critique daughter's swing 12U

[straightleg]

So Ted Williams had it wrong when his knee and foot opened into plant?

The weight shift will open foot and roll it over sometimes.



SL

 

[jbooth]

So Ted Williams had it wrong when his knee and foot opened into plant?

No. But, there is an anatomically right and wrong movement that could cause the foot to open.

If the pelvic bone stays in line and is pushed forward with correct coil and uncoil, and the foot turns because of external rotation of the front femur, you are OK. This is what Ted often did.

If your foot lands open because you are incorrectly uncoiling, then you have a problem. If the rear hip socket is fused, and the femur and pelvic bone turn together, you get what is called "flying open" and/or "bleed." That is not the same as letting the front leg SLIGHTLY externally rotate.

How the pelvic bone is positioned when the front foot lands, is more important than the angle of the foot when it lands.

That is why telling a hitter to keep the foot closed doesn't always solve the flying open problem. The problem is in the rear hip/leg action, not necessarily, the action of the front foot/leg.

 

[coachdan]

How the pelvic bone is positioned when the front foot lands, is more important than the angle of the foot when it lands.

How should the pelvic bone be positioned at toe touch ?

 

[jbooth]

How the pelvic bone is positioned when the front foot lands, is more important than the angle of the foot when it lands.

How should the pelvic bone be positioned at toe touch ?

The line between the hips should be parallel with the plate, and in the process of rotating open.

The key is to keep the base of the spine on the line between the feet and rotate around that axis.

"flying open", or "bleeding", or "opening too soon" is caused by pivoting on the back hip socket as the axis, which moves the spinal axis point away from the plate, or line between the feet. Pivoting on the back leg makes the foot move away from the plate.

There is rotation at the back hip socket, but it should be the top of the femur pushing the hip socket a bit inward and toward the front foot. NOT, a fused rotation that moves the spine and front hip away from the plate.

These guys rotate into foot plant, but drive the back hip in a straight line, which pushes the front hip out after heel plant. They don't spin the front hip out from a rear hip socket pivot point which would move the front foot off line before toe touch. Does that make sense?

 

[Wellphyt]

Here is Ted staying closed during the stride. I key off of the front thigh. Until I see the front thigh roll over I consider the front side closed.