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....for the lurkers coming to HittingIllustrated.com....
This is a closeup taken from this swing....
The clip says...."the body begins it's prep"....to accomplish the goal of 'turning the barrel".
There are 4 Major Checkpoints the 'body' must accomplish and accomplish in order....to properly 'prep' for the upcoming goal....which is 'turn the barrel'.
Checkpoint #1: Quality rear hip socket separation. A quality coil. The rear hip coiling rearward AGAINST a rear leg that is INTERNALLY rotating. Movement JUST in the hip socket. Leg is firm. Femur is firm. Rock solid. Hip turns about the ball of the femur. This action is felt MOSTLY in the glute and the inner thigh of the rear leg.
Checkpoint #2: Tight lower back muscles just above the rear hip....the latissimus dorsi (I think....and others?) pulling the torso rearward....against the resisting INTERNALLY rotating rear leg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latissimus_dorsi_muscle
Checkpoint #3: A 'pinched and clamped down' scap. The Rhomboids pulling the scap toward the spine and holding it there. It must be held....not released....until after the corner. When you pinch the scap....you should feel movement in your rear leg....you should feel a pull against the rear leg. If you don't....a checkpoint is missing. Something between is not tight.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhomboid_muscles
Checkpoint #4: Upward/rearward pressure on the handle by the top hand prior to go....during the pitch read. When you pull a little harder....like a test....you should feel it tug against your rear leg. That pressure is never released....never redirected....THAT pressure IS the beginnnig of the launch. Rearward. Rearward. Rearward. Did I say rearward? It tells the body what you are going to do with all of this stretching.....and from where you are going to do it.
When all has been accomplished....in order....you are left with the hands stretched against the rear leg. Rear side resistance.
When the hands turn the barrel....the 'go' move....all resistance is released.....the rear leg defeats the hip and the lat and the scap and the barrel is yanked....whipped....into autopilot.
Stretch n Fire.
A wave. A sequence. A spiral of energy upward, so to speak. Starts in the hip socket....spirals upward.
You anatomists.....feel free to correct my muscle names.
Or add to them.
P.S. This swing resulted in one of the longest HR's ever hit in this ball park. This was his 5th or 6th HR of the season. Summer '07. Had never hit a HR before in his life.
Notice the external rotation of the rear foot (not the leg...the leg is contantly internally rotating)....caused by the coil.
This is a closeup taken from this swing....
The clip says...."the body begins it's prep"....to accomplish the goal of 'turning the barrel".
There are 4 Major Checkpoints the 'body' must accomplish and accomplish in order....to properly 'prep' for the upcoming goal....which is 'turn the barrel'.
Checkpoint #1: Quality rear hip socket separation. A quality coil. The rear hip coiling rearward AGAINST a rear leg that is INTERNALLY rotating. Movement JUST in the hip socket. Leg is firm. Femur is firm. Rock solid. Hip turns about the ball of the femur. This action is felt MOSTLY in the glute and the inner thigh of the rear leg.
Checkpoint #2: Tight lower back muscles just above the rear hip....the latissimus dorsi (I think....and others?) pulling the torso rearward....against the resisting INTERNALLY rotating rear leg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latissimus_dorsi_muscle
Checkpoint #3: A 'pinched and clamped down' scap. The Rhomboids pulling the scap toward the spine and holding it there. It must be held....not released....until after the corner. When you pinch the scap....you should feel movement in your rear leg....you should feel a pull against the rear leg. If you don't....a checkpoint is missing. Something between is not tight.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhomboid_muscles
Checkpoint #4: Upward/rearward pressure on the handle by the top hand prior to go....during the pitch read. When you pull a little harder....like a test....you should feel it tug against your rear leg. That pressure is never released....never redirected....THAT pressure IS the beginnnig of the launch. Rearward. Rearward. Rearward. Did I say rearward? It tells the body what you are going to do with all of this stretching.....and from where you are going to do it.
When all has been accomplished....in order....you are left with the hands stretched against the rear leg. Rear side resistance.
When the hands turn the barrel....the 'go' move....all resistance is released.....the rear leg defeats the hip and the lat and the scap and the barrel is yanked....whipped....into autopilot.
Stretch n Fire.
A wave. A sequence. A spiral of energy upward, so to speak. Starts in the hip socket....spirals upward.
You anatomists.....feel free to correct my muscle names.
Or add to them.P.S. This swing resulted in one of the longest HR's ever hit in this ball park. This was his 5th or 6th HR of the season. Summer '07. Had never hit a HR before in his life.
Notice the external rotation of the rear foot (not the leg...the leg is contantly internally rotating)....caused by the coil.