~ basic knowledge and skills of rocking motion ~
Rocking motion (like Ken Griffey Jr ) is important because it keeps muscle loose. But it has another effect that influences the making of batting stance.
Hitters need the rocking motion to make their best balance of batting stance because they can't make it abruptly from first. This is the same as painter who draws dessin. They draw thin and pale line at first because they know that is impossible to draw the accurate line from the first by their experience. If you have knowlege about that, your rocking motion will become smaller from start of rocking motion in stages. Because your batting stance approaches completion in stages.
By the way, Rocking-motion has three important factors below. And each factor has experts.
1) Weight shift
Core factor of rocking motion is repetition weight shift between left leg and right leg. And it draws the circular orbit, rather than the linear orbit. Because hip joint makes rotary motion due to it's Joint-structure that is ball and socket. Following hitters are experts of this.
Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr, Adrian Beltre
2) Stamping motion
Weight shift leads the stamping motion of front leg. Because front leg receives the weight more lightly than back leg that receives the weight of bat and arm. Therefore, when your weight is shifted to back leg, heel (not toe) of front foot gets off the ground. And next, your weight comes back to front foot, toe is put on the ground. Repeat of this can be said as "Stamping motion". Following hitters are experts of this.
Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, George Cantu, Ken Griffey Jr
3) Bat's coiling motion
This word means the repeating-circular-motion of bat in the batting stance. It can be seen clearly in the batting stance of Ken Griffey Jr or Jose Canseco. And then, it is important that this coiling motion has correct manner about direction of rotation.
By the way, weight shift as a core factor of rocking-motion leads to hip-joint-rotation as mentioned above. And this hip-joint-rotation means hip-joint-open because movement of hip joint in receiving weight becomes hip-joint-flexion. As mentioned above, hip-joint-open is the natural form of hip-joint-flexion. Therefore, hip-joint-open occurs when it receives the weight.
By the way, hip-joint-open has opposite direction between front leg side and back leg side. And bat's-coiling-motion is led by the hip-joint-rotation. Therefore, it is very important problem that which hip-joints lead the bat's-coiling-motion. The answer of above question is "back leg's hip joint". Because back-leg's-hip-joint is the side of receiving large weight. So it takes initiative in both hip joints' rotaions.
And as a result, bat's-coiling-motion has direction of rotation that is as same as back-leg's-hip-joint-open. However, don't rotate the bat by hands or arms without linking with weight shift. Bat's-coiling-motion is just a result of weight-shift. In short, it's an automatic motion. If you rotate your bat by muscles of arm, your swing is led by upper body's muscles and it means that you can't use the power of lower body's muscles. Following hitters are experts of proper bat's-coiling-motion.
Ken Griffey Jr, Alex Rodriguez, Scott Rolen
So then, let me introduce the learning method for the rocking motion.
1) Check the linkage between weight shift and hip-joint-rotation.
First, stand with your feet shoulder width. And do the weight shift between left leg and right leg. In this experiment, you have consciousness in one side leg's motion. Because it is difficult to have consciousness in both legs' motion at the same time. And emphasize the weight shift larger than rocking motion in the batting stance. Because it makes easier to feel the hip-joint-rotation. In addition, In many cases, pivot foot (back leg) has more keen sense than free foot (front leg ). So it is better to have consciousness in your front foot at the first.
Then, keep doing the weight shift and feel the motion of front leg. What do you feel? Don't you feel the rotation of knee while repeated many times? Let you try until you can feel the knee rotation due to the hip-joint-open. If you are right handed hitter, your knee(back leg's) should rotate clockwise when viewed from above. And if you are left handed hitter, your knee(back leg's) should rotate counter clockwise when viewed from above. This phenomenon can be understood easily when you put your hand around hip joint and draw the circular orbit like following video clip.
2) Check the stamping motion of front leg.
In this experiment, let you have the bat with taking intervals of the hands like following figure. As a result of this, Your weight is distributed to back leg more than front leg. And it makes it easier to do the stamping motion. In this experiment, try to master the stamping motion and get the feeling of hitting ground with your heel and hip-joint-rotation. In addition, it is important that impact of landing is transmitted directly to your hip joint. If your quadriceps-femoris-muscle makes contraction, you will not be abele to feel the impact of landing clearly. Adrian Beltre seems having the good feeling.
