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Date: 27 Aug 2006 09:29:00
From: David Geesaman
Subject: Increasing hip turn...
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At the ripe age of 29, I've already seen a significant decline in my
ability to turn my hips square to the target and finish on my left side.
Since I'm a 'swinger' my power, balance, and accuracy suffered from
it. I knew it was happening, but no stretching I tried (and I know a
bunch of them) helped restore my form. I think I've found the solution
to my problem, and I think others may benefit from it - leg kick
exercises. I saw positive results immediately, and overall improvement
within a week.
Basically, you stand beside a wall or pole for balance. Type 1: face
the wall and swing one leg, keeping it mostly straight, way to the left
and right. Type 2: turn so that the support is to your side, and swing
the leg forward and backwards, rockette style.
Start slow and controlled, and as your muscles warm and loosen, let the
leg reach further and increase the range of motion. It helps to do this
while wearing your golf shoes since the planted foot tends to slip a
bit. You may also need to bend your knee a touch as it passes the
ground, but you want the leg straight at each extreme. I found that
about 2 sets of 10 for each leg, each type, is a highly effective
regimen. It makes for a very good pre-round warmup, but it does look a
little more silly than the standard stretches and swings. However, IMHO
it's extremely effective and will absolutely help anyone in good health.
More detail, for any interested golf-nerds:
Prior to college (and the thousands of miles I logged while competing
there as a distance runner), I could throw my hips clear past the target
line and comfortably reach a big, balanced finish. I could stand on
that finish comfortably for as long as I wanted, and of course I would
do so until each shot reached the ground. After college, I noticed my
left foot refused to keep planted, and would open toward the target
mid-swing. I figured out eventually this was not a problem with my
swing - my leg simply wasn't allowing my hips to rotate as far. It also
was noticeable that my slapshot was nowhere near as good because I
couldn't throw hard onto my left leg - I couldn't keep my left blade dug
into the ice. One day it occurred to me that I hadn't tried one thing
we used to do regularly in high school track calisthenics - leg kicks.
I always thought those exercises were outdated and 'below' the level of
a well trained runner, but now I see a different rationale for them.
My theory on why the kicks work so well is that 1) it targets the exact
anatomy that I'm having trouble with and 2) the dynamic nature of it is
most effective for increasing range of motion. Perhaps pros don't need
to do exercises like this since the swing itself serves to keep them
stretched. For infrequent players like myself, the stretching and
warmup is absolutely critical.
Dave
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Date: 27 Aug 2006 12:01:21
From: pete z
Subject: Re: Increasing hip turn...
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David Geesaman wrote:
> At the ripe age of 29, I've already seen a significant decline in my
> ability to turn my hips square to the target and finish on my left side.
> Since I'm a 'swinger' my power, balance, and accuracy suffered from
> it. I knew it was happening, but no stretching I tried (and I know a
> bunch of them) helped restore my form. I think I've found the solution
> to my problem, and I think others may benefit from it - leg kick
> exercises. I saw positive results immediately, and overall improvement
> within a week.
>
> Basically, you stand beside a wall or pole for balance. Type 1: face
> the wall and swing one leg, keeping it mostly straight, way to the left
> and right. Type 2: turn so that the support is to your side, and swing
> the leg forward and backwards, rockette style.
>
> Start slow and controlled, and as your muscles warm and loosen, let the
> leg reach further and increase the range of motion. It helps to do this
> while wearing your golf shoes since the planted foot tends to slip a
> bit. You may also need to bend your knee a touch as it passes the
> ground, but you want the leg straight at each extreme. I found that
> about 2 sets of 10 for each leg, each type, is a highly effective
> regimen. It makes for a very good pre-round warmup, but it does look a
> little more silly than the standard stretches and swings. However, IMHO
> it's extremely effective and will absolutely help anyone in good health.
>
> More detail, for any interested golf-nerds:
>
> Prior to college (and the thousands of miles I logged while competing
> there as a distance runner), I could throw my hips clear past the target
> line and comfortably reach a big, balanced finish. I could stand on
> that finish comfortably for as long as I wanted, and of course I would
> do so until each shot reached the ground. After college, I noticed my
> left foot refused to keep planted, and would open toward the target
> mid-swing. I figured out eventually this was not a problem with my
> swing - my leg simply wasn't allowing my hips to rotate as far. It also
> was noticeable that my slapshot was nowhere near as good because I
> couldn't throw hard onto my left leg - I couldn't keep my left blade dug
> into the ice. One day it occurred to me that I hadn't tried one thing
> we used to do regularly in high school track calisthenics - leg kicks.
> I always thought those exercises were outdated and 'below' the level of
> a well trained runner, but now I see a different rationale for them.
>
> My theory on why the kicks work so well is that 1) it targets the exact
> anatomy that I'm having trouble with and 2) the dynamic nature of it is
> most effective for increasing range of motion. Perhaps pros don't need
> to do exercises like this since the swing itself serves to keep them
> stretched. For infrequent players like myself, the stretching and
> warmup is absolutely critical.
>
> Dave
Hips square to the target?
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Date: 28 Aug 2006 09:38:30
From:
Subject: Re: Increasing hip turn...
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pete z wrote:
> David Geesaman wrote:
> > At the ripe age of 29, I've already seen a significant decline in my
> > ability to turn my hips square to the target and finish on my left side.
>
> Hips square to the target?
Sorry, I guess that should read getting my hips to face the target.
Belt buckle at the target and all that.
But thanks for reading. But this is rec.sport.bickering-about-golf,
not rec.sport.playing-golf.
Dave
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Date: 28 Aug 2006 16:38:49
From: dsc
Subject: Re: Increasing hip turn...
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for some reason, I'm pretty flexible in the turn away from the ball
direction and not so felxible in the turn through the ball direction. I
will try your exercise and see if it helps...
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