Welcome to Part 3 of 3 of our Kinematic Sequence Report series of articles and videos.
February isn’t a time of year that one would expect an epiphany related to golf, but that was my experience this past winter when I scheduled a session with a local certified Kinesiologist.
The session included a physical assessment to determine the mobility of certain muscle groups and joints key to an effective golf swing; the point being that if one’s body simply can’t perform certain movements then all of the coaching in the world isn’t going to help.
- Once any mobility issues are diagnosed, it is a question as to whether flexibility or stability are the source of any mobility issue(s) in certain joints and/or muscle groups.
- After diagnosing the source of any mobility issues, he prescribes specific exercises to either increase flexibility or stability in order to restore satisfactory mobility.
This is why I sought expertise; to make sure I was maximizing my exercise time and effort and to ensure I wasn’t making matters worse through inappropriate exercises, that is:
- If you have a lack of flexibility issue somewhere, the last thing you want to do is build more strength there which would just serve to further tighten it.
- Similarly, if you have a stability issue somewhere, the last thing you want to do is keep stretching it.
For instance, for at least 10 years now I haven’t been able to touch my toes while standing with knees straight; and it wasn’t for lack of stretching. Dustin trained me how to engage stability related muscles for that action and in 20 minutes I was able to easily touch my toes!
I state all of the above so when you view the six exercise videos I just cut that you understand the exercises I demonstrate were prescribed for me – not for you;
> that is why I advise you seek the expertise of a professional before beginning an exercise program.
Before outlining the video series associated with this Part 3 article, let’s take 20 seconds here to see me hit a couple of shots and the movement associated with the desired kinematic sequence.
CLICK on the image BELOW for video.
Part 3 Kinematic Sequence Video Series Outline
- Introduction : Including keys to proper posture from the Kinematic Sequence Report as compared to selected pictures from “Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons” book.
- Pelvic Tilt Versus “C” Shaped Posture : This video shows how I was trained to engage stability related muscle groups to be able to touch my toes standing up [knees straight] easily after 10 years of not being able to do so. I demonstrate the flexibility exercises prescribed for me to more easily assume and maintain proper pelvic tilt.
- Flexibility Exercises Continued : It is best to go past the flexibility required to perform the golf swing so that we can easily assume and maintain pelvic tilt and forward bend and side bends without overly active muscular effort to do so.
- Pelvic Tilt And Lower Back Stability : I demonstrate the exercises prescribed for me to strengthen and stabilize the muscles needed to react to the forces that the club exerts on my body. These exercises include engaging anti-rotational and anti-tilt muscle groups [for true hip rotation and stable side-bends in the backswing and downswing].
- Shoulder Exercises : I like these exercises because they help ensure that as my arms react to my hands’ reflexive reactions to the free momentum of the club head that my shoulders are mobile enough to respond to that arm action. When my shoulders react properly to the arms, then my body will be able to respond accordingly to the shoulders’ movements to dynamically stay in balance so I can deliver a squared up club face to the ball.
- Hands-Wrists-Forearms : The hands are the source of motion in the golf swing in the Croker Golf System. Therefore we must have the proper mobility in the hands, wrists and forearms in order for the hands to reflexively react in a way that moves the arms in a way that will get the body to move properly – for a thought-free, timing-free domino effect.
- CLICK on the image ABOVE to see me demonstrate without a club what I mean by the hands being the source of motion, and to see the exercises I do to maintain the mobility required in these cornerstone joints and muscles.
- To view me demonstrating further how the hands are the source of motion, CLICK on the images below:
> how the hands react reflexively to the free momentum of the club head,
> and how the body reacts reflexively to the hands’ reactions to the club head’s momentum.
> In this way you will learn how to “simply hit the damn ball” using innate, in-born reflexive actions versus trying to time various phases of a swing.
In the 4-minute video clip BELOW I show how the hands move the hips in timing-free fashion in more detail from our ““Hitting The Damn Ball” Series – Part 1”,
> and how that reflexive hand action initiates a gentle and early hip opening action,
> that is, with NO twisting and NO stretching and NO snapping-firing…
- and no timing…
- …watch in the video clip how my hip starts opening automatically in response to my hands reacting to the free momentum of the club head.
That’s a wrap on our Kinematic Sequence Series – I trust you gained some valuable and practical insights. And please, keep those comments coming!
Our next series will be on my WAX-ON WAX-OFF approach to learning how to really hit a golf ball, starting with striking a simple 3-foot putt. We’ll learn, among other things, how the swing is the result of the intention to hit the ball – starting with the littlest shots.
Yours in better ball striking through reflexive movement,
Ted Williams, Certified Instructor – Croker Golf System
Feel free to write me with any comments or questions; TWilliams@MyGolfingStore.com
