Can I get a amen! Dixon studied the swing for years before most. He came to the conclusion that the core/torso (torso in his book) was very important.
Snap and Hips
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Can I get a amen! Dixon studied the swing for years before most. He came to the conclusion that the core/torso (torso in his book) was very important.
- May 3, 2014
- 2,149
- 83
I have found the easiest way to teach how to coil is this:
Step into the batters box with the rear foot turned in pigeon toed. Use the muscles in the rear butt cheek only to coil rearwards "around" the rear leg. The upper rear leg will react by pressuring into the "coil" as long as the weight is on the inside edge of the rear foot. The rear hip will tighten up.
The pressure at the rear foot HAS TO BE along the inside edge of the foot. If the weight rolls to the outside edge of the rear foot the rear leg is not in a position to snap forward as it is needed to.
The muscles of the rear butt are considered part of the core/torso/upper body. They are resisting the rear leg pressuring to turn the torso forward. Always. The snap of the handle by the forearms sends the barrel rearward initially so it rotates around the rear forearm. This is the absolute shortest path to the hitting zone. As the barrel is traveling in an arc around the rear forearm the rear leg continues its pressure to the turn a resisting torso forward. There is a point in which the torso loses its ability to resist and the rear leg snaps forward accelerating the barrel through the hitting zone.
When I say this is easiest way to teach coil I don't mean that everyone will be able to do it one try. The muscles in the rear butt cheek have to be trained to do this and muscles along the length of the upper leg also need to be trained. But, this is the sequence I prefer to teach to learn how to coil. If you try and turn the rear leg forward and then resist with the butt muscles you don't get the same bind in the rear hip and certainly do not get the same pressure at the ground.
Using the butt muscles first also tightens up the lower back in a certain way that assists the coil and helps remove slack in the upper back. Sort of a sequential pattern.
Then setting the hands a certain way will remove the rest of the slack in the upper back without overcooking setting the scap. Top down setting of the scap will not "connect" the hands to the rear hip in the same way that setting the coil first will.
Step into the batters box with the rear foot turned in pigeon toed. Use the muscles in the rear butt cheek only to coil rearwards "around" the rear leg. The upper rear leg will react by pressuring into the "coil" as long as the weight is on the inside edge of the rear foot. The rear hip will tighten up.
The pressure at the rear foot HAS TO BE along the inside edge of the foot. If the weight rolls to the outside edge of the rear foot the rear leg is not in a position to snap forward as it is needed to.
The muscles of the rear butt are considered part of the core/torso/upper body. They are resisting the rear leg pressuring to turn the torso forward. Always. The snap of the handle by the forearms sends the barrel rearward initially so it rotates around the rear forearm. This is the absolute shortest path to the hitting zone. As the barrel is traveling in an arc around the rear forearm the rear leg continues its pressure to the turn a resisting torso forward. There is a point in which the torso loses its ability to resist and the rear leg snaps forward accelerating the barrel through the hitting zone.
When I say this is easiest way to teach coil I don't mean that everyone will be able to do it one try. The muscles in the rear butt cheek have to be trained to do this and muscles along the length of the upper leg also need to be trained. But, this is the sequence I prefer to teach to learn how to coil. If you try and turn the rear leg forward and then resist with the butt muscles you don't get the same bind in the rear hip and certainly do not get the same pressure at the ground.
Using the butt muscles first also tightens up the lower back in a certain way that assists the coil and helps remove slack in the upper back. Sort of a sequential pattern.
Then setting the hands a certain way will remove the rest of the slack in the upper back without overcooking setting the scap. Top down setting of the scap will not "connect" the hands to the rear hip in the same way that setting the coil first will.
This is good ^^^^^^^^
"Then setting the hands a certain way will remove the rest of the slack in the upper back without overcooking setting the scap. "
What certain way?
"Then setting the hands a certain way will remove the rest of the slack in the upper back without overcooking setting the scap. "
What certain way?
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Bold above ... yes!
- May 3, 2014
- 2,149
- 83
Start with your hand in the center of your chest and then pull them back towards the catcher. You will know it when you feel it. This is a way to attain the feeling of getting the slack out. It is an individual kind of thing. Each person may find a slightly different handset.
Ok, does the "snap of the handle" happen before, simultaneously, or after "a point in which the torso loses its ability to resist and the rear leg snaps forward accelerating the barrel through the hitting zone." Or is this sequence optional to the individual hitter?
- May 3, 2014
- 2,149
- 83
Hands first. Once barrel is sent rearward into its arc the rear leg continues to pressure to turn the torso forward and in that time frame the torso will lose its ability to resist and the rear leg will snap
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Personally do not recommend starting with the hands in the center of the chest. Too often a hitter that does this begins the sequence with the arms first.
Understand the objective of slack removal ... you wish to reach a point, with comfortable throwing structure, in which the core will be involved in launching the swing.
Having the hands near the rear shoulder, and learning to wind the core ... simply think of the lead shoulder down and in ... will lead to the slack removal in which the core can be involved in launching the swing.
- May 3, 2014
- 2,149
- 83
I was just explaining how to find a good handset. I never said to swing like that
Great post but I would not consider the glutes as part of the upper body. To me the hip muscles are more of a bridge between upper/lower body.
