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Flexibility For Full Swing Mechanics
Tiger Woods is a tremendous physical talent. Woods' flexibility and
strength have helped make him one of the brightest young golfers on the PGA
Tour in a long time.
 | | Flexibility is one of the most important components of a successful golf
swing. |
Perhaps his most obvious physical gift is his extreme mobility. The
range of motion and rotational speed he is able to achieve during his swing
are amazing.
Unlike most other touring pros, Tiger has conditioned his body to
the special requirements of professional golf since an early age. He has
molded his soft tissue structure to no other sport but golf; many of his
competitors conditioned their bodies differently by playing various sports
while growing up.
Genetics is partly responsible for Tiger's exceptional framework,
but his work ethic and commitment to physical conditioning have certainly
enhanced his natural abilities.
When Woods' swing becomes erratic, however, it demonstrates that
exceptional flexibility also can be a liability. In fact, he has said on
occasion that whenever he feels that he is not swinging well, he shortens
up his swing for more control.
Although flexibility is important, controlling the amount of
flexibility that's available to you is even more important. Swinging within
the limitations of your body may be the most important advice you can ever
take.
While flexibility is essential, it can be a liability if not used to
your advantage in proper swing mechanics. Flexibility is defined as one's
available range of motion about a specific joint. The range of motion can
be limited by factors such as nervous system voluntary and reflex control,
muscle constraints, joint constraints, or skin and subcutaneous tissue.
Flexibility might be one of the most important components of the
successful golf swing because it increases the movement distance for force
application. Studies have demonstrated that greater amounts of force can be
produced when a muscle is prestretched before performing the activity
demanded of it.
When a muscle is prestretched, it creates elastic recoil that
applies additional force for a more powerful contraction. This procedure is
known as preloading the muscle.
Golf is a power sport. The golfer must be able to generate
near-maximum power a certain number of times through the round. Regardless
of a player's talent level, however, the most effective and powerful swings
are produced when the force-generating muscles are preloaded first.
We must remember that during the golf swing the preloading can take
place on the downswing just as easily as it can take place on the
backswing. By using segmental sequencing, good golfers will start the
swinging motion with their hips and allow the trunk to lag behind slightly.
As the hips initiate a forward movement, the lagging trunk muscles are
stretched during the downswing.
In fact, this prestretching action is even more important than the
stretching that occurs during the coiling phase of the swing.
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