Push off loaded back foot to start rotational swing or not?

[Dragoncoach]

Seems to be some controversy on some of the rotational hitting sites as to whether u should push off the inside of your loaded back foot at heel plant or not to. Im not sure but the soriano video that mark h posted he appears to push off. I tried it and it rotated my hips explosively.

 

[Mark H]

Photo 11 of 31, Analysis

I don't see any knee extension so I guess the answer is it depends on what you mean by push.

 

[straightleg]

Say you have a controlled fall to toe touch. You ride the inside leg. That looks good to me

The harder you push off the back foot the faster you get to the front foot.

Have to think about that one


Straightleg

 

[PEPPERS]

This is how I see and feel it. When I learn something new in hitting I try it out before I teach it to the kids. It Helps me understand and if it works for an old guy like me it should help the kids.

What I felt and see is the back foot is more cause and effect of hip rotation and weight transfer than a push or the result of momentum of hip rotation. If you push, I think, it’s like squashing the bug.

Having said that, under stand that I’m no hitting coach like some of the people on the forum, just a guy trying to help my daughter and some other kids get better.

Edit ot add.
Let me make something clear what I’m talking is the back foot pointed to the sky and toe to the ground, not the linier stride to the pitcher.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Seems to be some controversy on some of the rotational hitting sites as to whether u should push off the inside of your loaded back foot at heel plant or not to. Im not sure but the soriano video that mark h posted he appears to push off. I tried it and it rotated my hips explosively.

I think there is a very little bit of push from the foot and/or ankle, but as Mark H points out, the angle of the back knee doesn't change so the push isn't coming from there.

An analogy that I have used is that the sequence is like an MX missile.

You have a small starting charge that pops the missile clear of the silo (back foot push) and then the first stage ignites (the core).

Boys tend to find this analogy more compelling than girls. ;-)

 

[Chris O'Leary]

What I felt and see is the back foot is more cause and effect of hip rotation and weight transfer than a push or the result of momentum of hip rotation.

This is how I think about it.

If you push, I think, it’s like squashing the bug...Let me make something clear what I’m talking is the back foot pointed to the sky and toe to the ground, not the linier stride to the pitcher.

People around here teach keeping the back foot on the ground so you can push off of it through the POC, but I have never seen anything close to that in a good swing.

 

[Mark H]

Neither have I and I agree Peppers' post was good.

 

[Dragoncoach]

I guess what I see is a push off the toe to start rotation of the hips but by no means do I see sitting back or squishing. Only at the start. Try it and u will see the effect on explosive hips. after weight transfer the heel and sometimes toe come off the ground.

 

[Hitter]

We teach slow to load, simple knee cock inside the back leg, soft to step on the inside edge of the lead foot, termed eversion on a flexed front knee and the hands have separated rearward slightly. By landing this way we feel we are flowing to the ball controlling our weight shift and having a sense of timing to the ball. We feel the commitment to hit is made when the rear elbow begins to move downward however as each hitter is unique, heel plant and rotation may start just a little differently as some hitters may be into rotation as heel plant is happening. However when you normally see the heel planted or down the hips forward movement is now being translational and becoming more rotational and the weight comes more towards the inside edge of the back foot as the back leg extension continues to bear the load and the weight is being shifted forward to the front side. We use a concrete block and have the hitter put the edge of their back foot against the block so there will be no squishing of the bug. Poor hip rotation will be seen as the heel of the foot will not clear the block. Better rotation is seen when the hitter foot is seen partially up and more weight is on the inside edge and toe area or the pad behind the big toe. In some cases the weight shift is so effective the back foot leaves the block completely and they skip the toe forward or in my my opinion it drags as the weight is shifting forward.

In my opinion when the girls hear drive off the back leg they tend to over stride and land more flat footed and do not flex the knee. We have found when teaching that the flexed knee is HUGE to understanding the weight shift just as it was for throwing and now instead of our chest going over our toes we will focus on firming up against what was a flexed knee to a firm front side with an angle to the front leg and chest attempting to keep the core engaged at and during contact.

Bottom line is we seem to get the girls to feel driving off the big toe verses pushing off the back side works better.

By the weight being inside the back leg instead of over it or leaning backwards, as we pick up the lead foot our weight naturally moves forward and is controlled by the landing on the inside edge of the lead foot and we say toe to toe.

Thanks Howard

 

[Dragoncoach]

so instead of pushing forward with the inside of foot, the leg cock and falling softly forward with flexed knee onto toe initiates rotation. and if there is a push its off the back toe and its not extreme