3) Check the linkage between weight shift and bat's coiling motion and hip-joint-rotation
This is a drill for learning the rocking motion. And plastic stick is used in this drill because lifting up the baseball bat in a definite period of time makes muscles strain. It has adversely affect the swing practice after this drill. Well, this drill will be effective when it is combined with swing practice. And I named this drill as "rocking-motion-drill".
First, let you have the plastic stick with taking intervals of the hands like following figure. And stand with your feet open slightly wider than shoulder width like Ken Griffey Jr. Next, repeat the rocking motion in this stance.
So what do you feel? Don't you fell the rotation of plastic stick while repeated many times? Let you try until you can feel the rotation of plastic stick. And when you can feel it even slightly, You may emphasize the rotation of plastic stick. Of course, you must not emphasize the rotation of bat in real batting stance. But in this drill, you may emphasize it. Because it leads hip-joint -rotation more clearly. And this emphasized hip-joint-rotation will lead rotation of plastic stick more clearly. In short, that is synergistic effect. And that has no adverse effect due to actively use the arm's muscle. Because you don't have to swing in this drill and plastic stick is very light.
Be that as it may, continued efforts of rocking-motion-drill will make your progress of rocking motion. And you will be able to understand Ken Griffy Jr's feeling by this drill.
※) Supplemental explanation of rocking-motion-drill.
a) take a count of this drill by stamping motion of front leg. It has effect of making remind the Importance of stamping motion. So that is effective especially as teaching method.
b) Stretch of iliopsoas muscle before this drill is very effective. Because contraction of iliopsoas muscle leads pelvis-tilt-forward and pelvis-tilt-forward makes ligament of the hip joint loose. (figure) As a result, ball of hip joint can rotate more smooth. It makes it easily to do the rocking motion more smooth and more clearly.
In adittion, quadriceps-femoris-muscle get loose by pelvis-tilt-forward. Therefore, it makes it easily to feel the impact of landing that is transmitted directly to your hip joint. And of course, loose of quadriceps-femoris-muscle makes it easily to generate the large power of hamstrings. Overall speaking, lower body's movement of Adrian Beltre expresses well about this theme's answer.
~ rocking motion in the game ~
You should not continue the rocking motion until moments of starting the hitting mechanics.(moments-of-start)Because starting position required to be stability. However it is not enough that just stop the rocking motion. If you emphasize the consciousness of stop the motion, your muscles will make strain. As a result, you will lost half effect of rocking motion that makes muscles loose. So then, what should we do for using rocking motion effectively in the game?
Of course, there are many types of manner to reach the moments-of-starts. Someone keeps the rocking motion until the moments-of-start and someone keeps quiescent state until the moments-of-start from he completed his batting stance. However these two types have some problems. For example, former lacks of certainty and latter makes his muscles likely to strain. As a result of consideration like above, I found out one of the best way. And it means that is to stop after the rocking motion and start the hitting mechanics from quiescent state. Albert Pujols and Adrian Beltre seem to take roughly this way. And I taught this method in my baseball gym.
However, as mentioned above, it is not enough that just stop the rocking motion. It is important not to have emphasized consciousness of stop the motion. The answer is that you only just need to stop the stamping motion of front leg because it makes your body stop naturally. Namely, it is to stop the stamping motion not body movement.
In addition, this method required to adjust the timing of end of stamping motion. Of course, this timing is different in pitcher or game situation. And furthermore, hitter's conditioning is a factor that has influence on this timing. Be that as it may, I will describe the timing in chapter8.
~ Make the batting stance by rocking motion ~
At the beginning of this chapter, I explained the way of making the batting stance by case of drawing the dessin as a metaphor. But before then, period untill taking batting stance from hitter enters the batter's box is also influenced by rocking motion. And it is also the important theme of rocking motion. In other words, Batting stance is formed from the state of just standing and this work is concomitant with flexion of hip joint and knee. Therefore, this work is operated by rocking motion. Because rocking motion provides hip-joint-open and it means hip-joint-flexion due to receiving the weight. So you can make the batting stance by using this hip-joint-flexion in the rocking motion. And this work is completed gradually in two or three round trips of rocking motion.
By the way, lowering the stance by rocking motion provides some good effect in comparison to squat down by vertical movement. When we squat down, we use the knee flexion mainly more than hip-joint-flexion. Because knee receives heavy weight more than hip joint and it's structure is specialized for flexion and extension. Hip joint's structure is not specialized for flexion and extension as it can be seen from oblique joint surface and ball-and-socket structure.
On the other hand, hip joint flexion due to the rocking motion is not required the consciousness of vertical movement for squat down. Therefore it's not much likely to make the knee flexion. And it is important theme for using the power of hamstrings as mentioned in chapter5&6.
