For me, extensor action is difficult to take from words on a page to implementation. If I try to foucs on it by applying pressure througout the motion it adds too much tension to my hands, wrists, and motion.
I try to keep width and structure in my swing but I have to do it without tension. In other words, if my right hand were to come off the the club at the top, my right arm wouldn't immediately straighten out because I'm not apply that kind of pressure.
Similarly, I find it difficult to treat my left arm as a rope. If I try to apply that literally, it feels like I'm swinging with one arm.
I have to moderate how I apply these for best results.
For me, extensor action is difficult to take from words on a page to implementation. If I try to foucs on it by applying pressure througout the motion it adds too much tension to my hands, wrists, and motion.
I try to keep width and structure in my swing but I have to do it without tension. In other words, if my right hand were to come off the the club at the top, my right arm wouldn't immediately straighten out because I'm not apply that kind of pressure.
Similarly, I find it difficult to treat my left arm as a rope. If I try to apply that literally, it feels like I'm swinging with one arm.
I have to moderate how I apply these for best results.
May not be right on target here . . . but I'd say Extensor Action is definitely a more ridgid and "active" feeling with Hitting than with Swinging. I'm probably not the guy on this one . . . I Swing and don't really think about it all that much.
Somebody else???
As far as Swinging and the left arm being a rope . .. not a bad idea to actually take some left arm only swings so you can get the feel of loading #4. How your shoulders load #4 has a big impact on where your hands go . . . I have a problem with blasting my arm out to the right too much rather than having #4 release more DOWN my chest. Hard to recover from a bad Start Down.
I have to moderate how I apply these for best results.
You and Bucket need to Man-Up. Read how many times Homer puts Extensor Action into the 12 sections of 12-3-0. Also in 6-B-1-D, the right tricep is never passive. That assumes of course that you have a right tricep to begin with.
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Bagger
1-H "Because of questions of all kinds, reams of additional detail must be made available - but separately, and probably endlessly." Homer Kelly
For me, extensor action is difficult to take from words on a page to implementation. If I try to foucs on it by applying pressure througout the motion it adds too much tension to my hands, wrists, and motion.
I try to keep width and structure in my swing but I have to do it without tension. In other words, if my right hand were to come off the the club at the top, my right arm wouldn't immediately straighten out because I'm not apply that kind of pressure.
Similarly, I find it difficult to treat my left arm as a rope. If I try to apply that literally, it feels like I'm swinging with one arm.
I have to moderate how I apply these for best results.
Hey Trig.
If I may take a humble stab at Extensor action:
I had a similar experience with extensor action but now cant think of swinging without it. When I first employed it I felt sort of stiff and bound up.
What I now believe happened to me is this: I had, for years been very left side dominant in my swing. I used to create width with a rigid left arm, I used my left arm to push the club away etc. My left side was stiff and my right soft. This stiffness in my left side I had gotten very used to. It was my usual way. When I added extensor action both sides felt awkwardly stiff, locked up.
I was averse to relaxing my left side because it was necessary for all of my old left sided motions or actions. But TGM I would say is very right sided.
In fact I would say that learning to relax my left arm and employ extensor action was for me, an open door into the real world of TGM. All of sudden things I knew only theoretically were possible in my swing. The non cocking, level right wrist and the cocking of the left wrist via right elbow bending for instance. None of which the old me could accomplish.
Similarly my new swing couldnt be accomplished without a rope for a left arm or extensor action. Now my swing is very right sided. It feels sort of like a right arm flying wedge that stretches a relaxed left arm. The right side is under the left. The right hip goes back. The right arm takes the club away. The right elbow bends, cocking the left wrist. I bump and drive the right shoulder down plane. Etc etc. A lot of right sided stuff. I feel a clear distinction between the role of the left wrist to define the hinge action and relaxed left arm.
Anyways. I'd keep working on it. Hopefully it will be as rewarding for you as it was for me.
OB - good comments. I probably haven't given it enough of a chance. It's a tough one for me.
I agree I have rarely been able to get the correct feeling of extensor action, nor have i been able to really get teh frozen right wrist, love theidea of softening up the left side, most traditonal golf learning i.e taking swings with jsut the lead arm and hitting shots have lead to a very firm left side making EA feel stiff
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If the right wrist flattens at or around impact, you will suffer from trajectile disfunction.
"Now my swing is very right sided. It feels sort of like a right arm flying wedge that stretches a relaxed left arm. The right side is under the left. The right hip goes back. The right arm takes the club away. The right elbow bends, cocking the left wrist. I bump and drive the right shoulder down plane."
