One more question EA. I was taught to lead the downswing with my right elbow, however in watching the "smash" move it appears that any thought towards establishing linkage with the right elbow is discarded. My plans are to try out the simplicity of a smash downswing tomorrow...obviously employing postural force.
Only Under golfers are build to lead with the elbow. That is not to say that the elbow alignment is unimportant, Side-On golfers marry the right arm to the right side of the body and On-Top golfers have a more elbow back alignment. If you are smashing well and naturally then the elbow will seek its biomechanical alignment. Keep in mind, that to some degree the elbow does lead, like in throwing a ball or skipping a rock, however it leads in its 3-D alignment and not necessarily how it is interpreted in 2-D.
Ray Gordon I am initiating the posturing up action throw the ball, which is actually before impact and during the initial stage of delivery. What posturing up looks like in each golfer differs. I am an under golfer and my posturing up is more in my legs, through the ball, with some counter action in my head and chest from impact to the extension. Side-On golfers will posture up soon and we will see the head and torso move more up through impact. On-Top golfers will posture up even sooner. Peter Senior can be seen begining the posturing up action when the hands are waist-high in the downswing. Also remember, that at the point we view posturing up in the swing on video the intention had to happen much sooner in the golfer's focus, do to reaction time. There are also other factors that will influence when we see the posturing up happening. Some golfers use more vertical action to apply their vertical forces, ie Bubba Watson, Laura Davies, Lexi Thompson and their verticals are more obvious than a Hunter Mahan, or Gary Woodland. All of them use vertical forces and all use posturing up, they just look different. Also keep in mind that slow motion skews the reality of what we are doing in the moment. From impact to the finish is a fraction of a second, you better be well on your way to posturing up by impact, because if you wait until after it is too late, way too late. That is when we see collapsing in the posture, and buckling in the knees, because it is too late.
Ray Gordon One last note. I presently have s couple of injuries in my abdomen due to being hit by a car in a crosswalk as well as another accident that happened falling down some stairs. Due to those injuries I tend to be more hesitant with regard to my posturing up and counter forcing my extension. The key is to understand the principles, the applications and the experience. What I find is when I ask 1000 golfers to posture up through the ball they all look different and it looks like they do it at different times, even when they are doing it in the proper manner and at the proper time for each and every one of them.
John Glover, that is not necessarily the case. Posturing up is using vertical force properly. Early extension begins with a poor lateral force or movement of the hips toward the ball and then straightening up the spine. That is not a true extension move. I have a lot of videos taking about these actions. Here's one of them: ua-cam.com/video/fW9Xhim4uoY/v-deo.html
This is a really cool way to breakdown the Motions! Thank you
Brilliant stuff. can't wait for the spring.
Do you always play the ball so far back in your stance EA?
Is that last drill, the leaderboard drill you often write about in your books?
One more question EA. I was taught to lead the downswing with my right elbow, however in watching the "smash" move it appears that any thought towards establishing linkage with the right elbow is discarded. My plans are to try out the simplicity of a smash downswing tomorrow...obviously employing postural force.
Only Under golfers are build to lead with the elbow. That is not to say that the elbow alignment is unimportant, Side-On golfers marry the right arm to the right side of the body and On-Top golfers have a more elbow back alignment. If you are smashing well and naturally then the elbow will seek its biomechanical alignment. Keep in mind, that to some degree the elbow does lead, like in throwing a ball or skipping a rock, however it leads in its 3-D alignment and not necessarily how it is interpreted in 2-D.
Are you posturing up at impact or after?
Ray Gordon I am initiating the posturing up action throw the ball, which is actually before impact and during the initial stage of delivery. What posturing up looks like in each golfer differs. I am an under golfer and my posturing up is more in my legs, through the ball, with some counter action in my head and chest from impact to the extension. Side-On golfers will posture up soon and we will see the head and torso move more up through impact. On-Top golfers will posture up even sooner. Peter Senior can be seen begining the posturing up action when the hands are waist-high in the downswing. Also remember, that at the point we view posturing up in the swing on video the intention had to happen much sooner in the golfer's focus, do to reaction time. There are also other factors that will influence when we see the posturing up happening. Some golfers use more vertical action to apply their vertical forces, ie Bubba Watson, Laura Davies, Lexi Thompson and their verticals are more obvious than a Hunter Mahan, or Gary Woodland. All of them use vertical forces and all use posturing up, they just look different. Also keep in mind that slow motion skews the reality of what we are doing in the moment. From impact to the finish is a fraction of a second, you better be well on your way to posturing up by impact, because if you wait until after it is too late, way too late. That is when we see collapsing in the posture, and buckling in the knees, because it is too late.
Ray Gordon One last note. I presently have s couple of injuries in my abdomen due to being hit by a car in a crosswalk as well as another accident that happened falling down some stairs. Due to those injuries I tend to be more hesitant with regard to my posturing up and counter forcing my extension. The key is to understand the principles, the applications and the experience. What I find is when I ask 1000 golfers to posture up through the ball they all look different and it looks like they do it at different times, even when they are doing it in the proper manner and at the proper time for each and every one of them.
ea, would you say the downswing is more instinctive because it happens so fast as long as you make a decent backswing?
Would not "posturing up" lead to early extension
John Glover, that is not necessarily the case. Posturing up is using vertical force properly. Early extension begins with a poor lateral force or movement of the hips toward the ball and then straightening up the spine. That is not a true extension move. I have a lot of videos taking about these actions. Here's one of them: ua-cam.com/video/fW9Xhim4uoY/v-deo.html
Thanks for the reply. Watched the video you supplied and I believe I understand the differentiation