Toe Touch-Heel Plant Sequence

[Wellphyt]

Dosn't it seem in the Bustos video that she is super close to heel plant if not actually at heel plant before she starts the backside. What do others see. This ties into the thread about weight transfer as well.

I think you will find that the vast majority of slow motion video of the best hitters will show the back heel coming up off the ground as the front heel drops. The back heel coming off the ground is an indication that the back hip has started to turn/thrust. I know that's what I do when I swing, and also what Epstein teaches.

Epstein also teaches, that the hitter should invision a tight cord attached between the front heel and the back shoulder. Others may disagree, but I take this to mean that as the front heel plants, the shoulders start to lateral tilt and rotate. Said another way; when the front shoulder turns down and in as the hitter strides, the cord gets tightened to the max. As the front heel plants the back shoulder gets pulled down/back (lateral tilt) and shoulder rotation begins.

I have learned not to get to caught up on front heel plant as a check point for the swing. Only because the better hitters like Bonds, are able to plant their front heel and delay unloading their swing by "sitting", when they are early. As long as the hitter maintains the load in the backside, they should be ok.

I just started working with my 13 year old daughter on the "sit" technique, as she is starting to see more pitchers with the ability to vary the speed of their pitches.

 

[lhowser]

I have learned not to get to caught up on front heel plant as a check point for the swing. Only because the better hitters like Bonds, are able to plant their front heel and delay unloading their swing by "sitting", when they are early. As long as the hitter maintains the load in the backside, they should be ok.

I've seen some clips of Manny doing this with the heel already down as well. Perhaps Manny and Crystal in these cases quickly identify and are adjusting to off speed pitches.

 

[Wellphyt]

Just remember, that the front heel can be down, without being weighted.

For those who like to experiment, grab a bat and get in your batting stance. Stride onto your front toe. Drop your front heel while your back heel comes off the ground. The bat at this point should be in a good attack position with the back elbow slotted. From that position, "sink" or "sit" straight down, and hold that position. If your back thigh turns rock hard and starts to burn, then your weight is properly positioned. If your front thigh is hard and burns; you have too much weight forward. If both thighs are equally hard; you still have to much weight forward (although I expect some may disagree with this one).

When understanding hitting, it is important to think of balance in terms of the bodies' mass in "space", rather than how much weight is placed on the ground by the feet.

 

[Shawn]

Yes, there will be differences, although compared to the issue you see in your hitters is very different from what more skilled hitters are doing when you see the heel planted and yet they haven't started.

You can see differences when the timing is not perfect or when there is an adjustment being made.

A very good adjustment would be where they don't unload, and somewhat hold in a eccentric/concenntric state. Another adjuments is when they start to unload, hold and then complete the swing (the start slightly and then hold).

 

[Shawn]

As far as the Bustos clip, I don't see the same thing as you just watching it at the speed posted.

The swing doesn't show any timing adustments and the backside starts to unload as the heel plants.

She achieves a chair position and the stride comes to an halt (some say that the coil is completed during the stride, while others say it's prior to the stride). This is why people say the weight is still back at toe touch, because there is still a load that hasn't started to fully unload yet.

Anytime the backside (torso, body) creates the load, and the front foot is lifted off the ground. Then the body determines when to set to foot back down, basically everything else is elevated higher then the front leg even when there is sitting (or you can say the rest of the body holds the front leg/foot up).

Hank Aaron basically say it this way, "if you coil the spring correctly it will uncoil with lightening speed".

If you watch the video and the stride foot, and watch how it somewhat hits a wall. Stops at a certain point because of the load from the body, keeping it from going any farther forward. And then she begins to unload, the foot plants, etc.,.

 

[Shawn]

As far as the Bustos clip, I don't see the same thing as you just watching it at the speed posted.

The swing doesn't show any timing adustments and the backside starts to unload as the heel plants.

She achieves a chair position and the stride comes to an halt (some say that the coil is completed during the stride, while others say it's prior to the stride). This is why people say the weight is still back at toe touch, because there is still a load that hasn't started to fully unload yet.

Anytime the backside (torso, body) creates the load, and the front foot is lifted off the ground. Then the body determines when to set to foot back down, basically everything else is elevated higher then the front leg even when there is sitting (or you can say the rest of the body holds the front leg/foot up). As a side note, this one reason why some think that a higher knee/lift lift can possible create more power in potential energy or more momentum without striding farther.

Hank Aaron basically say it this way, "if you coil the spring correctly it will uncoil with lightening speed".

If you watch the video and the stride foot, and watch how it somewhat hits a wall. Stops at a certain point because of the load from the body, keeping it from going any farther forward. And then she begins to unload, the foot plants, etc.,.

 

[softball_56]

Glad to hear it worked. But that's one. Some will figure it out no matter what. I'd love to see a clip.

Thanks! But I know of many more than one. Like I said, I believe no one method is perfect but if you pick one whether it be Epstein, Mankin, Englishbey or whoever. Practice it hard and often. I also like Sparky Parker. Having said that as a hitting coach I'm always studying and learning. I've learned some things from Coach Lotief such as "Do some hitting off the machine from the torque position daily. Just to remind the body of the feel and the sequence. If you understand the sequence then you got it. Practice and do the sequence over and over and over AND HIT THE BALL HARD EVERY TIME YOU SWING. The best advice is that everytime you take a swing --swing hard and swing to take it deep if that is what your aim is."

 

[Mark H]

Like I said, I believe no one method is perfect but if you pick one whether it be Epstein, Mankin, Englishbey or whoever. Practice it hard and often.

Yes. No plan works well without fanatical hard work.

 

[redzuk]

I've seen some clips of Manny doing this with the heel already down as well. Perhaps Manny and Crystal in these cases quickly identify and are adjusting to off speed pitches.

There is side by side clip that Slaught uses to show this. If thats typical of how Manny handles a change I dont see any sitting, he changed the contact point. Its early on in the video clip
Insider: Manny Ramirez Swing Analysis - ESPN Video - ESPN

If there is some delay after heel plant, I think Slaught described it as storing the energy in the front leg.


Carl

 

[rowdy]

This verbage is consistent with Mike Candrea and you might check out his video if you are looking for clarification. I would agree that you have many ways to hit and all of them are okay. My thoughts on who to trust is simple, find someone you know who is successful for a long period of time and follow along. Part two is make sure they are familiar with softball because at elite levels it is a different game than baseball.