Great visualizations of sensations. Very helpful! I too have been [or been trying to be] left-side-dominant for years, decades even. And as you report, as soon as I went to a flat left wrist, right elbow bend, and extension of both arms in the downswing, I felt awkward as heck (particularly going back; less so in the latter stages of the downswing) and could barely imagine--as stiff and "contrived" as all this felt--that I'd be able to hit the ball solidly, much less really forcefully and online. But that's exactly what has happened. With my old, left-focused swing, I felt like I was swinging 100+ mph and the ball flew like 80 mph, not to mention wildly inconsistent. Now I feel like I'm swinging 80 mph and the ball flies like I'm swinging 100+ mph, with heretofore undreamed-of accuracy and consistency. Oh, yeah, I still mishit and misjudge, but that's golf.
Truly appreciate the explanations, theories, observations provided here, as when we're self-medicating on the course or on the range, we need visualizations and vicarious observations to help make meaning of what we think and feel (and think we feel, for that matter). Kudos! -- JC
Similarly, I find it difficult to treat my left arm as a rope. If I try to apply that literally, it feels like I'm swinging with one arm.
You took the words out of my mouth! My sticking point is not so much the technical aspects e.g. endless belt, hinge action etc. Those items are based in fact so I know that they will succumb to my persistence at some point. The real challenge for me is (as Trig already said) is treating my perfectly good left arm as an inert length of rope, so I guess extensor action is a bit of a puzzle. It is difficult not to tend towards providing structure to the left arm without using muscular tension in that arm. But pushing or throwing the left arm off the chest is a great swing thought. If you cannot execute do you really understand it?
Similarly, I find it difficult to treat my left arm as a rope. If I try to apply that literally, it feels like I'm swinging with one arm.
You took the words out of my mouth! My sticking point is not so much the technical aspects e.g. endless belt, hinge action etc. Those items are based in fact so I know that they will succumb to my persistence at some point. The real challenge for me is (as Trig already said) is treating my perfectly good left arm as an inert length of rope, so I guess extensor action is a bit of a puzzle. It is difficult not to tend towards providing structure to the left arm without using muscular tension in that arm. But pushing or throwing the left arm off the chest is a great swing thought. If you cannot execute do you really understand it?
I can only speak from my own experience but the old ways seemed to have had there own essentials, often non compliant with TGM. My left side needed to be stiff to do all that I was doing with it. Breaking those old ways was like breaking a horse. The old ways were ingrained, learned and deep in my golf psyche.
I have come to think of the adoption of TGM as having two parts: 1. The learning of TGM. 2. The breaking of non complying old habits. Often the old and new seem diametrically opposed and incompatible. The turning off of old motions often a prerequisite to the full benefits of the new motion.
The period of training when both old and new are in play is a time of conflict. Extensor action for instance, feels awful when one is attempting right wrist cocking, left arm push away, left arm pull down etc etc.
I say, let this feeling of discomfort be your guide to the area of the conflict, resolve it and behold the promised land.
My guess is that Yoda's swing feels as good as it looks. No discomfort, no non compatible or conflicting elements. A free wheeling and smooth application of geometrically aligned linear force.
Now, I'm sure that like an old car on a cold morning it takes a little warming up from time to time. A little discomfort a few sputters at first but then after a while choke in and away he goes. More of a smooth running Jaguar 12 cylinder than Mr Magoo's often misaligned jalopy.
Similarly, I find it difficult to treat my left arm as a rope. If I try to apply that literally, it feels like I'm swinging with one arm.
You took the words out of my mouth! My sticking point is not so much the technical aspects e.g. endless belt, hinge action etc. Those items are based in fact so I know that they will succumb to my persistence at some point. The real challenge for me is (as Trig already said) is treating my perfectly good left arm as an inert length of rope, so I guess extensor action is a bit of a puzzle. It is difficult not to tend towards providing structure to the left arm without using muscular tension in that arm. But pushing or throwing the left arm off the chest is a great swing thought. If you cannot execute do you really understand it?
MAYBE this could be more of an action type deal. I don't think you necessarily have to have your left arm "rag doll" limp . . .but maybe Mr. K was saying that there isn't really any POWER/Action . . . the Left Arm is MAJOR in clubface alignments and low point alignments. So don't go braindead on Left Arm.
Read how many times Homer puts Extensor Action into the 12 sections of 12-3-0. Also in 6-B-1-D, the right tricep is never passive. That assumes of course that you have a right tricep to begin with.
Hybrid Mode
