Hips or the Hands or both simultaneously(lets keep it simple)?

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May 12, 2016
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Question is fairly simple, and I'll keep it simple without a lot of technical terms and respectfully please ask you do the same when responding. What determines direction, back hip or hands or both together? For example, outside pitch, will my back hip be leading the charge by driving towards that outside pitch, or will my hands lead and the body will follow, or both together?

Thanks in advance everybody!
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
Simple: What determines 'direction' is the mentality of getting behind the ball with a 'short' 'inside/out' path.

Thanks FFS, but this is not a tangible teaching point for me. If you had a student who you hadn't explained this mentality to before, %100 of the time she wouldn't know how to make this happen in her swing.
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
Julray,

It’s hard to give a definitive answer. Reason being, if your DD/student is a one shift or 2 shift student would have bearing on whether the hip/core comes before the hands or if they all go together. Simple enough?
 
May 21, 2014
155
28
front foot can also dictate directionality, no?

I feel like we are seeing two approaches to this. One is back foot starts extremely close and stride lands open "in the bucket" and directionality would be hands/arm extension to reach the outside pitch. Keep in mind, rear knee bend and tilt of the waist will have to be present in order to hit that pitch with authority using this approach. The other would be that stride moves to pitch location and swing sequence then follows. If you have a coach that is a "flat batter" this is what they will teach because it's the only way the pitch can be hit without using the lower half properly.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
Julray,

It’s hard to give a definitive answer. Reason being, if your DD/student is a one shift or 2 shift student would have bearing on whether the hip/core comes before the hands or if they all go together. Simple enough?

Simple and makes sense.. what I teach my DD is forward, yet back. What I mean is your body will stride/shift forward, but tension remains in that back hip and scap helps control upper body from leaking forward as well until heel plant. I believe this leaves her in the best controlled/adaptable position to attack any pitch with the major body components and reduce armsy type swings. What I want to start teaching her his the back hip will drive towards the pitch once front heel is on the ground, and the hands will follow shortly behind. I'm just not sure that driving the back hip towards the location of the pitch is the best advice.. I want to keep it simple for her and I know this a verbal cue that she will understand.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
front foot can also dictate directionality, no?

I feel like we are seeing two approaches to this. One is back foot starts extremely close and stride lands open "in the bucket" and directionality would be hands/arm extension to reach the outside pitch. Keep in mind, rear knee bend and tilt of the waist will have to be present in order to hit that pitch with authority using this approach. The other would be that stride moves to pitch location and swing sequence then follows. If you have a coach that is a "flat batter" this is what they will teach because it's the only way the pitch can be hit without using the lower half properly.

My DD front foot lands in the same sport each time, no matter where the location. Her front may be forced to open more due to what's happening with her body on an inside pitch, but I don't teach her to change where her foot lands depending on pitch location. I've used that method when playing slo-pitch though, :).
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Simple and makes sense.. what I teach my DD is forward, yet back. What I mean is your body will stride/shift forward, but tension remains in that back hip and scap helps control upper body from leaking forward as well until heel plant. I believe this leaves her in the best controlled/adaptable position to attack any pitch with the major body components and reduce armsy type swings. What I want to start teaching her his the back hip will drive towards the pitch once front heel is on the ground, and the hands will follow shortly behind. I'm just not sure that driving the back hip towards the location of the pitch is the best advice.. I want to keep it simple for her and I know this a verbal cue that she will understand.

To me, if you get into a good position at launch (which may vary slightly according to pitch read) and launch the barrel properly, the body will react accordingly(unconsciously) in order to get the barrel to the ball for various pitch locations. In other words, don't overthink it :)
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Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
Simple and makes sense.. what I teach my DD is forward, yet back. What I mean is your body will stride/shift forward, but tension remains in that back hip and scap helps control upper body from leaking forward as well until heel plant. I believe this leaves her in the best controlled/adaptable position to attack any pitch with the major body components and reduce armsy type swings. What I want to start teaching her his the back hip will drive towards the pitch once front heel is on the ground, and the hands will follow shortly behind. I'm just not sure that driving the back hip towards the location of the pitch is the best advice.. I want to keep it simple for her and I know this a verbal cue that she will understand.

For me direction is found in the hands. Others may disagree...I teach the back hip/leg gets pulled into rotation by the core... I believe in rotation ‘on a line’. Reason being is it holds/stores the energy longer(no power leaks and enables FYB).The glutes will be used instead of the quads. As well as this mechanic maintains balance longer(release of the backside knee/hip/leg is go). There is more but trying to keep it simple. Hopefully this makes sense. I’m rushing.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback and comments

Pattar, got it, get to good launch position, the body will react to the hands setting the direction. Can you explain launch the barrel correctly? Or is that another way of saying "TTB"?

W=w, what do you mean by "rotation on a line"?

Cheers
 
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