- Nov 16, 2017
- 406
- 63
For a practical teaching purpose what I like to teach is a distinction between toe touch and heel strike. This sequence helps the batter understand the timing and allows them a way to bail when needed.
So I teach the gather into the back hip. Key on this phase is seeing the front heel start pointing out toward 3rd/ss. This creates a transfer of energy to the back foot.
Then I teach making the move forward to toe touch. This forward move is where the scap load\separation happens. Player is only supposed to get their front toe only down here. Weight is still really in the back foot.
And from here, toe touch to heel strike is when the player turns the barrel. They turn the barrel by moving the front elbow up and the back elbow down. Toe touch to heel strike.
As per the original article the op posted the player can still bail at this time. From this point is when the batter commits.
So getting to toe touch is the adjustment of pitch speed.
Toe to heel is when the player adjust their posture to the pitch height and turns the barrel to a ready to fire position.
At decision to fire weight is transferred from back to front as the swing happens.
About the time the bat gets to its lowest point of the swing the weight then starts transferring back to the back foot toe.
This creates a rocking effect that builds the most energy possible.
I tell my players to pick up their front toe as you can see in elite hitters doing the same.
I guess the point of all this regarding the 1 foot vs 2 foot thing is..... it's both. Transferring energy from the front to back then back to front then front to back again is what creates the maximum force.
So I teach the gather into the back hip. Key on this phase is seeing the front heel start pointing out toward 3rd/ss. This creates a transfer of energy to the back foot.
Then I teach making the move forward to toe touch. This forward move is where the scap load\separation happens. Player is only supposed to get their front toe only down here. Weight is still really in the back foot.
And from here, toe touch to heel strike is when the player turns the barrel. They turn the barrel by moving the front elbow up and the back elbow down. Toe touch to heel strike.
As per the original article the op posted the player can still bail at this time. From this point is when the batter commits.
So getting to toe touch is the adjustment of pitch speed.
Toe to heel is when the player adjust their posture to the pitch height and turns the barrel to a ready to fire position.
At decision to fire weight is transferred from back to front as the swing happens.
About the time the bat gets to its lowest point of the swing the weight then starts transferring back to the back foot toe.
This creates a rocking effect that builds the most energy possible.
I tell my players to pick up their front toe as you can see in elite hitters doing the same.
I guess the point of all this regarding the 1 foot vs 2 foot thing is..... it's both. Transferring energy from the front to back then back to front then front to back again is what creates the maximum force.