A golf swing the same basic kinetic chain of events as other sport swings, such as baseball batting and tennis serving. German sport researchers found that world-class tennis players generate approximately 4,000 watts of power during a serve or stroke. In order to generate this power, you must start your swing from the ground up.
Step 1
Begin your swing with a simultaneous forward knee bend and backward shoulder turn. This movement allows you to coordinate the lower and upper body without interrupting the chain of events needed to create maximum power for a swing. The knee bend is the beginning of the up-and-down leg movement that creates reactive power.
Step 2
Coil your upper body, moving the hips and shoulders backward. Depending on your flexibility, your back may be turned toward your target at the peak of your backswing.
Step 3
Extend your arms fully during your backswing. This eccentric muscle contraction will help you create more power than an abbreviated swing.
Step 4
Slow your swing down, almost to a pause, at the top of your backswing, to efficiently transfer the power you have created into the forward swing. A jerky stop-and-start movement may interrupt the stroke and misalign your upper body, creating an improper swing path forward.
Step 5
Shift your weight from your back leg to your front leg by opening up your trailing hip as you drive your front leg up. This hip movement will drive your trailing shoulder forward as your club drops down and moves forward. Your shoulder will drive your arms forward. This internal shoulder rotation is responsible for the majority of club-head acceleration, researchers at the University of Western Australia noted in a study published in 2006 in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine."
Step 6
Just prior to contact, turn your wrists over so your right arm ends up on top of your left. This should put your club face in the correct position at contact.
Step 7
Finish turning your wrist over after contact, so your left hand is on top of your right hand at the end of your swing. This follow-through allows you to decelerate the club after contact, which allows you to maintain full club acceleration during the swing. The wrist snap should be a natural movement, and not one you force.
References
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; Muscle Activity During the Golf Swing; A McHardy, H Pollard; 2005
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; Biomechanics and Tennis; Dr. Bruce Elliot; Dec. 10, 2005
- "Medicine and Science in Tennis"; The 4,000 Watt Tennis Player; W. Ben Kibler; 2009
- Athletic Quickness: Golf - The Anatomy of the Forward Swing
- Bodybuilding: The Best Exercises for Developing Speed and Vertical Jump
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