In addition, you don't need to have the consciousness of hip-joint-open for making your batting stance. Because rocking motion leads the hip-joint-open. Even hip-joint-open is also an automatic motion. Hip-joint-open as a conscious motion makes your quadriceps-femoris-muscle strain because it becomes vertical movement. This difference (between linear and rocking motion) is expressed following video clip.
By the way, hip joint open causes the linkage system that is explained in chapter7. This linkage system influence on all positions of body parts in the batting stance as it can be seen from the mechanics of cocked wrist(chapter7). So this linkage system also makes the twist of upper body that is formed along the line of back leg's hip joint. I will explain this mechanics in the following describe.
Hip-joint-open makes pelvis-tilt-forward and it emphasize the "s"curve of vertebral column. Aa a result thoracic spine's kyphosis is also emphasize and it leads the scapula scapular-outward-rotation and scapular-upwrad-rotation. And this scapulas' movement leads the shoulder-internal-rotation.
By the way, the force of scapular-upward-rotation is exerted to both scapulas by thoracic spine's kyphosis. And this scapula-outward-rotaion causes the scapula-upward-rotation. But in the batting stance, both hands have the different form as a result of grip position that is shifted in the catcher side. So there is the difference about "result of force". Specifically, top-hand-side makes scapula-upward-rotation easily more than bottom-hand-side because top-hand-side makes shoulder-outward-rotation in the batting stance. As a result, scapula-upward-rotation of top-hand-side becomes predominant more than bottom-hand-side. And it makes scapula-pair-rotation like turning the wheel because both scapula is connected by the clavicle. This scapula-pair-rotation leads the bat rotation on the vertical plane and it makes bat head tilt toward the pitcher while grip moves toward catcher.
In addition, this grip's movement makes shoulder turn toward inside on the horizontal plane due to scapula's movement. Means that scapulas move around cylindrical thorax. Therefore if you move your grip toward catcher side, your scapulas slide around thorax and it causes the shoulder turn toward inside.
As mentioned above, shoulder rotates on the vertical plane and horizontal plane. As a result of complex of two kinds rotation, shoulder rotates on the oblique plane and it means the "twist that is formed along the line of back leg's hip joint (chapter 6)". This twist is can be called as "shoulder-oblique-twist".
In other words, This twist is a result of hip-joint-open with shifting grip on the catcher side. As a result of hip joint-open that is formed from asymmetrical stance, shoulder forms twist toward inside as an asymmetrical movement.
This linkage system can be seen in following experiment (video clip). This experiment is executed by using plastic stick and it should be held by opening intervals of the both hands(surf-casting-grip). Now, first, stand with your feet about infielder's catching stance width and hold the stick on the catcher side with surf-casting-grip. So then, squat down with hip-joint-open from above stance. As a result, shoulder should make the oblique twist naturally and automatically. In addition, your front knee rotate inside and back knee rotate out side as mentioned in chapter6. Furthermore, your weight is shifted on front foot's in-edge and back foot's out-edge. This is also explained in chapter6.
Namely, there are two linkage systems. one is named as"linkage system1" and the other is named as"lincage system2".
Linkage system1 (explained in chapter6)
Hip-joint-open→pelvis-tilt-forward→sharp "s"curve of vertebral column(thoracic spine's kyphosis)→scapular-outward-rotation→scapular-upwrad-rotation→shoulder-internal-rotation→antebrachial-region-pronation-wrist-dorsiflexion and wrist-outward rotation and finger flexion.
※) Arrows does not mean before or after. it only means causal relationship.
Linkage system2 (explained in chapter7)
Hip-joint-open→pelvis-tilt-forward→sharp "s"curve of vertebral column(thoracic spine's kyphosis)→scapular-outward-rotation→scapular-upwrad-rotation→top-hand-scapla becomes predominant→scapula-pair-rotation→shoulder rotation on vertical plane→shoulder rotation on horizontal plane→shoulder-oblique-twist→front knee in, back knee out→load on in-edge of front foot, load on out-edge of back foot.
※) Under line is the same as linkage system1
In addition, these two linkage system are can be checked by following experiment.
Experiment for linkage system1
movie
Experiment for linkage system2
movie
In addition, this is very important fact that both of these linkage system are due to only one core essence. And it is the hip-joint-open. Therefore, this is not so difficult compared to sentences and it is extremely simple. Because it is configured by only one core essence that is hip-joint-open. And it can be checked and leaned by experiment.
