drk_evns
Eagle Member
We all know the hips are the core of our throw and power everything... but the way they do so is not so obvious. I feel like I've finally come to understand what's happening and I want to share what I've found and see if you guys agree. I've been practicing and experimenting the past month or so after having some discussion in my form thread with SW22 HUB and SP. They helped me come to this conclusion.
The hips ROCK back and forth. There is no twisting. Yes, you eventually rotate, but that is a symptom not a cause. SW has been saying the "move is lateral" for a long time, and I think I finally get it.
Below is an image of Paul rocking the hips. Notice how the hips tip back (hip closest to target is higher than back hip) in the "pump," then tip forward in the back swing (stacked on the back foot) and then tip back again to begin the pull.
The last piece (#3) is hardest to see because our hips begin to pivot out of the way as our momentum comes through. You can see the hips tip back more dramatically in the follow through from a front or back view (last part of the image).
As you can see, the right side (the "higher" hip) pivots out to the right as your swing comes through center. YOU SHOULD NOT BE THINKING ABOUT PIVOTING. Just focus on rocking those hips forward in the pump, back in the backswing, and forward again to brace.
After you're braced up against your front side with the hips there, you can now swing. For timing the swing itself, I recommend playing with SW22's elephant walk. Really helped me.
I think if you nail this movement, other parts of the throw sort of just fall into place (ie - balance). I haven't done a lot of field work with this (it's been bad weather so mostly dry swings indoors) but I think it's clear now that this is the piece I've been missing. It feels so right and gets me into all the "correct" positions almost with no effort. THIS feels like the core of the throw, and it couldn't be more simple. I want to know if you guys agree.
_
And for the more abstract thinkers...
I like to think about my hips as a balance board for a ball. In the pump, the ball is rolling towards my backside. At the backswing, it's beginning to move forward again, thanks to the tilt. As I move into the power pocket, I'm catching that forward roll of the ball and stopping it by tilting my hips back again. Catching that momentum IS bracing. Now that we've stopped it, it is released through the swing.
Lost yet?
Discuss.
The hips ROCK back and forth. There is no twisting. Yes, you eventually rotate, but that is a symptom not a cause. SW has been saying the "move is lateral" for a long time, and I think I finally get it.
Below is an image of Paul rocking the hips. Notice how the hips tip back (hip closest to target is higher than back hip) in the "pump," then tip forward in the back swing (stacked on the back foot) and then tip back again to begin the pull.
The last piece (#3) is hardest to see because our hips begin to pivot out of the way as our momentum comes through. You can see the hips tip back more dramatically in the follow through from a front or back view (last part of the image).
As you can see, the right side (the "higher" hip) pivots out to the right as your swing comes through center. YOU SHOULD NOT BE THINKING ABOUT PIVOTING. Just focus on rocking those hips forward in the pump, back in the backswing, and forward again to brace.
After you're braced up against your front side with the hips there, you can now swing. For timing the swing itself, I recommend playing with SW22's elephant walk. Really helped me.
I think if you nail this movement, other parts of the throw sort of just fall into place (ie - balance). I haven't done a lot of field work with this (it's been bad weather so mostly dry swings indoors) but I think it's clear now that this is the piece I've been missing. It feels so right and gets me into all the "correct" positions almost with no effort. THIS feels like the core of the throw, and it couldn't be more simple. I want to know if you guys agree.
_
And for the more abstract thinkers...
I like to think about my hips as a balance board for a ball. In the pump, the ball is rolling towards my backside. At the backswing, it's beginning to move forward again, thanks to the tilt. As I move into the power pocket, I'm catching that forward roll of the ball and stopping it by tilting my hips back again. Catching that momentum IS bracing. Now that we've stopped it, it is released through the swing.
Lost yet?
Discuss.