Lower Half Function: Part 1

I recently was asked “what hitting buzzword or adage causes the most inefficiencies or flaws in the swing?. Without hesitation, my answer was “the legs are your power source”. Now, that isn’t to say that I don’t value the lower half, in fact, most that know me well will tell you I find the lower half to be the biggest influencer of an efficient productive swing. However, most interpret the lower half as the primary engine in the swing, the sole source of force creation. What I have observed of years of watching amateur hitters is that telling them to “use their legs” typically leads to a few common flaws; a lateral sway, an out of control pelvis unable to decelerate or early hip extension due to a loaded quad. Unfortunately, those flaws typically can not be compensated for in the swing, leading to less that desirable results.

So, as it often does, answering that question led me down a rabbit hole that ended re-reading notes that I have taken over the past couple of years. Being that I have a lot of current free time (we are on a “covid pause”) I figured I would put together a short series over the next few days highlighting lower half mechanics in the swing. In the words of UFC announcer Mike Goldberg “HEREEEEE WEEE GOOO”.

Lets start with the role of the lower half, quite simply put, everything below the hips are there to stabilize or provide a rock solid foundation for the pelvis (which we will discuss in tomorrow’s post) to create speed as it goes from internal rotation (belt buckle over thigh) to external rotation and then decelerate so energy can be sent up the chain. The role of the back foot is to stay anchored to the ground so the glutes can stay engaged, assuming the hitter engages the glutes. Think about the weight room, would you ever do a dead lift on your toes?. Nope, in fact, try to stand and your toes and fire up your glute, impossible. Now, what I see a lot is instructors telling hitters to “push” from the ground or “snap” the rear leg under you to create linear force into the ball. Essentially telling the hitter to skip or bring the rear foot underneath you. Now, depending on your movement profile, the back foot may get pulled and get airborne, but it shouldn’t be from the foot/toes propelling it. Here are the issues with that (there a ton but I will highlight the major ones).

1. It will quite literally kill your ability to make adjustments with your hips or pelvis. The video below is LHH v a LHP, the pitcher throws a curve ball running away from the hitter. In theory due to the release point, this pitch most likely looked like a middle/middle in pitch to the hitter, but quickly horizontally breaks to the outer half. What I want you to do is watch her ability to “stop” or decelerate her pelvis as she sees the ball breaking, this allows her torso to maintain direction and inevitably the barrel (HR CF). When your feet are still anchored and you have the ground, you are in control of your pelvis, you can make adjustments. If her rear foot was airborne, I doubt she would have been able to stop her pelvis resulting in spinning off this pitch (weak flare or roll-over). We want the pelvis to peel the foot from the ground, not the opposite. A good way to explain this to your hitters if to have them stand up and lift their rear leg off the ground and try to turn their hips, they can do it, but at very low speeds. Now, anchor and turn from your pelvis, powerful. Being able to stop your hips when you want is a huge unlock.

2. One of the most common cues to a hitter is “you’re pulling of the ball” or “you’re getting spinny”. Another issue with skipping the rear foot underneath you is that you loose the ability to decelerate or maintain the direction of your torso, therefore “spinning off”. The reason is, you lose the stretch of your posterior oblique sling. Think of the posterior oblique sling as a huge rubberband extending from your lead lats down through your glutes and stopping in the rear foot. This “sling” in addition to the “anterior oblique sling” is essential to the acceleration, and as it pertains to this topic, deceleration of your trunk. Try this, take your normal stride like you would in the swing, cross your arms and turn your torso as far as you can, feel that tension? (Cant spin off). Now, from the stride position, take your back foot and skip it forward to the front foot and repeat that (turn your torso), much more range of motion, much easier to spin off the ball or not decelerate as efficiently.

3. Quite simply put skipping your rear foot or pushing from the foot isn’t the best way to create force. The swing does not start from the ground up like most will say. Try it, stand up and turn you hip by skipping your foot or turning your heel to the sky. Feels weak, right? What that movement creates is rotation via the gluteus medius, the weakest area of the glute complex. Also, notice when you perform that movement the pelvis doesn’t turn much, no rotation, no stretch across the obliques, no separation. We want to move from the middle, use the gluteus max to turn the pelvis, allow the foot to evert (stay sideways for as long as possible, but that is a topic for another day.

So what should happen with the feet? Well, if the feet aren’t stable chances are the ankles aren’t stable. If the ankles aren’t stable the knees aren’t stable, you get the point. Stability in the swing is paramount. In the weight room, S&C coaches are constantly telling athletes to keep a vertical shin, to keep your heels down, why should it change in hitting? The goal is to be good from the middle of the body, not from the ground. These are basic movement principles.

Now, am I saying the back foot doesn't turn? Absolutely not, it just gets pulled by the pelvis turning. Am I saying that your can’t rotate at high speeds without the ground? Nope, but the ground is your turbo boost, it’s your amplifier.

When you as a coach can educate your players on how the lifts they are performing in the weight room effect their ability to become a better player, there is ZERO doubt you will get more out of your S&C program.

Part 2 Coming Soon: Quad, Glutes, Pelvis.