Start Down Waggle???

[vjsinger]

Michael,

In my quest to learn this game I think I have hit my first snag. I am not sure what feelings I should have when starting back to the ball. Where should I feel the stretch from and how do I feel this. I have started to do an Isometric excersise where I go to the top and to start down I feel my left side, left hip,left glute,left knee, left shin bone pulling my body laterally. I really feel that left rib cage stretch and open up. I have heard a golf machine teacher refer to this as a "start down waggle", I don't know if it is a Golfing Machine term or not, I haven't gotten that far in the book yet. My question is, What excersises do you recommend doing to feel start down, and is the one Im doing okay?

All the best,

VJ

[Michael Jacobs]

Michael,

In my quest to learn this game I think I have hit my first snag. I am not sure what feelings I should have when starting back to the ball. Where should I feel the stretch from and how do I feel this. I have started to do an Isometric excersise where I go to the top and to start down I feel my left side, left hip,left glute,left knee, left shin bone pulling my body laterally. I really feel that left rib cage stretch and open up. I have heard a golf machine teacher refer to this as a "start down waggle", I don't know if it is a Golfing Machine term or not, I haven't gotten that far in the book yet. My question is, What excersises do you recommend doing to feel start down, and is the one Im doing okay?

All the best,

VJ

VJ,

Great question, sounds like the snag you are running into is trying to focus on a standardized method for your pattern. There are endless patterns out there, and what is needed to sharpen your pattern's down swing move is going to be entirely different from someone else. One of the keys that must happen is tilting so that the right shoulder moves towards the ball. How to sharpen your downswing is a matter of looking at the pattern and customizing, but as a general idea you should look to on your start down have your pelvis move forward... to the extent where your left hip gets completely over the left foot ... review the video tip in the archives from guest host brian manzella entitled the tilt tip. That would be a good basic idea to ensure tilting the axis. There are some golfing machiner's that say you can tilt without moving the pelvis forward, those are the ones that engrain swinging below the plane also....

hope that helped... as always, i recommend sending your swing video so we can customize it for you

[vjsinger]

So..if you don't shift the pelvis forward, How do you create the proper axis tilt and still keep your head between your feet on the down swing? Seems very tricky to me

I am awaiting the tax refund to come through, then I plan on purchasing the Casio EX-FH20. Once I figure out how to use that beast, Ill send you a couple of swings.

Cheers,
VJ

[Michael Jacobs]

So..if you don't shift the pelvis forward, How do you create the proper axis tilt and still keep your head between your feet on the down swing? Seems very tricky to me

I am awaiting the tax refund to come through, then I plan on purchasing the Casio EX-FH20. Once I figure out how to use that beast, Ill send you a couple of swings.

Cheers,
VJ

VJ

Trying to keep your head between your feet is the worst possible thing you could do...... look forward to seeing your swing

[vjsinger]

So....Can you explain how you can get the proper axis tilt and not shift the pelvis forward??

VJ

[Michael Jacobs]

So....Can you explain how you can get the proper axis tilt and not shift the pelvis forward??

VJ

VJ,

Your question reminds me of how Ben Doyle demonstrates tilting in a chair

As some may know, I spent a lot of time with Ben Doyle in my college years. He does a demonstration of tilting in a chair by rocking the left shoulder up and right shoulder down....

I recommend 100% to train yourself to tilt my moving your pelvis forward. Trying to tilt without shifting the pelvis forward is reserved for the game's expert technicians.

[LiftOff]

I recommend 100% to train yourself to tilt my moving your pelvis forward. Trying to tilt without shifting the pelvis forward is reserved for the game's expert technicians.

Michael: Does the 'sitting or centered' action mentioned in your Nuclear DVD, and taught by Ben D, qualify as a 'shifting' of the pelvis?

Thanks, Cliff

[Michael Jacobs]

Michael: Does the 'sitting or centered' action mentioned in your Nuclear DVD, and taught by Ben D, qualify as a 'shifting' of the pelvis?

Thanks, Cliff

Cliff,

It could be seen as a version of it.....

As for tilting from just the upper body such as sitting in a chair, that would be more of a rock of the shoulders with the left shoulder going up and the right shoulder down

Whatever type of start down is being used in your pattern, I suggest making sure your left hip bone moves over the left heel on the start down

[LiftOff]

Michael:

So there seems to be two distinct downswing 'styles'. One the Ben D sitting, Michael J's centered, approach. The other is keeping the head back and shifting the pelvis forward. The former seems to allow for a 'snap' type release, while the later seems to facilitates a 'sweep' type of release.

Is that an accurate observation? Is one easier to do than the other? What are the advantages of one over the other?

Thanks, Cliff

[Michael Jacobs]

Michael:

So there seems to be two distinct downswing 'styles'. One the Ben D sitting, Michael J's centered, approach. The other is keeping the head back and shifting the pelvis forward. The former seems to allow for a 'snap' type release, while the later seems to facilitates a 'sweep' type of release.

Is that an accurate observation? Is one easier to do than the other? What are the advantages of one over the other?

Thanks, Cliff

Great post Liftoff.... great observations! There is no one easier or advantageous than the other. It really depends upon what the golfer wants to accomplish. One of the biggest differences is how much the golfer will 'rock their shoulders' so to speak....... A golfer who is going to stay in that sit down longer (until their arms are back in front of them) are going to feel a real high left shoulder ....

Like I said, regardless of how you do it or what it feels like -- I would suggest getting your left hip bone over your left heel