By the way, linkage system1 and linkage system2 are fundamentally the same because these are due to hip-joint-open. There is just one difference between their starting stance. Starting position of linkage system1 is put the hands in center of body. But linkage system2 is put the hands in catcher side, namely it is asymmetrical. And in fact, explaining the batting stance is completed by only linkage system2. However symmetrical characteristics of linkage system1 is effective for explaining and learning the essence of linkage system of human body. This is the reason of dividing into two systems, namely these are fundamentally the same.
Be that as it may, If taking the stance with putting the grip in the catcher side, we can make the batting stance by just only hip-joint-open that is due to rocking motion. It can be said that is extremely simple.
By the way, This method that means way of making the batting stance by using the rocking motion is very important. Because it influence to the characteristic of puncher type's mechanics. Means that, puncher type has need to take the batting stance that is loaded in advance. And it means that muscles have strain while taking the batting stance as it can be seen from the word "load" itself. This is the one of weak point of puncher type. Therefore we should take some measures. Of course, batting stance itself is very important. But in this chapter, I describe the another point that influences to linkage system. There are two points about this theme.
First, we should make the batting stance too early because passage of time makes muscle strain. Batting stance can be compared to a food means that it is better to eat as soon as possible because passage of time robs the freshness. Home run clips often show the good example. They keep the good pace in the batter's box.
Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre, Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel cabrera
Alex Rodriguez, Prince fielder
Next, we should take the comfortable stance until beginning to make the batting stance. Namely, we should not make the much flexion on knee and hip-joint. In addition, we should not lift up our grip too high and should keep our bat almost vertical. Because keeping the hands lift makes arm's muscle strain and inclined oblique bat makes arm's muscle strain by the principle of the lever. As mentioned above, the factors that burden to our muscles are below.
1) Flexion of knee and hip joint
2) Lifted bat to launch position
3) Inclined oblique bat
It is important that these are all necessary factors for puncher type's batting stance. Flexion of knee and hip joint make it easier to generate the big power directly from batting stance. Putting the bat on launch position in batting stance is important for the quick start of swing. And inclined oblique bat is an necessary factor of launch position.
Therefore we can't avoid these problems and that's why easing these problems. Specifically, we should take the comfortable stance until beginning to make the batting stance. So let me explain the method for this theme in following description.
First, stand with your feet about infielder's catching stance width and make a slight flexion on knee and hip joint because full extension is also makes muscle strain. In this stance, both toes are opened slightly but don't open too much. Because there is a function of knee-automatic-rotation as mentioned in chapter6.
Next, put your hands in a little shifted position from center line of your body. And put your scapula on thorax and bend your elbow about 90 degrees with making elbow down to point the ground, namely it looks like the posture of president Obama in following video clip(~0.10). In this posture, your bat should stand almost straight.
This posture makes your muscles of upper body relax because it doesn't have need to contraction of muscles for lifting scapulas. And thoracic spine's kyphosis makes it easy. This is also the effect of pelvis-tilt-forward. And african people have this characteristics by nature. For example Alex Rios makes good use of this posture.
Now, the "starting-posture" completes, so let you make the batting stance by using the rocking motion. Namely, squat down by hip-joint-flexion due to hip-joint-open in the rocking motion. And it is important that you don't have consciousness of hip-joint-open like infielder or sumo-wrestler because it causes the vertical movement when you squat down. Hip-joint-open occurs automatically by rocking motion.
And then, doing the stretch of iliopsoas before making the batting stance is very effective. Because it makes that easily to use mainly the hip-joint-flexion (not knee-flexion). In adittion, when you lower your stance height by rocking motion, you are better to have conscious to angle of head(slightly oblique) and thoracic spine's kyphosis and putting the weight under the tibia(not toe). As a result of having the above consciousness, you should be able to use mainly the hip-joint-flexion with pelvis-tilt-forward. If you can do it, you will feel the bending of your body by the hip-joint-flexion and your quadriceps-femoris-muscle should get loose.
In addition, rocking motion causes to the shoulder-oblique-twist by the linkage-system2. And shoulder-oblique-twist causes the knee rotation of back-knee-out and front-knee-in. As a result, batting stance completes by linkage-system that is brought by the rocking motion.
Be that as it may, you can make the batting stance from comfortable posture with your muscle relaxation by using the rocking motion from staring-posture. Then there is a issue about "timing". In this case, timing means that when beginning the rocking motion and when stopping it. Fortunately, we can learn it by watching TV or video films.
