Losing my posture at impact

[Jeff]

Hello – I just noticed, after videoing my swing, that I am dramatically standing up during my downswing. I am in a position at impact that does not look at all like what I see and experience during the body movement training. I also noticed that my left knee is moving in during the backswing and I am reverse pivoting to a small degree. Are all of these things related and what should I focus on to help correct these movements in my full swing? I am just into chapter 3 at this time. Thank you!

[Les]

Can you describe in more detail what is happening with your knee and why you believe you have a reverse pivot? Which way is your knee moving during the backswing? Is it because your left foot is coming off the ground?

My knee breaks toward my right in the backswing as I allow the left heel to come up. My first move in transition is to find the ground with my feet as I prepare to surf to level. I’ve never been one to leave my left foot planted. If you look at all the great players, none of them would leave that foot planted, including Tiger in his early days.

Is your reverse pivot happening in the backswing or follow through? Can you feel your weight loading into your inside right heel in the backswing? Can you feel your weight over the outside of your left heel on finish? How are you doing with the Superman pose?

[Jeff]

Les- Thank you for the reply. My left knee moves toward the right knee at the top of the backswing, and my left heel very slightly comes off the ground. It’s very slight…maybe a half inch. It may not be correct to call it a reverse pivot, but what I’m seeing in the video is that my upper body is moving slightly toward the target at the start of the transition. Then, as I swing down, my entire upper body raises, whereas I should be moving slightly down. I think your point about my weight loading onto the right heel is a good one….I sense too much weight on my left foot at the top of the backswing. My Superman pose is solid and feels good.

[Les]

One thing I don’t see discussed here is the setup of your clubs in relation to early extension. Early extension is basically the body making room for the club through impact. Your mind senses that you will hit the ball fat if you don’t make room so it tells the body to rise up through the strike to make that room.

Modern clubs can be very upright in terms of lie angle – mainly to overcome the beginner’s tendency to slice the ball. With an upright club you need to be tall through impact. This can be opposite to the motion we are learning here and hence we may stand up to make that room. Just an idea that having your lie angle flattened a couple of degrees may overcome one’s tendency for early extension.