not sure what you're saying here. Teaching a proper throw does focus on both arms, among other things, but not to pull the front arm in and hug to the chest. That's just a waste of created energy.

 

[TDS]

Learn to shift using the core/spine so both legs will support vs tying everything to the rear leg/hip (one side of the body).

Take the initial up front feel out of the rear leg so that when one moves forward the energy can flow down both legs to support the swing.

 

[rdbass]

Thanks for answering and clearing up the 'role of the front leg'

 

[Buttermaker]

Is your position that the front leg didn't externally rotate in 750 before touching down? Going by the graphic - the text mentions weight on the front leg. The front leg does not have to planted/weighted to contribute to the stretching of muscles.

Thanks for answering and clearing up the 'role of the front leg'

 

[tom.guerry]

remember:

1-this is the technical forum

2- there is an ignore feature

An important view of the swing is the miyahira soine engine based model, particularly the concept of Stretch Shortening Cycle (SSC) sequencing.

See the end of this article for SSC Summary:

What's a Hip Turn? Part 2 :: Oceanic Time Warner Cable's AroundHawaii.com

In the case of the swing optimized for high level wood bat baseball, The rear hip remains IR'd, otherwise the SSC sequence is as decribed by Miyahira.

So the lead leg has to participate in abducting and flexing to then fire the spine engine with aDduction and extension. It also ER's to efficiently catch the body with IR

 

[rdbass]

Is your position that the front leg didn't externally rotate in 750 before touching down? Going by the graphic - the text mentions weight on the front leg. The front leg does not have to planted/weighted to contribute to the stretching of muscles.

No my position is this:

I didn't want to get too technical but, I will.
The lead leg..just does it's thing...

 

[Sweet Lou]

Maybe I'm crazy but it seems like the front leg is important to the swing. But beyond getting to toe touch and heal plant on time there's not a whole lot to discuss.

 

[tom.guerry]

Further toward the end of this same Miyahira article:

What's a Hip Turn? Part 2 :: Oceanic Time Warner Cable's AroundHawaii.com

Miyahira shows Lincecum pitching. He is unable to appreciate that the rear hip stays in IR, probably becasue of lack of focussed feel performing the skill, but this is a good way to learn the hitting feel from the action in overhand throw. In the case of the throw, the rear arm swing/circle for overhand throw is an easier way to provide the resistance that keep the rear hip in IR with hip as bottom of top and IR/rag wring/overlap.

If you can throw, you can swing if you know how the skills relate. Do not ER the back arm in the swing, the motions are similar up until the ER of the back arm in throwing.

 

[grandpa]

No my position is this:

I didn't want to get too technical but, I will.
The lead leg..just does it's thing...

I agree. How many believe that pitch location ( outside/inside) determines the amount of body rotation? Outside pitch not as much, therefore the front leg should not open as much.