What Mobility Is Needed For The Downswing In Golfers?
Last week we talked about the back swing. It is essential we are not straining or compensating to achieve the desired back swing position. This week, we are focusing on the down swing. Of course, mobility is essential, but motor control and stability are especially important here. Let’s find out where adequate mobility is needed and where stability needs to be trained.
Mobility is essential for a reproducible and efficient down swing.
The big player here is that lead side hip. We need to be able to internally rotate that lead side hip to access power and prevent excessive motion in other planes, which show up as sliding, early extension, and loss of posture swing characteristics. We also need access to lead side foot supination, the motion of the foot scooping inward and upward. Now, the foot is staying still and stable, so it’s the leg and body moving above it that is creating the supination.
Besides this, we need lead side arm external rotation and back side arm internal rotation. The back side hip is doing external rotation and pushing / rotating us towards that lead side.
Here is a video explain the most important joint actions in the backswing and the downswing...
The role of joint stability and strength in the downswing.
To create an efficient and consistent swing, we need to be able to achieve the positions without compensation (mobility) and have the strength to prevent unwanted motion. This is where strength and stability come in. I would argue, even, that creating joint stability is the most significant component to a powerful and consistent swing.
Let’s talk about that lead side hip. This hip needs to be able to internally rotate, but we also need to be able resist motion in other planes. An example would be sliding. We need to be able to rotate and shift weight into this hip, but we cannot let our body shift too far forward over that lead side hip or we create a slide characteristic and limit our ability to be truly efficient and consistent. What we need instead is strength to resist the lateral (side to side) forces happening in the swing. Then, we can focus on creating a “wall” to push into as we rotate around the hip and pelvis, giving us the secret ingredient to creating massive speed and power in the swing.
Here are examples of three exercises we can use after the early mobility phases to create more mobility in the hip, then integrate strength and stability, and last integrate power and motor control.
This exercise forces the hip to move through internal rotation as we squat down, allowing us to emphasize and create more mobility in this motion.
This exercise again will emphasize hip and pelvis internal rotation, but also forces us to use the hip as a power generator to accelerate and de-accelerate the weight.
This drill helps emphasize golf positioning and re-integrates some swing mechanics. The standing side hip will be working hard here to provide stability and limit excessive side to side motion. The foot on the wall helps cue us to use the glutes and pelvis to rotate as opposed to extend, a common issue when the hips start working too hard in the wrong way.
Putting it all together.
We focused here mostly on what I find to be the biggest limiter in the downswing, the front side hip. Using hands on soft tissue technique, chiropractic technique, and precise movement therapy are the first steps to creating a hip that is optimal for the golf swing. After that, modified and specific exercises help to create more mobility and build back stability into that joint as we progress towards more dynamic and golf specific activities. Try the sequence of movements in this article to start the process! Learn more about these topics on the blog page, specifically these articles here…
-Dr. Nick DC, TPI, CSCS
If you would like to learn more about your body, pain, and performance, send Dr. Nick an email at contact@integratedrpc.com or call at (585)478-4379, or schedule a FREE discovery visit at Contact.
