I've bought the 6th edition before. I parted with it about three years ago when I gave it to a friend who lives in L.A. (I'm in Canada).
I'm interested in buying the book again. Any suggestions on whether it's better to buy the 6th edition or the 7th?
The Hip Turn as a Stroke Component consists of its Turn and its Weight Shift (either of which, or both, can be Zero). The Weight Shift is strictly a Hip Motion -- not a Head or Knee Motion -- and is executed as a Slide parallel to the Delivery Line. This Line is either the Plane Line (Swinging) or the Angle of Approach (Hitting) [7-12].
In the first six editions, the designated Hip Turn Component for both Basic Stroke Patterns (12-1-0 and 12-2-0) was Standard (10-14-A). This has always been defined as a Free Turn with a Weight Shift in both directions. Since the Weight Shift is the Slide component of the Hip Turn Motion, the Slide is automatically incorporated into the Standard Action (7-14).
In his 7th Edition revisions, it is apparent that Homer Kelley wanted to emphasize the 'Slide parallel to the Delivery Line' aspect of the Hip Turn prior to the Delayed Turn. And this is consistent with the definition of Slide Hip Turn (10-14-B): "Slide with a Delayed Turn." Unfortunately, this Action is entirely inconsistent with Photos 10-14-B #1 and #2. These were taken to illustrate the definition of Slide Hip Turn through the first five editions, namely, "Slide with no appreciable Turn." It is also inconsistent with the Chapter 11 Summary for Component #14 which remains as it was for the first five editions: Turn "Zero" and Shift "Free."
The bottom line for me is that the Standard Action (of all editions) works well to describe both the Slide and the Turn of the Full Pivot Stroke. The Slide Hip Turn as the new selected Variation works from a 6th and 7th edition definitional standpoint. However, the illustrated Pivot is woefully lacking as a correct illustration of that defined Action. And the description in Chapter 11 -- remember, it is merely a carryover from the first five editions -- is simply wrong. Until those two items are changed, I'll stick with the Standard Action.
Put more bluntly, the book needs to come with a Warning Label on the Slide Hip Turn photos. They are in no way representative of the Slide Hip Turn Component as visualized by Homer Kelley for his 7th Edition; as redefined in the 6th edition; and as listed in the Basic Stroke Patterns. Leaving them "as is" misleads students and bring into question the credibility of the entire work.
Hybrid Mode
