What is weight shift?
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- Jun 8, 2016
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I agree with you... But you are far more eloquent than i am
I've never been accused of being eloquent..thanks I guess
When mentioning the reaction force I was speaking only to the phrase "rear foot becoming unweighted" and how the proper (from a physics perspective) terminology for the sentiment conveyed with
that particular statement would be "reaction force go to zero". As stated, from the definition of weight something cannot become unweighted unless you have zero gravitational acceleration.
Regarding weight shift/transfer, again probably would be better to say a shift in COG/COM but whatever. Everybody gets the idea
I'm going to go with "less pushy-pushy on the dirt".
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
Probably won't be asking you to guest lecture in my continuum mechanics course this semester but that will work..
Probably won't be asking you to guest lecture in my continuum mechanics course this semester but that will work..
Maybe there's that one student who hasn't quite been able to connect the dots, and "less pushy-pushy" does it for him/her.
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
Since I butted in with my physics lecture I might as well answer the original question. A shift in COG (see I can't help myself) technically is just a movement of a point on the body which if a force is applied to it would
only produce translational motion and no rotation. Think about putting a ruler on your finger tip, the place where it balances, e.g. no rotation of the ruler, is the COG. In terms of its function, the more pertinent and difficult question, I would say one would want to move this point to best optimize both the use of momentum and internally developed forces (e.g. stretch) in the swing. In other words a movement of the COG which doesn't produce any stretch is less than optimal and
likewise a movement in the COG which doesn't produce any useful momentum (e.g. no body velocity towards the ball) is also less than optimal. How one actually gets to optimal..I have no freaking idea
Edit: By optimal I mean the swing which produces the highest bat acceleration magnitude in the direction which is opposite to the ball path direction at the point in time
which the bat and ball paths intersect.
only produce translational motion and no rotation. Think about putting a ruler on your finger tip, the place where it balances, e.g. no rotation of the ruler, is the COG. In terms of its function, the more pertinent and difficult question, I would say one would want to move this point to best optimize both the use of momentum and internally developed forces (e.g. stretch) in the swing. In other words a movement of the COG which doesn't produce any stretch is less than optimal and
likewise a movement in the COG which doesn't produce any useful momentum (e.g. no body velocity towards the ball) is also less than optimal. How one actually gets to optimal..I have no freaking idea
Edit: By optimal I mean the swing which produces the highest bat acceleration magnitude in the direction which is opposite to the ball path direction at the point in time
which the bat and ball paths intersect.
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I don't think I get many blank stares from this, but for my 8YOs, I refer to the "ideal" rear-foot action as rolling up on the toe (thank you CB!), and if they ever decide to swing hard enough, then their hips might even pull their foot off the ground. I try to convey the notion of the rear foot just being along for the ride, as a way of de-emphasizing any tendency to squish the bug.
Re: FFS's question of shift vs. transfer - not sure what the difference would be, but if I had to define it, I can make a weak argument that "shift" tends to denote a more linear path, and "transfer" as more up - over - down (if I told someone I needed to "shift some things around", e.g. boxes or furniture, they would probably assume the items would just be slid across the floor; but if I told someone I had to "transfer a few things", the assumption would likely involve picking things up and putting them somewhere else).
Translating that to a swing, I think we're looking for more of a shift (Pujols) than a transfer (Clemente). Obviously, you can't argue the merits of one over the other based on outcome (as Clemente's was a HR), but I imagine there'd be much more adjustability if your typical swing was more like Pujols vs. Clemente.
I do know I need to figure out weight shift better - I have a few lungers that actually swing hard, and I've been unable to devote enough bandwidth to figuring out the right cue to get their front leg to straighten on its own.
Could probably start a separate thread on this one - but related to weight shift in softball, the way I often see the swing being taught is that the "load" is nothing more than weighting the back foot (start with bat on shoulder, lean back and raise hands). Separation / hands going last is never discussed. Seems like it would encourage the AB/AF or a gate swing. On the other hand, IIRC, the clips used here of George Brett and maybe Molitor don't show much "coil" either. Is it just another example of teaching what you think is happening vs. what is actually happening?
Thanks for the opportunity to further my own sense of confusion regarding all things hitting.
Re: FFS's question of shift vs. transfer - not sure what the difference would be, but if I had to define it, I can make a weak argument that "shift" tends to denote a more linear path, and "transfer" as more up - over - down (if I told someone I needed to "shift some things around", e.g. boxes or furniture, they would probably assume the items would just be slid across the floor; but if I told someone I had to "transfer a few things", the assumption would likely involve picking things up and putting them somewhere else).
Translating that to a swing, I think we're looking for more of a shift (Pujols) than a transfer (Clemente). Obviously, you can't argue the merits of one over the other based on outcome (as Clemente's was a HR), but I imagine there'd be much more adjustability if your typical swing was more like Pujols vs. Clemente.
I do know I need to figure out weight shift better - I have a few lungers that actually swing hard, and I've been unable to devote enough bandwidth to figuring out the right cue to get their front leg to straighten on its own.
Could probably start a separate thread on this one - but related to weight shift in softball, the way I often see the swing being taught is that the "load" is nothing more than weighting the back foot (start with bat on shoulder, lean back and raise hands). Separation / hands going last is never discussed. Seems like it would encourage the AB/AF or a gate swing. On the other hand, IIRC, the clips used here of George Brett and maybe Molitor don't show much "coil" either. Is it just another example of teaching what you think is happening vs. what is actually happening?
Thanks for the opportunity to further my own sense of confusion regarding all things hitting.
Gags - The way I see the "load" cue usually used with young players is exactly what you describe. It's a rearward weight-shift and hand movement that promotes and AB/AF swing pattern. It's really hard to do anything but push everything forward from that position.
Rdbass,
So any FBC during the stride and positioning the hips isn't weight shift in your book? (even if there is some shifting)?
So any FBC during the stride and positioning the hips isn't weight shift in your book? (even if there is some shifting)?
Hey guys, I like this swing of Clemente. Nothing really different.
