What is weight shift?

Eric F said:

We seem to be in slightly different places on the use of "shift" and "transfer" in the context of aswing. No big deal. If your definitions work for you, and how you teach, it's all good.

These clips that Shawn posted was a lightbulb moment for me...

All "shift". No "transfer".

I do agree that how things happen is the important part. Way more important than what we name them.

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Lol ... "All "shift". No "transfer".

And yet you acknowledge ... In terms of dictionary definitions, yes, "shift" and "transfer" are pretty much synonymous

If there is a 'shift' in weight, then there is a 'transfer' in weight ... and visa versa. Now, the 'how' the 'transfer/shift/movement' took place may be different ... but it is still a movement/shift/transfer.

p.s.
If you find Shawn's clip interesting in terms of the stages of the shift/transfer that is taking place, then I'd recommend you review Jim Dixon's material on it. He cuts it down into three stages and does a decent job with it.

p.p.s.
Babe Ruth had a feeling of his weight shift in the swing.

Babe Ruth: "My weight is my left (rear) foot, as I start swinging, my weight shifts to my right (lead) foot at the time of contact with the ball."

Consider reading Jim Dixon's work for an understanding of the phases of the shift.

FiveFrameSwing said:

Lol ... "All "shift". No "transfer".

And yet you acknowledge ... In terms of dictionary definitions, yes, "shift" and "transfer" are pretty much synonymous

If there is a 'shift' in weight, then there is a 'transfer' in weight ... and visa versa. Now, the 'how' the 'transfer/shift/movement' took place may be different ... but it is still a movement/shift/transfer.

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See it any way you want, FFS. As I said, if it works for you, it's all good.

I'm just sharing my thoughts on this topic as I sort through it in my head because it makes for good discussion. I'm choosing to differentiate the movement of the COM in space from the change in location of ground reaction forces, and use different words for each of those actions because it makes sense to me to do so. If others don't see a need to do that, then don't.

As for "shift" and "transfer", it's just words. I could call one action "Bob" and the other "Suzy", and it wouldn't make a difference with what the actions are. Hell, you could even swap my definitions of "shift" and "transfer", and it wouldn't make a difference. If someone can think of two other words to use that make more sense in this context, that would be just fine.

Based on the way I'm choosing to define the terms "shift" and "transfer" for use in the context of a swing, I see this as very little "shift" and a lot of "transfer"...

Eric F said:

Based on the way I'm choosing to define the terms "shift" and "transfer" for use in the context of a swing, I see this as very little "shift" and a lot of "transfer"...

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Yet, by your own admission, 'transfer' and 'shift' mean the same thing.

Eric F said:

See it any way you want, FFS. As I said, if it works for you, it's all good.

I'm just sharing my thoughts on this topic as I sort through it in my head because it makes for good discussion. I'm choosing to differentiate the movement of the COM in space from the change in location of ground reaction forces, and use different words for each of those actions because it makes sense to me to do so. If others don't see a need to do that, then don't.

As for "shift" and "transfer", it's just words. I could call one action "Bob" and the other "Suzy", and it wouldn't make a difference with what the actions are. Hell, you could even swap my definitions of "shift" and "transfer", and it wouldn't make a difference. If someone can think of two other words to use that make more sense in this context, that would be just fine.

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Bold above .... that is correct. Which is why understanding the process of the weight shift/transfer/movement is what is important.

Again ... give Dixon's book a read if you find the 'how' of this weight movement interesting. Then your comment of thinking of two other words .... may be expanded to thinking of three other words/phrases.

FiveFrameSwing said:

Yet, by your own admission, 'transfer' and 'shift' mean the same thing.

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I thought I made this pretty clear...I am making the choice to redefine those words for my use in discussing two different actions that I see happening in the swing process. At this time, those two words make the most sense to me, for the actions I'm seeing. If you don't see a need to do that, don't do it.

Maybe my understanding will evolve as I continue to learn. I've never been one to think I know everything.

Eric F said:

I thought I made this pretty clear...I am making the choice to redefine those words for my use in discussing two different actions that I see happening in the swing process. At this time, those two words make the most sense to me, for the actions I'm seeing. If you don't see a need to do that, don't do it.

Maybe my understanding will evolve as I continue to learn. I've never been one to think I know everything.

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You did make yourself clear. You understand that 'shift' and 'transfer' mean the same thing. You came to the realization that there are different ways to move the body forward within the swing (... again, give Jim Dixon's book a read) and to help you with clarity to those differences you use a words that mean the same thing to label what you perceive as different. That works for you.

As an FYI ... I don't tell my hitters to 'shift' or 'transfer' ... yet they all do.

FiveFrameSwing said:

You did make yourself clear. You understand that 'shift' and 'transfer' mean the same thing. You came to the realization that there are different ways to move the body forward within the swing (... again, give Jim Dixon's book a read) and to help you with clarity to those differences you use a words that mean the same thing to label what you perceive as different. That works for you.

As an FYI ... I don't tell my hitters to 'shift' or 'transfer' ... yet they all do.

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Since you insist on continuing to beat on the semantics...Yes, "shift" and "transfer" can mean the same thing. They can be synonymous. However, a quick Google dictionary search shows that there are multiple definitions for each word, both noun and verb. The English language is imprecise and messy, and context is often the most critical part of understanding the real intent of the words being used. In the context of the swing, I'm choosing to use those words in a non-synonymous way to label (what I see as) two different actions. I will probably continue to so until different words make more sense to me, or my understanding of the movements changes.

I'm not talking about two different ways to move the body forward. One is a movement of the body in space (shift), the other is a change in ground reaction force location (transfer). Although they can happen concurrently, there is not a rigid connection between the two actions.

FiveFrameSwing said:

Consider reading Jim Dixon's work for an understanding of the phases of the shift.

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Got a link? I'm not finding anything.

Shift and transfer does mean different things in the discussion. Shift means the COG moving forward "while" maintaining coil. The weight is still back during the shift, while in transfer mode the weight is released forward.