The Swing.

[phantom]

Let me try and describe the baseball swing, and if anyone has any vids to support what I'm trying to describe, please by all means add them in. Also, if you wanna add some steps to the swing, please do so as well. This will be a group effort.

1. The grip. In the fingers.
2. The stance. Shoulder width, athletic stance.
3. The knees. Slightly bent. athletic stance.
4. The hands. The launch position is at the back shoulder. Shoulder height, with the top hand level with the back shoulder. Prior to the launch, the hands can be a personal preference thing. Everyone has their own style, but they always return to the launch position before sending the bat head to the ball.

5. The weight. The weight should be evenly distributed between left and right legs, with emphasis on the inside of the thighs. Centered.

6. The stride. The front foot takes a short stride toward the pitcher, keeping the foot at a 45 degree angle.

7. The load. As the foot strides, the hands have arrived at the launch position and as the bat is pointing up towards the sky, the tip of the bat is ever so slightly angled towards the top of the batter's head. On the opposite end of the bat, the bottom hand is ever so slightly edging the knob of the bat straight back. The load is very slight and very subtle. Very very so.

8. The launch. After the load, comes the launch. The outside hip starts to turn outward as the hands start to bring the knob of the bat down towards the path of the ball. The front foot is still at 45 degrees.

9. The hips. Starts to turn open as the hands start to bring the bat into the hitting zone. The hips go first and the hands follow in a whipping action. Some people call this separation.

10. The contact. As the hips are rotating, and the hands are bringing the bat into the hitting zone, with the bottom hand doing most of the "pulling" into the hitting zone, the top hand will take over to generate power by rotating the head of the bat into the hitting zone, right before contact with the ball.

11. At contact. The bottom palm is facing down, the top palm is facing up. The hips are at full rotation, being stopped by the front leg that is fully extended and locked for a split second allowing the force generated by the rotating hips to be diverted up into the back muscles and into the arms and then the hands. The rear foot has rotated fully and is up on the toes as the somepeople call squishing the bug, but you dont actually squish, its more a rotation than a squish.

12. At extension. After the bat contacts the ball, the bottom hand continues pulling the bottom of the thru the hitting zone. The top hand rolls over to complete the follow thru to the opposite shoulder.


Well, there you have it. The swing.

Add videos if you can.

Thoughts? Comments?Full of crap?......Lets try and get'r done! :atthepc

[azmatsfan]

8. The launch. After the load, comes the launch. The outside hip starts to turn outward as the hands start to bring the knob of the bat down towards the path of the ball. The front foot is still at 45 degrees.

9. The hips. Starts to turn open as the hands start to bring the bat into the hitting zone. The hips go first and the hands follow in a whipping action. Some people call this separation.



Nice! :applaud: Very thorough. I'm sure some will argue with certain terminology or semantics though, but I'd say the basis of any style of swing is in there. The one thing I'd add would be something about slotting the elbow (I know a couple of you don't like the term "slotting", but call it whatever you want.) and staying connected through contact.

[Maxx]

I like Siggy's description, which can be found at http://home.roadrunner.com/~john.sigler/fastpitch/

When trying to understand swing mechanics, I believe the best approach is one which has recently become popularly known as P-C-R. PCR is an acronym which stands for Posture, Connection, and Rotation. The important relationship of PCR elements within high-level swing mechanics was first described by Paul Nyman after analyzing the underlying function of elite hitters' swings. Unlike other systems which frequently describe "form", (i.e., the rear leg makes an "L"), often through cues (i.e., "squish the bug", "stay tall"), the PCR model describes "function". For example, the turn driven from the middle is what is important and the rear leg forming an "L" or rear foot turning as if it "squished a bug" is not what is important, but rather a response to the turn of the middle. (Why is this distinction important? Because you can teach "PCR" mechanics in a variety of ways. PCR is what a hitter does. Not a technique. PCR proponents teach in different ways. But their goal is the same thing - the elite swing.)

So what is meant by Posture, Connection, and Rotation?

Posture - is positioning the body to properly & efficiently set the swing plane as well as loading the hips/shoulders. Also, properly described as "setting the angles correctly". One indicator of proper swing plane posture is that the bat path is perpendicular to the spine (parallel to the shoulders) during the swing. Cleary this indicates the shoulders cannot remain level, which unfortunately is still taught by some instructors. Another aspect of posture is properly loading the core muscles such they can efficiently drive the swing. A couple of great examples of postural adjustments can be seen with this Adam Dunn clip and this clip of Troy Glauss postural adjustments to hit 3 pitches at different locations.

Connection - involves connecting the bat to the rotating torso rather than allowing the hands/arms to work independently of the power source. An indicator of good connection is to see if the hitter "maintains the box" - that is, the basic shape of the forearms, upper front arm, and shoulders remains very close to the same throughout the initial phases of the swing. As opposed to pushing the hands to the ball independent of the body. This clip of Rose from above is another good example of a hitter maintaining the box.

Rotation - is properly unloading those previously loaded core muscles to turn the body (and bat) into the ball. PCR rotation includes transferring the weight to a firm front leg and rotating around the front hip. The high-level swing does not include "squishing the bug", "spinning", or driving the swing from the rear leg - as evidenced by the fact that most elite hitter's rear foot is off the ground at contact.

[Swing Coach]

Nice work! Add somewhere that ..the back leg flexes and the back shoulder tilts, allowing the barrel of the bat to get on plane with the pitch early on.

ALso, add during extension that the hitter contacts through the ball and extend his arms straight towards the pitcher for a moment before continuing on with the rotation. I have video fo rthe non-believers.