Rocking motion (like Ken Griffey Jr ) is important because it keeps muscle loose. But it has another effect that influences the making of batting stance.
Hitters need the rocking motion to make their best balance of batting stance because they can't make it abruptly from first. This is the same as painter who draws dessin. They draw thin and pale line at first because they know that is impossible to draw the accurate line from the first by their experience. If you have knowlege about that, your rocking motion will become smaller from start of rocking motion in stages. Because your batting stance approaches completion in stages.
By the way, Rocking-motion has three important factors below. And each factor has experts.
1) Weight shift
Core factor of rocking motion is repetition weight shift between left leg and right leg. And it draws the circular orbit, rather than the linear orbit. Because hip joint makes rotary motion due to it's Joint-structure that is ball and socket. Following hitters are experts of this.
Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr, Adrian Beltre
2) Stamping motion
Weight shift leads the stamping motion of front leg. Because front leg receives the weight more lightly than back leg that receives the weight of bat and arm. Therefore, when your weight is shifted to back leg, heel (not toe) of front foot gets off the ground. And next, your weight comes back to front foot, toe is put on the ground. Repeat of this can be said as "Stamping motion". Following hitters are experts of this.
Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, George Cantu, Ken Griffey Jr
3) Bat's coiling motion
This word means the repeating-circular-motion of bat in the batting stance. It can be seen clearly in the batting stance of Ken Griffey Jr or Jose Canseco. And then, it is important that this coiling motion has correct manner about direction of rotation.
By the way, weight shift as a core factor of rocking-motion leads to hip-joint-rotation as mentioned above. And this hip-joint-rotation means hip-joint-open because movement of hip joint in receiving weight becomes hip-joint-flexion. As mentioned above, hip-joint-open is the natural form of hip-joint-flexion. Therefore, hip-joint-open occurs when it receives the weight.
By the way, hip-joint-open has opposite direction between front leg side and back leg side. And bat's-coiling-motion is led by the hip-joint-rotation. Therefore, it is very important problem that which hip-joints lead the bat's-coiling-motion. The answer of above question is "back leg's hip joint". Because back-leg's-hip-joint is the side of receiving large weight. So it takes initiative in both hip joints' rotaions.
And as a result, bat's-coiling-motion has direction of rotation that is as same as back-leg's-hip-joint-open. However, don't rotate the bat by hands or arms without linking with weight shift. Bat's-coiling-motion is just a result of weight-shift. In short, it's an automatic motion. If you rotate your bat by muscles of arm, your swing is led by upper body's muscles and it means that you can't use the power of lower body's muscles. Following hitters are experts of proper bat's-coiling-motion.
Ken Griffey Jr, Alex Rodriguez, Scott Rolen
So then, let me introduce the learning method for the rocking motion.
1) Check the linkage between weight shift and hip-joint-rotation.
First, stand with your feet shoulder width. And do the weight shift between left leg and right leg. In this experiment, you have consciousness in one side leg's motion. Because it is difficult to have consciousness in both legs' motion at the same time. And emphasize the weight shift larger than rocking motion in the batting stance. Because it makes easier to feel the hip-joint-rotation. In addition, In many cases, pivot foot (back leg) has more keen sense than free foot (front leg ). So it is better to have consciousness in your front foot at the first.
Then, keep doing the weight shift and feel the motion of front leg. What do you feel? Don't you feel the rotation of knee while repeated many times? Let you try until you can feel the knee rotation due to the hip-joint-open. If you are right handed hitter, your knee(back leg's) should rotate clockwise when viewed from above. And if you are left handed hitter, your knee(back leg's) should rotate counter clockwise when viewed from above. This phenomenon can be understood easily when you put your hand around hip joint and draw the circular orbit like following video clip.
2) Check the stamping motion of front leg.
In this experiment, let you have the bat with taking intervals of the hands like following figure. As a result of this, Your weight is distributed to back leg more than front leg. And it makes it easier to do the stamping motion. In this experiment, try to master the stamping motion and get the feeling of hitting ground with your heel and hip-joint-rotation. In addition, it is important that impact of landing is transmitted directly to your hip joint. If your quadriceps-femoris-muscle makes contraction, you will not be abele to feel the impact of landing clearly. Adrian Beltre seems having the good feeling.
3) Check the linkage between weight shift and bat's coiling motion and hip-joint-rotation
This is a drill for learning the rocking motion. And plastic stick is used in this drill because lifting up the baseball bat in a definite period of time makes muscles strain. It has adversely affect the swing practice after this drill. Well, this drill will be effective when it is combined with swing practice. And I named this drill as "rocking-motion-drill".
