The word “rotation” is thrown around a lot in the golf world, but how do you know if you’re actually rotating?
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NcINXhwZeNE
Do you feel your head move off the ball or do your hips sway laterally in your backswing? This may be your body’s strategy to get your torso to rotate. Unfortunately this isn’t true rotation, your body is compensating to achieve the task you are telling it to do. Enter in “Function Dictates Form”! The function of your body will dictate the form of anything you do, i.e. the way you move will dictate what your golf swing looks like! Many people blame the club but most of the time their forgetting about the number one driver of the golf swing… YOUR BODY!
The first thing you must do is get assessed to see what your body is actually capable of doing. Not only do we test Torso rotation and Hip rotation here at GPC, but many other movements that the human body is capable of doing to see if you have human norms for range of motion. After that we create a plan for you to implement into your daily routine.
One exercise we like to use often here is a band assisted tall kneel rotation. In this exercise we put a band around your body to assist you into more optimal rotation. This band will pull your upper body into more rotation than you currently have while you lock down your lower body. All you have to do is breathe through this range of motion. When you push past what your body currently has and breathe through it, it tells your nervous system that it is ok and you’re not in danger of getting injured. When this happens, you will unlock access to this new range. As you get more comfortable with the movement and gain more range of motion, this will then naturally be implemented in your swing without you thinking about it. Now true rotation is easier, you stop swaying off the ball and you keep your head on the ball. This allows for more depth in your backswing, creating space for the club to drop into the slot and make better and more consistent contact!
As you can see the impact Function Dictates Form is powerful! The more connected rotation you create in the gym the more space you get in your golf swing for that club to do its job! Check out the video of the exercise below! Try it out! If you find it difficult, you need to set up a 5 Elements of Success Evaluation with one of the Performance Team members, to determine what you are capable of doing and if this is the proper exercise selection for you, as there are many reasons why you may not be rotating properly.
