hand and arms coming across the body

[David]

I am about to start chapter 25, almost half way into pressure. I have worked hard on getting into the correct surf the knees and baseball throw position. I can confirm that I can now do that on the range. My prior swing mechanics would be driven by the thought to throw my arms out into left field (I am left handed) and my downswing weight would also move in that direction, resulting in being off balance on the toes sometimes, but generally a straight or draw. This new movement is radically different and I am happy to say results in great balance at finish as well as more consistent strikes. However, I feel this movement toward the target but back into the front glute is throwing my arms across my body more. Clearly to me, my arms are not attaching to my body close enough on the downswing.

Has anyone else experienced this? I am hopeful the pressure routine will help, but have to admit with 18 pressure points or so, I feel like I am back in upper level calculus. Does the Tathata staff think placing a towel or headcover under my back armpit would be benefical? I have never done this. Loving the program by the way

David

PS. For everyone reading this, this visual will make my question clearer: (again i am left handed). In the downswing before both my arms/swing path as well as my body weight shift would move towards the target and towards the ball (wrong I know) but parallel to each other. I find with the Tathata swing, my downswing weight is moving farther away from the ball (in the front glute) while at the same time I would appreciate a swing path that is at least slightly in to out producing a draw. This would result in a divergence between body weight and swing path and would look like a “V” rather than two parallel lines. Does this make sense? Is this what I am trying to do?

Thanks for listening guys.

[David]

Everytime I ask a question it seems it is answered by just going to the next lesson. I just finished 24 in fact, the first one where impact is discussed. I believe I need to just work on the motion to get my back arm coming straight down onto my body. That is a foreign concept as well. So I can’t expect for it to happen quickly.

[Tathata Staff]

David,

Great thoughts and self diagnosis as you go along. We can offer a couple words of advice based on your posts. If you would like to still hit slightly in to out on the ball consider tweaking your surf to level movement. As you complete this movement, still feel that you are slightly pushed back in the front glute but be sure your knees, hips, shoulders and arms are all aligned 5-10 degrees left of the target line. Be sure as you finish that your front knee is closer to the target than your front foot and that your left (back) knee, hip, shoulder and hand are closer to the ground than your right (front) knee, hip, shoulder and hand. Your arms should be straight out from your shoulders and should be slightly angled back away from the target. Training like this should help to produce a slight draw in your motion.

To feel the hands and arms closer to the body through and out of impact, it could help to thrust your pelvis more as you move through impact. While we push back in the downswing and through impact into the front glute, it is important to feel the pelvis begin to push/thrust toward the target as well just before impact. This should help move your pelvis a bit closer to your hands and arms without you having to bring the hands and arms “in” anymore than you should have to through impact to feel this.

Great thoughts, we hope this helps. Let us know if we can provide any further clarity on this topic.

[David]

Thanks again, After going slowly through number 25 a couple of times, I have got the movement just before and through impact down. Perhaps it was the pushdown movement that made it click, but now my arms are right on my body during the impact sequence. I hit a bucket of 60 balls this morning to test the move and not a single one sliced. Not even any fades. My clubface seems to be safe through impact.

thanks for your help as always

[Tathata Staff]

Awesome David, that’s great to hear. Thank you for the time and energy you are putting into the program!

[David]

I do have one question, I hit more today and it was even better. All more or less very straight. If I had to find one flaw it was that a good percentage was not 100% flushed. Probably 20% were 1/2 inch before ball. This would still give me very good distance, Another 10% or so might me an inch behind and maybe another 10% 1,5 inches. None were bad, all playable. So I am wondering is there anything you can suggest to work on that would help flush it more? One of the body or arm moves to focus on and check that I am doing it correct

Thanks

[Tathata Staff]

David,

Great question. Let’s see if we can help. One thing that could immediately help would be to make sure you are surfing far enough toward the target in Body Movement 7: Surf to Level and Hand & Arm Movement 9: Baseball Throw. Be sure you complete this movement with your entire body still square to the target line and your front knee closer to the target than your front foot with a bit of flex and your front hip over your front foot. Your hand at the end of the Baseball Throw movement should be roughly 2-3” behind the ball (no more), that’s how far forward we want the body moving toward the target in this motion.

A couple other movements that will help are Body Movement 10: Thrust Through Impact and Hand & Arm Movement 12: Club Through Impact. As you perform these movements be sure you are thrusting up. Although your head should stay in relatively the same place throughout these movements you should feel your legs, pelvis and body thrusting quite a bit up. This should help keep the club from hitting the ground early. Although the back arm almost completely straightens in the Baseball Throw Movement pre-impact, the arm won’t actually straighten in your swing until just after impact as you are training in the Baseball Throw w/Thrust Movement. As your body starts thrusting up through impact your back arm is straightening as much as it can. Coordinate these couple of movements and it should help you to stop hitting behind the ball. Let us know if this helps and if we can provide any more clarity.

Thank you, happy training.

[David]

Thanks very much. This makes a ton of sense. I can really feel that sometimes, especially with maybe longer clubs I don’t quite get the “pelvic hop” through impact feel. It is just not super consistent yet but that is to be expected.

One thing that visually helps is imagining the impact movements of LPGA player Lexi Thompson, Not sure if you have ever seen her swing but she has the biggest pelvic move back and up of anyone in golf. Her front heel actually comes off the ground

[Gregory]

I am struggling with the surf to level and bringing everthing to square at the same time. I have been working on using the legs( feet, ankles, shins, thighs, etc) to start the downswing something that is new to me since I was a classic starting the downswing with my shoulders and arms dropping to the inside.

To solve this I have been using a phrase attributed to Jack Nicklaus which says that your arms should reach the ball before the buttons on your shirt. Another tip, keep your back to the target as long as you can, thus enabling the arms to swing down.

If I understand the program’s sequence, the surfing movement requires that the upper body, legs, hips etc all move at the same time resulting in shoulders, etc. being square at the impact position. Is this the correct movement and if so, how does this allign with the Jack Nicklaus’s comment?

Thanks so much and I look forward to your comments! Absolutely love this program by the way. I believe in it!

Greg

[Tathata Staff]

Hi Gregory,

Thank you for the question and it’s great to hear you are loving the program! Bryan has personally read and responded to your question about the surf/snap to level movement and Jack Nicklaus’ comments about this place in the golf motion. To view Bryan’s response please click on the video below:

Student Q & A: Pressurizing the Body in Snap to Level

Thank you Gregory, enjoy!

[Gregory]

Bryan:

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my question. The video was very helpful in understanding the “pressure” in the thighs, etc. I am beginning to get it!

Took a few days off for the Christmas break! Looking forward to re-starting the program now that winter is in full swing here in New England!

Best wishes for a Happy and healthy New Year to the entire Tathata family!

Greg