Weight Transfer

[Shawn]

Wellphyt,

The Epstein drills can have weight shift. While balance is an important part of his info and establishing an "axis of rotation" (AOR), he talks about the getting a little more weight forward in the 1 position. This creates a little "weight shift" as shown by his son Jake performing the drills in "Do we teach what we really see" drill portion DVD.

I don't know how the drills are shown in the "on target series", if they are like the kid on my DVD then they don't show getting a little more weight forward.

Weight shift is important although not so simple. To much "backside" can end up with to much weight flowing forward. Epstein addresses the issue, and while the backside is important he places the focused on the heel drop and front leg block (tether ball example).

Weight shift is perhaps the most adjusted aspect of the swing, because in entails the stride. Which is usually what is blamed for flaws, timing issues, etc.,.

 

[Shawn]

How one uses Epstein's drills is completely dependent on the coaches understanding. I wouldn't use opening the front foot for example, it has nothing to do with how well the hips rotate.

 

[Wellphyt]

well -

windmillers are used to not lunging when they pitch (unlike overhand throw where weight needs to come forward analagous to lunging for a hitter). they usually have very good rear leg and hip action that is developed to synch with the bacward arm swing.

try to focus on them resynching this with the eraly arm action sequence that Hodge describes with the Epstein drills which are primarily developed to prevent lunging and they can make rapid progress.

What a coincidence that you should mention this. Sunday at practice we were working a lot on the overhand throw. The pitcher that I mentioned in my prior post was leaning back and not coming close to following through, leading to the ball sailing high. This player is on our team primarily to pitch, and I don't want to mess up her pitching mechanics. I asked the mom if she would check with her pitching instructor to make sure teaching her to follow through in the overhand throw wouldn't mess up her "staying tall" when she pitches.

Basically she "stays tall" when she pitches and throws overhand, but lunges when she hits. Interesting mix.

I can easily fix the lunging. Just not sure what will happen with her pitching mechanics if she learns to transfer weight when she throws overhand.

 

[softballphreak]

I'm using a comparison of pitchers' hip thrust while trying to get them to use that same kind of hip thrust when hitting.

Does anyone have an opinion on the effectiveness of this? I'm not a pitching coach but it seems like the weight shift is similar to the hitting weight shift.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Softball Power Drive - Pitching Training / Pitcher Hitting Training - Softball Training Well if you watch this site it would appear others think so.

 

[Wellphyt]

Wellphyt,

The Epstein drills can have weight shift. While balance is an important part of his info and establishing an "axis of rotation" (AOR), he talks about the getting a little more weight forward in the 1 position. This creates a little "weight shift" as shown by his son Jake performing the drills in "Do we teach what we really see" drill portion DVD.

I don't know how the drills are shown in the "on target series", if they are like the kid on my DVD then they don't show getting a little more weight forward.

Weight shift is important although not so simple. To much "backside" can end up with to much weight flowing forward. Epstein addresses the issue, and while the backside is important he places the focused on the heel drop and front leg block (tether ball example).

Weight shift is perhaps the most adjusted aspect of the swing, because in entails the stride. Which is usually what is blamed for flaws, timing issues, etc.,.

IMO, a balanced weight shift requires a hip cock or backward turn of the hips (coil). The weight shift is a dynamic rotational move and countermove. The stride is a way to build momentum or potential energy to create a more powerful weight shift. So where some players stride and some don't, the move and countermove of the hips is or should be an absolute.

I don't consider the stride a weight shift. I consider the stride a way to build potential energy. IMO, the weight shift itself is done strictly with the hips. The big problem I see with the "Numbers Drill" as it relates to weight shift, is that their is no mention of hip cock/coil. Which based on my recent epiphany on weight shift, means there can't be a weight shift. At least not a good one, or balanced one. You can try to make it balanced by shifting some weight forward in the drill at toe touch, however I believe you will find as we did, that when you do this there is a good chance that you will get a reverse weight shift when the heel is dropped. Which is just another way of saying the player is unbalanced. I will admit it is possible to drive or thrust the rear hip forward when the heel is dropped in the "Numbers Drill". I'm just not convinced it's going to make a lot of difference because in the end you are working with a static drill without a hip cock/coil.

I'm now teaching the weight shift by isolating what I believe to be the correct hip action, which if we are to believe Ted, is a spinning action or move and countermove with the head as the axis. Incorporate "The move" into that hip action and then let the player decide what type of stride they want to use. Or put another way, leave it up to the player to decide how much potential energy they feel they need to build to be the kind of hitter they want to be, based on their body type and athletic ability.

 

[Shawn]

Wellpyht,

Yes there is a potential of a reverse pivot (weight shift) in the numbers drill. Which is an obvious problem with hitters posted by Epstein and even in pictures in his book. And getting a little more weight forward can compound the problem.

I agree with most of your post. You want to coil and uncoil in the same plane of the swing, a spinning action (AOR).

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Softball Power Drive - Pitching Training / Pitcher Hitting Training - Softball Training Well if you watch this site it would appear others think so.

 

[crankermo]

Looks like ALOT of crow hopping to me. Try to avoid that issue at all cost.

 

[baseballance]

I think it is fair to say that what Wellphyt described above can be seen in this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPJO6YvrbyE with the help of the BASEBALLANCE to force the feel.