First, let you have the plastic stick with taking intervals of the hands like following figure. And stand with your feet open slightly wider than shoulder width like Ken Griffey Jr. Next, repeat the rocking motion in this stance.
So what do you feel? Don't you fell the rotation of plastic stick while repeated many times? Let you try until you can feel the rotation of plastic stick. And when you can feel it even slightly, You may emphasize the rotation of plastic stick. Of course, you must not emphasize the rotation of bat in real batting stance. But in this drill, you may emphasize it. Because it leads hip-joint -rotation more clearly. And this emphasized hip-joint-rotation will lead rotation of plastic stick more clearly. In short, that is synergistic effect. And that has no adverse effect due to actively use the arm's muscle. Because you don't have to swing in this drill and plastic stick is very light.
Be that as it may, continued efforts of rocking-motion-drill will make your progress of rocking motion. And you will be able to understand Ken Griffy Jr's feeling by this drill.
※) Supplemental explanation of rocking-motion-drill.
a) take a count of this drill by stamping motion of front leg. It has effect of making remind the Importance of stamping motion. So that is effective especially as teaching method.
b) Stretch of iliopsoas muscle before this drill is very effective. Because contraction of iliopsoas muscle leads pelvis-tilt-forward and pelvis-tilt-forward makes ligament of the hip joint loose. (figure) As a result, ball of hip joint can rotate more smooth. It makes it easily to do the rocking motion more smooth and more clearly.
In adittion, quadriceps-femoris-muscle get loose by pelvis-tilt-forward. Therefore, it makes it easily to feel the impact of landing that is transmitted directly to your hip joint. And of course, loose of quadriceps-femoris-muscle makes it easily to generate the large power of hamstrings. Overall speaking, lower body's movement of Adrian Beltre expresses well about this theme's answer.
~ rocking motion in the game ~
You should not continue the rocking motion until moments of starting the hitting mechanics.(moments-of-start)Because starting position required to be stability. However it is not enough that just stop the rocking motion. If you emphasize the consciousness of stop the motion, your muscles will make strain. As a result, you will lost half effect of rocking motion that makes muscles loose. So then, what should we do for using rocking motion effectively in the game?
Of course, there are many types of manner to reach the moments-of-starts. Someone keeps the rocking motion until the moments-of-start and someone keeps quiescent state until the moments-of-start from he completed his batting stance. However these two types have some problems. For example, former lacks of certainty and latter makes his muscles likely to strain. As a result of consideration like above, I found out one of the best way. And it means that is to stop after the rocking motion and start the hitting mechanics from quiescent state. Albert Pujols and Adrian Beltre seem to take roughly this way. And I taught this method in my baseball gym.
However, as mentioned above, it is not enough that just stop the rocking motion. It is important not to have emphasized consciousness of stop the motion. The answer is that you only just need to stop the stamping motion of front leg because it makes your body stop naturally. Namely, it is to stop the stamping motion not body movement.
In addition, this method required to adjust the timing of end of stamping motion. Of course, this timing is different in pitcher or game situation. And furthermore, hitter's conditioning is a factor that has influence on this timing. Be that as it may, I will describe the timing in chapter8.
~ Make the batting stance by rocking motion ~
At the beginning of this chapter, I explained the way of making the batting stance by case of drawing the dessin as a metaphor. But before then, period untill taking batting stance from hitter enters the batter's box is also influenced by rocking motion. And it is also the important theme of rocking motion. In other words, Batting stance is formed from the state of just standing and this work is concomitant with flexion of hip joint and knee. Therefore, this work is operated by rocking motion. Because rocking motion provides hip-joint-open and it means hip-joint-flexion due to receiving the weight. So you can make the batting stance by using this hip-joint-flexion in the rocking motion. And this work is completed gradually in two or three round trips of rocking motion.
By the way, lowering the stance by rocking motion provides some good effect in comparison to squat down by vertical movement. When we squat down, we use the knee flexion mainly more than hip-joint-flexion. Because knee receives heavy weight more than hip joint and it's structure is specialized for flexion and extension. Hip joint's structure is not specialized for flexion and extension as it can be seen from oblique joint surface and ball-and-socket structure.
On the other hand, hip joint flexion due to the rocking motion is not required the consciousness of vertical movement for squat down. Therefore it's not much likely to make the knee flexion. And it is important theme for using the power of hamstrings as mentioned in chapter5&6.
