Negative Move Or Not ?

[RichK]

I always use the cue that every athletic action typically has some negative move to a positive move -- usually show a girl how to punch with and without a negative move, that gets their attention : >

Of course as we've seen discussed here and in the other thread how you do it in an efficient softball swing is really the question, but giving a girl the mental picture that there should be some load/unload and it's not just a flat start forward into a swing action is useful I think to getting them down the path to where they need to be....

 

[Wellphyt]

OK ... I've been going over the "11 year swing analysis" thread inthis section. Along with comments from my "14 year old swing" thread in Practical.

Looking at videos posted of some of the best hitters around ..

some have a very significant "negative" move, some almost none ..

Why?
Which is better? (since they all seem to hit extremely well difficult to say one in better than the other)

More importantly:
How does a player know which (minimal, no, significant) is best for them?

Part of the confusion regarding the difference in the degree in "negative moves" between hitters, probably is due to your perception of the "negative move". If you perceive the "negative move" as described by Candrea in the video clip that Tom posted, then you will no doubt have trouble reconciling the "negative move" from one hitter to the next. However when the "negative move" is viewed in the context of a weight shift done with the hips as described by Williams, it becomes much clearer that the differences in the negative move are really differences in the style a hitter chooses to "load up", prior to cocking the hips.

IMO, the negative move, is not shifting weight in a linear direction back towards the catcher as described by Candrea in the clip. What Candrea describes as a "negative move" I view as a hitter's personal "loading up" style. IMO, a correct negative move, or hip cock, doesn't start until the stride begins. How can a hitter perform a negaitve move if their weight is coming forward some during their stride? It's done by cocking the hips. Ted said that the hips cock as the stride begins. He was adament that the hips cock as the front foot is lifted to stride, and not before. He also said that he shifted his weight back and forward, with his hips. He described the proper hip action, as a pendulum, swivel or winding/unwinding of the hips. I had a huge aha moment when I figured out how to weight shift using my hips, instead of weight shifting by shifting back and then shifting forward.

This excerpt from a conversation between Williams, Gammons, Boggs and Mattingly, helped me to connect the dots, along with Williams' "Science of Hitting" book, along with what some are calling the "The Move".


WILLIAMS: Did you think I transferred weight?

GAMMONS: As you start your swing, you cock your front leg, and at the point of contact you're coming up off your back foot ever so slightly. That's a shift.

WILLIAMS: That's a hard thing not to do. It's a very little weight shift, more of an unwinding of the hips. A weight shift upsets balance.

BOGGS: I don't know what else you can call it. O.K., tell me how you think I swing?

WILLIAMS: I think you're balanced. But you talk about shifting weight.

MATTINGLY: All good hitters shift their weight. I can't believe they don't. Show me how you get back.

WILLIAMS: I'm doing it with my hips.

BOGGS: Cock your leg. Where's your weight going?

WILLIAMS: Which way am I shifting my weight?

MATTINGLY: I think you're shifting it back.

WILLIAMS: Only because it's the only way I can stand. O.K.

IMO, Williams' understanding of how he weight shifted using just his hips, was an amazing example of a hitter being self aware of what he does. Many of us just don't have the gift of self awareness that Williams had. Even Mattingly and Boggs were a little confused as to what Williams was describing. I believe that most of us guys use our hips correctly when we throw overhand...we cock our hips correctly. The problem is that many of us don't know we are doing it. Since we don't know we are doing it, we aren't aware how that part of the overhand throw relates to hitting. It's almost a
"catch 22".

 

[LongBall]

I personally like a slight negative move in my players. Though some on our team prefer to create the upper body torque when they start the step with a slight turn in as the are stepping. The girls we get that have toooooo much sway (negative move) are usually the athletes who start with the hands really close to their heads. When we start them with the hands even or just off the back shoulder they do not load or sway as much and say it feels better. Just my thoughts