Back foot

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Sep 29, 2014
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If you look at MLB hitters some anchor it throughout (Thome), some scissor, some go up on the toe and some (like Bonds at times) have the back foot come towards the plate. Like @rdbass mentioned, imo it is a no teach. Over the last few years, my DD has gone from not releasing it all like Sierra Romero used to in college to now having a slight scissor at times..I think there are more important things one should be focusing on.
I'm always willing to learn....now what I did here was strictly focus on his back toe and ran the clip with my finger on the pause buton. As soon as I noticed his back toe moving forward (it does) I paused, guess what its at contact. I'm not saying some don't but it is just really rare. As far as Romero I actually looked at several different video and they do seem to vary but she does seem to be more anchored than most but when she wants maximum power in her swing....see below...just sayin. Mind you I am not saying it is something you have to focus on intensely it's just something that will happen if all your other mechanics are correct and if you are not doing it I have no problem prompting with a make sure you are giving a good push off hard with your instep as you initiate the swing cue



 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
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As far as Romero I actually looked at several different video and they do seem to vary but she does seem to be more anchored than most but when she wants maximum power in her swing....see below...just sayin.
I said college for a reason 😉
 
May 12, 2016
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I am coaching 12U Rec. I've got 3 girls that keep their back foot down so long..... Well, it never moves. at all :rolleyes:. I've spoken to them about letting the foot move with the hips, so of course the first girls foot is now practically laces down when she finishes her swing.

How do I get that foot to allow the hip rotation? Totally focus in pressure in the instep instead?
What most are saying here and what I agree with is the back foot is a no teach. What you happening to the back foot in MLB swings is a RESULT. Anchor the back foot on your forward move, if the back foot remains unchanged when your hitters swing is complete, then you have bigger problems
 
Apr 2, 2015
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Woodstock, man
As usual, most/all hitting instruction is backwards or destructive. Squish the bug is both.

Keep your back heel on the ground as long as you can hold it. (same for baseball pitching and probably golf/tennis)

Here are MLB hitters after they have finished their stride, to toe touch. Notice the back heel. Run from anyone telling you to squish the bug.

batters-at-toetouch.png

You must coil inwards as you stride. Try to coil inward with your heel up. It doesn't work. Heel down, and coil in is not only a teach, it's fundamental.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
As usual, most/all hitting instruction is backwards or destructive. Squish the bug is both.

Keep your back heel on the ground as long as you can hold it. (same for baseball pitching and probably golf/tennis)

Here are MLB hitters after they have finished their stride, to toe touch. Notice the back heel. Run from anyone telling you to squish the bug.

View attachment 16503

You must coil inwards as you stride. Try to coil inward with your heel up. It doesn't work. Heel down, and coil in is not only a teach, it's fundamental.
Why would you try and hold your foot on the ground? You want to apply pressure to the instep at the right time which for most elite hitters is after toe touch and at the latest once the heel has dropped (it is just a split second but it seems to be the go spot); better to get some type of force exerting in the direction you want to be going then trying to drag an anchor....but what do I know. Although we could just be talking past each other as I never advocated heel up prior to toe touch everything still needs to be in sequence. You can say it's a no teach fine but then what are you teaching ? hip rotation?...exactly how are you getting powerful hip rotation without really strong pressure against the ground....anyway I'm happy to keep going around in circles but in the end I'm fairly convinced we are all talking about the same thing just describing it differently but whatever floats your boat.
 
Apr 2, 2015
1,198
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Woodstock, man
"get some type of force exerting in the direction you want to be going then trying to drag an anchor"

To me, when you actively try to push the heel up, this promotes lunging, and the 'drag an anchor' is exactly how one 'stays back'.

When I say keep the heel on the ground as long as you can hold it, you won't be able to keep it on the ground after the uncoil happens, the back elbow comes down, which helps the rear shoulder go from up to down, the rear knee rolls over which makes the (rear) hip turn and the heel pops up automatically as a result.

But "we are all talking about the same thing just describing it differently" could be right.
 
May 12, 2016
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Personally I believe it's more than an anchor that just keeps the hitter back. I also believe it provides the necessary support to allow the hitter to get into a nice balanced position at toe touch. I find a lot of hitters who focus on back foot drive release prematurely resulting in an unbalanced swing with no control
 

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