In addition, you don't need to have the consciousness of hip-joint-open for making your batting stance. Because rocking motion leads the hip-joint-open. Even hip-joint-open is also an automatic motion. Hip-joint-open as a conscious motion makes your quadriceps-femoris-muscle strain because it becomes vertical movement. This difference (between linear and rocking motion) is expressed following video clip.
By the way, hip joint open causes the linkage system that is explained in chapter7. This linkage system influence on all positions of body parts in the batting stance as it can be seen from the mechanics of cocked wrist(chapter7). So this linkage system also makes the twist of upper body that is formed along the line of back leg's hip joint. I will explain this mechanics in the following describe.
Hip-joint-open makes pelvis-tilt-forward and it emphasize the "s"curve of vertebral column. Aa a result thoracic spine's kyphosis is also emphasize and it leads the scapula scapular-outward-rotation and scapular-upwrad-rotation. And this scapulas' movement leads the shoulder-internal-rotation.
By the way, the force of scapular-upward-rotation is exerted to both scapulas by thoracic spine's kyphosis. And this scapula-outward-rotaion causes the scapula-upward-rotation. But in the batting stance, both hands have the different form as a result of grip position that is shifted in the catcher side. So there is the difference about "result of force". Specifically, top-hand-side makes scapula-upward-rotation easily more than bottom-hand-side because top-hand-side makes shoulder-outward-rotation in the batting stance. As a result, scapula-upward-rotation of top-hand-side becomes predominant more than bottom-hand-side. And it makes scapula-pair-rotation like turning the wheel because both scapula is connected by the clavicle. This scapula-pair-rotation leads the bat rotation on the vertical plane and it makes bat head tilt toward the pitcher while grip moves toward catcher.
In addition, this grip's movement makes shoulder turn toward inside on the horizontal plane due to scapula's movement. Means that scapulas move around cylindrical thorax. Therefore if you move your grip toward catcher side, your scapulas slide around thorax and it causes the shoulder turn toward inside.
As mentioned above, shoulder rotates on the vertical plane and horizontal plane. As a result of complex of two kinds rotation, shoulder rotates on the oblique plane and it means the "twist that is formed along the line of back leg's hip joint (chapter 6)". This twist is can be called as "shoulder-oblique-twist".
In other words, This twist is a result of hip-joint-open with shifting grip on the catcher side. As a result of hip joint-open that is formed from asymmetrical stance, shoulder forms twist toward inside as an asymmetrical movement.
This linkage system can be seen in following experiment (video clip). This experiment is executed by using plastic stick and it should be held by opening intervals of the both hands(surf-casting-grip). Now, first, stand with your feet about infielder's catching stance width and hold the stick on the catcher side with surf-casting-grip. So then, squat down with hip-joint-open from above stance. As a result, shoulder should make the oblique twist naturally and automatically. In addition, your front knee rotate inside and back knee rotate out side as mentioned in chapter6. Furthermore, your weight is shifted on front foot's in-edge and back foot's out-edge. This is also explained in chapter6.
Namely, there are two linkage systems. one is named as"linkage system1" and the other is named as"lincage system2".
Linkage system1 (explained in chapter6)
Hip-joint-open→pelvis-tilt-forward→sharp "s"curve of vertebral column(thoracic spine's kyphosis)→scapular-outward-rotation→scapular-upwrad-rotation→shoulder-internal-rotation→antebrachial-region-pronation-wrist-dorsiflexion and wrist-outward rotation and finger flexion.
※) Arrows does not mean before or after. it only means causal relationship.
Linkage system2 (explained in chapter7)
Hip-joint-open→pelvis-tilt-forward→sharp "s"curve of vertebral column(thoracic spine's kyphosis)→scapular-outward-rotation→scapular-upwrad-rotation→top-hand-scapla becomes predominant→scapula-pair-rotation→shoulder rotation on vertical plane→shoulder rotation on horizontal plane→shoulder-oblique-twist→front knee in, back knee out→load on in-edge of front foot, load on out-edge of back foot.
※) Under line is the same as linkage system1
In addition, these two linkage system are can be checked by following experiment.
Experiment for linkage system1
movie
Experiment for linkage system2
movie
In addition, this is very important fact that both of these linkage system are due to only one core essence. And it is the hip-joint-open. Therefore, this is not so difficult compared to sentences and it is extremely simple. Because it is configured by only one core essence that is hip-joint-open. And it can be checked and leaned by experiment.
