| Developing Power in the Golf Swing |
 To develop power we first need to understand where power is needed. With any power source, you need to develop strength and speed in all areas. The four power sources that influence the golf game the most are:
Vertical Thrust Power Have you ever noticed that many kids have a large jump during their downswing? The reason you may see a jump is it is one of the first power sources developed in kids. If the other three power sources have not developed yet, then jumping will over power the golf swing. The vertical jump is also a technique used by some of the most powerful golfers in the world. Many golfers are completely airborne at the point of impact because of this vertical power move. So one of the most important power sources to develop is the vertical jump. Trunk Rotary Power Most people think this is the only power source used in golf. It is a major source, but not the only source of power. The “Trunk” refers to the combination of the pelvis and the thorax. By monitoring the rotary speeds a player develops in those two body segments, we can get a good indicator of what type of power they can ultimately generate in the club. To develop rotary power, you must challenge the core. Arm-Chopping Power The ability to deliver explosive speed with the arms is one of the most important aspects for power in the golf swing (as we just discussed). We call it the Arm-Chopping motion, because the arms need to start up over the trail shoulder and explosively fire down across the body to the lead hip. Many players tend to eliminate this power source by trying to keep their arms pinned to their chest during the downswing. This may help accuracy, but it will definitely limit power development. Elbow-Wrist Release Power The last power source we like to develop, is wrist and possibly elbow power. Wrist release speed has been shown to be very important in adding power to the golf club. The wrist can actually create speed in three possible directions. It can extend (cupping), supinate (rotate) and ulnar deviate (un-hinge). The most powerful golfers in the world, utilize all three planes for speed and power. The elbow can also be used as another link in the chain of power, and is commonly used by long drive tour players, but it can also lead to another source of inaccuracy. To incorporate the elbow link, the player will have to bend the elbow at the top of the backswing. This allows the elbow to flex and then rapidly extend into impact and it decreases the moment of inertia for the trunk. Now that we know the four sources of power we need to understand how to increase the power with each of those sources. As you may have imagined from the title, 4x4 Power Matrix, we now have four different methods at developing power:
Each week for the next 4 weeks I will cover how you apply each of these 4 methods to the 4 power sources. |
