The most important key to a strong golf swing is balance. The majority of instructors are trained to teach balance. However, students can learn more about the martial arts.
Pai Lum Kung Fu was the martial art I studied for eight years. I stressed balance from my beginning days to when I became a 1st-degree Black Belt. Our training focused on balance from our feet to the proper stance width and posture, as well as center of gravity. These key elements are crucial to developing power through Kung Fu and are also important to aid golfers in improving their ability to swing more powerfully.
David Leadbetter is a well-known golf instructor who describes the swing of J.B. Holmes.” Starting down, his legs get into a squat position, which lets him use the ground as resistance and create an unbelievable energy flow from his legs, up through his shoulders and down into his arms and the club.”
Two important elements of our kungfu school techniques were the use of the ground to resist and energy flow through the legs.
In order to improve punching technique power, my teacher always stressed getting the feet solidly planted on the ground. This concept of rooting is the focus of a whole breathing exercise, which lasts approximately five minutes. Later on in the training, it was taught that we should focus our attention on the spot at the foot’s bottom where the earth will root our balance. The earth’s energy will be drawn into your body through this spot, which we then learn to use in our techniques. You can create amazing bower with very little movement once you master this skill.
You can locate it by laying down and taking off your shoes. The bottom of your feet will have thick, padded pads that can be described as the ball of the foot. These pads are located under your big toe. The small hollow that lies next to the large pad looks almost like it is made of wood. Place your thumb in the hollow and press down. You have reached the correct spot if you feel a pleasant jolt or pain. Continue searching until the pain subsides. It is also known as Kidney Point 1 in Chinese medicine. This is where you will find the most significant healing points, even for heart attack victims.
Once we’ve identified the point, it is time to transfer this knowledge into our golf swing. Now take off your shoes and place your feet on the hard ground. Then, get in your golf stance without a club. When you’re ready to get into your golf stance focus on the areas below your feet. These points are where balance should be emphasized.
Let me now ask you to make a corkscrewing motion. Feel it start at the bottom of your feet and work your way up towards your knees. Next, feel it into your hips. It should feel like you’re trying to push the bottom of your feet into the ground. Then, your hips will tuck underneath your torso and move forward (also known as curling your hips). Try it out at home, with your shoes removed. Then you can try the same thing with your golf shoes (preferably indoors). Engage your hips before you start downswing. This will allow them to clear the way for you faster and generate more power.
Balance is also affected by how we posture. While we would like to feel rooted to the ground as a tree when playing golf, our posture should not be too upright. If you draw a straight line between the ground and the sky from your hips, our spine will be angled approximately 30 degrees. You can see my exact description in a photograph of Tiger Woods’ posture. This allows for the arms to move freely during the golf swing.
It is crucial to keep your center of gravity low throughout your golf swing. A running back with a low center gravity is often described by football announcers. In order to produce power with his punches, the martial artist will also look to create a low center gravity. If a golfer raises his/her game, it will cause him/her to lose power.
You need to be able to relax your abdominal muscles during a golf swing to keep your center point of gravity down as much as possible. Also, allow your stomach to sag rather than grabbing it in. To do this, you will have to master how to inhale so you can fill all three levels of the lungs. This will allow you to keep a low center for gravity while still holding your breath during the first swing. You should also learn to inhale when the swing is over.
This will help you improve the power and efficiency of your golf swing.
Copyright (c) 2009 Scott Cole