By the way, linkage system1 and linkage system2 are fundamentally the same because these are due to hip-joint-open. There is just one difference between their starting stance. Starting position of linkage system1 is put the hands in center of body. But linkage system2 is put the hands in catcher side, namely it is asymmetrical. And in fact, explaining the batting stance is completed by only linkage system2. However symmetrical characteristics of linkage system1 is effective for explaining and learning the essence of linkage system of human body. This is the reason of dividing into two systems, namely these are fundamentally the same.
Be that as it may, If taking the stance with putting the grip in the catcher side, we can make the batting stance by just only hip-joint-open that is due to rocking motion. It can be said that is extremely simple.
By the way, This method that means way of making the batting stance by using the rocking motion is very important. Because it influence to the characteristic of puncher type's mechanics. Means that, puncher type has need to take the batting stance that is loaded in advance. And it means that muscles have strain while taking the batting stance as it can be seen from the word "load" itself. This is the one of weak point of puncher type. Therefore we should take some measures. Of course, batting stance itself is very important. But in this chapter, I describe the another point that influences to linkage system. There are two points about this theme.
First, we should make the batting stance too early because passage of time makes muscle strain. Batting stance can be compared to a food means that it is better to eat as soon as possible because passage of time robs the freshness. Home run clips often show the good example. They keep the good pace in the batter's box.
Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre, Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel cabrera
Alex Rodriguez, Prince fielder
Next, we should take the comfortable stance until beginning to make the batting stance. Namely, we should not make the much flexion on knee and hip-joint. In addition, we should not lift up our grip too high and should keep our bat almost vertical. Because keeping the hands lift makes arm's muscle strain and inclined oblique bat makes arm's muscle strain by the principle of the lever. As mentioned above, the factors that burden to our muscles are below.
1) Flexion of knee and hip joint
2) Lifted bat to launch position
3) Inclined oblique bat
It is important that these are all necessary factors for puncher type's batting stance. Flexion of knee and hip joint make it easier to generate the big power directly from batting stance. Putting the bat on launch position in batting stance is important for the quick start of swing. And inclined oblique bat is an necessary factor of launch position.
Therefore we can't avoid these problems and that's why easing these problems. Specifically, we should take the comfortable stance until beginning to make the batting stance. So let me explain the method for this theme in following description.
First, stand with your feet about infielder's catching stance width and make a slight flexion on knee and hip joint because full extension is also makes muscle strain. In this stance, both toes are opened slightly but don't open too much. Because there is a function of knee-automatic-rotation as mentioned in chapter6.
Next, put your hands in a little shifted position from center line of your body. And put your scapula on thorax and bend your elbow about 90 degrees with making elbow down to point the ground, namely it looks like the posture of president Obama in following video clip(~0.10). In this posture, your bat should stand almost straight.
This posture makes your muscles of upper body relax because it doesn't have need to contraction of muscles for lifting scapulas. And thoracic spine's kyphosis makes it easy. This is also the effect of pelvis-tilt-forward. And african people have this characteristics by nature. For example Alex Rios makes good use of this posture.
Now, the "starting-posture" completes, so let you make the batting stance by using the rocking motion. Namely, squat down by hip-joint-flexion due to hip-joint-open in the rocking motion. And it is important that you don't have consciousness of hip-joint-open like infielder or sumo-wrestler because it causes the vertical movement when you squat down. Hip-joint-open occurs automatically by rocking motion.
And then, doing the stretch of iliopsoas before making the batting stance is very effective. Because it makes that easily to use mainly the hip-joint-flexion (not knee-flexion). In adittion, when you lower your stance height by rocking motion, you are better to have conscious to angle of head(slightly oblique) and thoracic spine's kyphosis and putting the weight under the tibia(not toe). As a result of having the above consciousness, you should be able to use mainly the hip-joint-flexion with pelvis-tilt-forward. If you can do it, you will feel the bending of your body by the hip-joint-flexion and your quadriceps-femoris-muscle should get loose.
In addition, rocking motion causes to the shoulder-oblique-twist by the linkage-system2. And shoulder-oblique-twist causes the knee rotation of back-knee-out and front-knee-in. As a result, batting stance completes by linkage-system that is brought by the rocking motion.
Be that as it may, you can make the batting stance from comfortable posture with your muscle relaxation by using the rocking motion from staring-posture. Then there is a issue about "timing". In this case, timing means that when beginning the rocking motion and when stopping it. Fortunately, we can learn it by watching TV or video films.
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