Bat Path

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radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
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Righty hitter.
If we have a stripe down our right leg. ( can see in image of Crystal B. Has a stripe)
( a stripe down our side down the pant leg too )
In hitting stance this stripe would be facing the rear of box.
As we step/turn-rotate/swing
That stripe would turn-rotate
Forward to now face the plate.
( say from north to west )


If you're standing in the batter's box belly button even with the middle of the plate. And you stepped/ turn-rotate/ swing that line on the side of your body will now come 'forward' to the middle of the plate that exchanges your body weight and brings your strength through your swing. Driving the power from your legs rotating with your core.

Barrel to the ball.
In front of your belly,
and use your booyah
(AKA Tushie)

We do see people stay back on their leg, no real step or weight transfer. Twisting rather than rotating.
( do NOT care for that)

I studied karate and Aikido for many years. When I was in college recognized right away the karate instructor talking about hip and weight transfer immediately acknowledged how much it was similar to hitting.

Rotate brings back hip around and forward.

This picture, A foul ball ,
but good look at stripe on hip.
My batting stance started with my back foot in front of the plate. So my right hip was just a little in front of the plate.
This is the finish where you can see my body weight has transferred forward rotating 8" or 10" or so.

Yes i push so hard off my right leg at times the ground would give way.

20190309_093949-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Apr 11, 2015
877
63
Don't need to use the ground, and/or have firm footing underneath your rear foot/leg? OK.
R1gcgct.gif


Yes, there are swings where the obliques will lead the hips....
WkbkI7t.gif

.... and will be the primary mover/swinger of the bat. Turn and run, and use the rear obliques to pull the rear shoulder, arms, hands, and bat "down to" the ball. Perfectly executed. (y)
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
So you're saying the obliques lead the glutes from above, and/or are pulling the glutes forward instead of vise versa? Would that not give you a "top down" swing if the obliques above "pull" on the glutes below them? Is that what you're really going for in the swing?
It happens very fast and some may have a different firing order. THink that gif of Bustros says it all. And IMO, if you lead with the rear glute the obliques usage will be slightly minimized. I would not call it "top down" because that to me would be upper torso shoulders starting the swing. Think some have called it "middle out." I don't have a name for it. If the body was a 4 cylinder engine the firing order for me would be front side oblique, rear glute, front glute, rear oblique.
I dont have my DD think about any of this. I tell her to get into a good athletic posture, keep your head still/ quite eyes and throw the bat as far as you can with as many revolutions as possible. Her body figures it out. She was a gymnast. It helps.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Don't need to use the ground, and/or have firm footing underneath your rear foot/leg? OK.
R1gcgct.gif


Yes, there are swings where the obliques will lead the hips....
WkbkI7t.gif

.... and will be the primary mover/swinger of the bat. Turn and run, and use the rear obliques to pull the rear shoulder, arms, hands, and bat "down to" the ball. Perfectly executed. (y)
Top gif. His front obliques pulled so hard and so fast that it prematurely lifted his rear foot off the ground so that when he fired his glute there was nothing to fire against.
 
Apr 11, 2015
877
63
I dont have my DD think about any of this. I tell her to get into a good athletic posture, keep your head still/ quite eyes and throw the bat as far as you can with as many revolutions as possible. Her body figures it out. She was a gymnast. It helps.
Ultimately, the above is really all that matters. I fear too many are trying to give too many contradictory instruction(s) to their hitters. Give them a goal, and "help them" figure it out, don't "tell them" how to do it.
 

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