Sliding, Turning and Power

[rwh]

Joe Dante's book and Greg McHatton teach that the lateral hip slide will become a hip turn, so just concentrate on keeping the lateral hip slide going and the hips will turn like they're supposed to.

This is what I am now doing and I find it has a lot of benefits as far as maintaining correct impact alignments. But, for me, it doesn't seem to generate as much power.

How can I develop more power with this procedure?

 

[Brian Manzella]

Hmmm....

Power.

What you are trying to do—get your hips left before a big unwind, is exactly right for 90% of all swings.

Why is it hard to produce power this way?

Because POWER must be generated EARLY in the downswing!

Huh?

It's true, trust me.

So how do you do BOTH (slide first, power early)....?

You have to FALL onto your left leg VERY EARLY.

THEN----BOOM!

How do you "fall early"??

I can show you a drill....but for now,

1. Don't allow the weight to actually SHIFT to the right. Just "towrd" the right.

2. Maintain the angle in your right leg (don't have to maintain the flex).

3. Practice hitting balls LIFTING your left foot off of the ground VERY LATE in the BACKswing. It should hit the ground IMMEDIATELY after the lift. If it doesn't, you shifted too early.

 

[rwh]

Thanks, Brian.

Feels good in the living room. I'll hit some balls with it as soon as we thaw out.

 

[tank]

I am missing something

Power.

What you are trying to do—get your hips left before a big unwind, is exactly right for 90% of all swings.

Why is it hard to produce power this way?

Because POWER must be generated EARLY in the downswing!

Huh?

It's true, trust me.

So how do you do BOTH (slide first, power early)....?

You have to FALL onto your left leg VERY EARLY.

THEN----BOOM!

How do you "fall early"??

I can show you a drill....but for now,

1. Don't allow the weight to actually SHIFT to the right. Just "towrd" the right.

2. Maintain the angle in your right leg (don't have to maintain the flex).

3. Practice hitting balls LIFTING your left foot off of the ground VERY LATE in the downswing. It should hit the ground IMMEDIATELY after the lift. If it doesn't, you shifted too early.

Brian,
Late in the downswing? I don't understand how my left foot can be lifted at this point, when pretty much all of my weight is already on my left foot.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Yikes!!

Brian,
Late in the downswing? I don't understand how my left foot can be lifted at this point, when pretty much all of my weight is already on my left foot.

I meant backswing (I changed it).

Bob, hope you didn't hurt yourself.

 

[ausfreddy]

Do what I mean - not what I say.