Golf biomechanics remind us that the club doesn't swing itself. (Photos.com)
The kinetic chain is responsible for two things in our lives, generating force (sprinting) and controlling resistance (slowing down during a sprint). In golf, we generate force during the down swing, and control resistance during the take away and back swing. Once you hit the golf ball, you must slow the club head down by controlling the resistance of the swing’s momentum. As you can see, the kinetic chain conducts all movements. It is the unification and coordination of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems.
To understand how our bodies work, it is very important to look at it as a whole unit working together. Classical music is a perfect metaphor. Our movement through space and time is like the concert (for golfers, the golf swing is the concert) and our kinetic chain is like the orchestra. When a musician plays off key, or worse breaks a string, we all know what happens to the music.
Posture is akin to the seating arrangement of the orchestra. The musicians must be well placed so that they compliment each other. Similarly, our bones and joints must be well aligned to support good quality movements. If they are not well aligned, our muscles will compensate, eventually throwing our movement off.
If the orchestra’s tempo was off, instruments would be playing out of sync or worse, over each other. Similarly if our muscles don’t engage with the right timing, our movements may look and feel as bad as the music would sound. Moving with proper tempo and correct posture contributes to muscles engaging in the right order.
The top of the back swing requires a lot of mobility. It is the most physically awkward moment in the golf swing. Having an even tempo while practicing this movement is imperative to improving your range of motion and club head speed. Mobility coupled with momentum assists the muscles to provide greater range of motion to our joints, and assists in force production and proper muscle engagement and coordination.
In order for golfers to swing their clubs, they have to rotate their bodies. This rotation primarily comes from the lower area of the torso. The upper body can and is used to create some force, but the upper body’s primary job is to stabilize the club, direct the angle of attack, and ensure proper club face alignment. A common problem many golfers have is that they drive the rotation of their body by swinging their arms. This may be the result of faulty swing techniques, shut down core muscles, or lack of stamina in their core. In any case, when the prime mover muscles aren’t doing their job, other muscles will take over.
Unfortunately, the upper body (secondary muscles in the golf swing) are at a mechanical disadvantage when acting as the prime mover. They will quickly get tight and fatigued. This leads to added strain on the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and low back. When the core is used to drive the rotation of the body, the upper body will be able to add force without straining itself and focus on their primary job: guiding the club.
Nobody in the orchestra would know when to start if it were not for the conductor. The musicians rely on the conductor to tell them when to start, the tempo, how light or hard to play, what rhythm to carry, and when to stop. When your mind is balancing the information from the nervous system, commanding the muscles to move and stabilize your skeletal system, this is called your proprioception. The good news is, similar to a conductor or a musician, your proprioception, can all be fixed and improved with the proper training.
Many refer to the body as a temple. It is sacred. It is a major part of who you are. It helps to determine what quality of life you have. Treated with knowledge and care it can be as beautiful as a work of art and move with the precision and wonder of a symphony. When we don’t take care of ourselves, our quality of life slides and we are left to face the music, or in the golfers case, an accumulation of strokes, aches, and pains.
To help you strengthen the proper core muscles needed in a golf swing, you need to perform effective exercises. Ask a qualified trainer or physical therapist for a regular routine. It can be as short as 20 to 40 minutes, 2 to 6 times per week. That will do in the beginning. When you address the flexibility, stability, strength, proprioception, and power that your life demands, you will enjoy your improving quality of life, quality of swing, lower stress, and lower scores.
Zenon Dolnyckyj is a certified golf and biomechanics fitness trainer. He can be contacted at golf@mindbodypersonaltraining.com
