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The Biomechanics of Balance: Part 2

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David F. Wright, Ph.D., PGA

Core Rotation and Balance

Last month I showed you the effect of core rotation on your set up to the ball and the resulting weight "loading" in your feet.

Please know that your core rotation and balance will change with muscle strain and injury. Please also know that you can "correct" your core rotation by doing the 3 minutes to square exercise program. The following photos were taken of Kevin Stadler in January and May of 2005. Notice in January, Kevin's core rotation was left.

Kevin had a minor muscle strain on the right side of his upper core in late April. When this picture was taken in early May 2005, Kevin was struggling with his set up and his game. Notice in the following photo how Kevin's core rotation was right (closed) in early May.

Your balance and set up will change with changes in your core rotation. If you don't correct your core rotation or change your set up, your swing path will change.

This month I am going to show you how to determine your core rotation and the effect of that rotation on arm swing path. There are three simple ways to determine your core rotation. We are going to cover one this month, the "dead arm swing." I use the "dead arm swing" during my golf schools and individual lessons to show the impact of various set up positions. As we look at a variety of set up positions and balance in the months ahead, you will be using the "dead arm swing" to determine the effect of each position on balance and path.

Place your toes 90 degrees to a straight line about shoulder width apart. You can use the carpet line in a doorway, floor tiles, or a concrete seam.

Assume your golf set up in this position. Be certain you have the same knee flex in both knees. You likely will not have the same knee flex when you first set up. This is a result of another balance variable we will explore in the months ahead.

Let your arms and hands hang totally relaxed. Now, allow your arms to swing slowly together, back and forth about 12 inches to either side without moving your shoulders. Note: Your shoulders should not be moving. Your arms and hands must be hanging totally relaxed to make the "dead arm swing."

If your arms swing away from your body on the backswing and toward your body in the through swing, you have a core rotation at that particular stance width that is left or "open," This is called an "outside - in" swing path. Kevin Stadler had an open hip line in January, 2005 when he was measured as pictured above. His arm swing path from this set up was "outside - in."

If your arms swing toward your body on the backswing and away from your body in the through swing, you have a core rotation at that particular stance width that is right or "closed." This is called an "inside - out" arm swing path, pictured above.

When Kevin was measured in May 2005, his core rotation was to the right or closed and he had an inside out arm swing path. I would caution you not to conclude that your core rotation is the final pathway of your club swing path, although it does have a significant impact upon balance.

There are many subtle changes in balance that will magnify or compensate for swing path. We will look at many of these compensation positions in the months ahead. Balance is a precise process, as we are learning in the biomechanics lab. Subtle changes in balance will change club path and create physical stress on various muscles and muscle groups fatiguing them. Once fatigued, swing mechanics "break down" and the risk of injury rises.

Our research and instruction goals include isolating all of the positions of balance and teaching a compensation free set up and motion that creates a club path on plane. Our research in the biomechanics lab shows that these positions of balance are subtle but can have significant consequences on path. Core rotation is one of many. I will cover many postural positions of balance in the months ahead. If you have attended a golf school, you have experienced all of these positions. Next Month I will discuss core rotation correction strategies.

Announcements:

September Schools:
1 day School Sunday, September 18 Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club. The majority of our September schools are set aside for private schools and Corporate outings.

The September 25 golf school is being rescheduled as Dr. Wright will be traveling that week with The University of Southern California Men's Golf Team to the NCAA Men's Preview in Sun River, Oregon.

An Evening on the Green: David F. Wright, Ph.D., PGA

Routine: Strategies for developing consistent performance

Individual Lessons: Please note Dr. Wright's travel dates if you are planning on an individual lesson.

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