Which type of stride makes the best results for a hitter? Is it the toe-tap? High leg kick? or is it a personal prefrence??What makes them diffrent??Plz Help
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Well, not much going on. So, I'll add my two cents, which might actually be worth less than that.
The type of stride is a personal choice. Some hitters find one way works best for them because it is more comfortable or more easily repeatable. Working with my son who has a knack for developing bad habits, I've found that the stride needs to be able to keep the weight back while moving the mass forward.
By that I mean a lot of hitters push off the rear foot/leg and the weight gets out front too early. So, a hitter has to be able to load the front leg/hip rearward to re-load the rear leg/hip while the body itself is moving forward. With my son, he has experimented a few different ways. Visually, I know he is OK when the front foot touches down, and the center point of his body is at, or slightly behind, the mid-point of his feet. That allows him to shift his weight as/after he gets his foot down when he fires the backside. He has settled on inverting the front leg and pinching the front hip while he is striding (can also "pinch the knees") so that he can land on the inside ball of his front foot.
The keys to whatever you choose: Keep the weight weight back (re-load backside) while striding forward, don't let the hips drift past the mid-point of the feet, land on the inside ball of the front foot, and drop the front foot while firing the backside.
That'll give you a fairly good feel which you can tweak and make adjustments to your liking and for different pitches.
Good luck.
The type of stride is a personal choice. Some hitters find one way works best for them because it is more comfortable or more easily repeatable. Working with my son who has a knack for developing bad habits, I've found that the stride needs to be able to keep the weight back while moving the mass forward.
By that I mean a lot of hitters push off the rear foot/leg and the weight gets out front too early. So, a hitter has to be able to load the front leg/hip rearward to re-load the rear leg/hip while the body itself is moving forward. With my son, he has experimented a few different ways. Visually, I know he is OK when the front foot touches down, and the center point of his body is at, or slightly behind, the mid-point of his feet. That allows him to shift his weight as/after he gets his foot down when he fires the backside. He has settled on inverting the front leg and pinching the front hip while he is striding (can also "pinch the knees") so that he can land on the inside ball of his front foot.
The keys to whatever you choose: Keep the weight weight back (re-load backside) while striding forward, don't let the hips drift past the mid-point of the feet, land on the inside ball of the front foot, and drop the front foot while firing the backside.
That'll give you a fairly good feel which you can tweak and make adjustments to your liking and for different pitches.
Good luck.
I agree that's it's a personal choice and what works best for each hitter.
"Stride to see the ball, not to hit the ball" was something told to me over 40 years ago and is something I tell kids today. Don't want them stridng and swinging at the same time.
Whatever method you use is personal but I have always taught a quiet, smooth stride.
Whatever method you use is personal but I have always taught a quiet, smooth stride.
quote:Don't want them stridng and swinging at the same time.
The term, "striding and swinging" should be dropped from any discussion about hitting.....The term is old school and is not of value in a hitting discussion....It's the same as "linear" and "rotational", which has no value in a hitting discussion....
There can be support given to the theory that the swing is what forces the front foot to the ground....
Bluedog,
Striding and swinging isn't as much a term as seperate actions and purposes. Was not/ is not said in the context you assume.
Explain your theory clearly...as is, the statement is not accurate. Yes, there is credence in what you are attempting to say (poorly) but as is, the statement doesn't hold water in a high level swing.
No, it doesn't have anything doing with the front hip rotating...opening perhaps, but that has nothing to do with the hips rotating. Two seperate actions with seperate purposes in a high level swing.
Wayback,
Not bad...not bad at all. Several good points raised and explained.
Striding and swinging isn't as much a term as seperate actions and purposes. Was not/ is not said in the context you assume.
Explain your theory clearly...as is, the statement is not accurate. Yes, there is credence in what you are attempting to say (poorly) but as is, the statement doesn't hold water in a high level swing.
No, it doesn't have anything doing with the front hip rotating...opening perhaps, but that has nothing to do with the hips rotating. Two seperate actions with seperate purposes in a high level swing.
Wayback,
Not bad...not bad at all. Several good points raised and explained.
quote:Originally posted by BlueDog:
There can be support given to the theory that the swing is what forces the front foot to the ground....
hence the yeager cue let the back leg put the front leg down
quote:.....there is credence in what you are attempting to say (poorly) but as is, the statement doesn't hold water in a high level swing.
Oh, I see.....I didn't know that....
I ask, does this clip fit in with what Abrams is saying about the stride?
Maybe it does, I don't know.....
quote:Originally posted by BlueDog:
Bluedog,
In regard to his hands, are you opposed to Berkman's tip? Not sure "hinge angle" is the right term here, but he appears to be tipping with a sort of wrist extension. Do you see this? And if yes, are you for or against?
(I'm not asking if you are opposed to the tip, but HOW he tips.)
Yessir, I see it and, no, I'm not opposed to it....
quote:Originally posted by BlueDog:
Yessir, I see it and, no, I'm not opposed to it....
In regard to the sequence and relationship between the tip and the stride, do you feel Berkman is doing this to generate greater "float" and greater batspeed to contact? Or is this more a style thing? I don't see it in the Williams rear view. Is it a teach, a non-teach, or a "try this and see how if feels."
Mr. Tewks, I know I do it in my swing and it's to generate float....I have had several young students who, also, do it, but, I teach with my swing as a visual guide....So, maybe they're emulating me, I don't know....
I would say it's a no-teach.....Some hitters have quiet hands and some have more nervous hands..,,I'm the nervous hand type...
I'd be curious to see if Berkman does the same with similar sequence from the left side. Doesn't he (didn't he?) have more power from the right but better average from the left? I'll try to find some older footage of a similar angle.
quote:Originally posted by BlueDog:
Mr. Tewks, I know I do it in my swing and it's to generate float....I have had several young students who, also, do it, but, I teach with my swing as a visual guide....So, maybe they're emulating me, I don't know....
Do the parents worry about this with your younger players? I think developing this movement pattern at a younger age is great, but a lot of parents seem to prefer a more "simple" approach. Do you feel the float is natural with some players?
Parents don't interfere with my teaching....If they don't like what I'm doing, they just don't bring the player back....That has happened a time, or two.....I don't ask them why as I don't care why.....Same as a player doesn't show me alot of interest in being a good hitter....I won't continue working with him....So, you drop me, I drop you, fair enough....
I don't find players naturally inclined to float the bat.....I, also, find that players struggle with loading the back hip........This stuff needs to be learned, IMO.....
I don't find players naturally inclined to float the bat.....I, also, find that players struggle with loading the back hip........This stuff needs to be learned, IMO.....
