Balance

Every time I read an article or listen to a lecture, I always here about the most important “thing” to have a great swing.  To be honest I have been known to use the “most important” phrase from time to time.  So I am going to relate one of the most important aspects of the golf swing.  The body is constantly taking in input from its environment.  It knows that a sand trap feel different than the matt at the driving range.  The amazing body is able to adapt and react to what “life” brings at it.

Why is this important? Balance! It is one of the most important (that phrase) aspects of all life especially with something as dynamic as a golf swing.  Most of the time we think that balance is solely a product of our feet being able to step over a curb or keep us from falling into the water with a funny water hazard lie.  Balance actually has several components to it.  It is broken down into three major components. 1) Proprioception which is your body’s ability to know where it is in space. 2) Vision 3) Vestibular system which in a nutshell is your ears, brain, and cerebellum.

The one that is easily to modify is your eyes, close them and you lose that input and your body is down to two systems.  The one that I believe is most changeable or trainable is proprioception.  We are able to teach or train our body to improve is awareness of itself in space.  The simplest training you can do every day is work on balancing on one foot.  At work, in the gym, on the course just lift one foot off the ground and try to stand with all faltering at all.  Now once you can do that for 20 to 30 seconds, in a safe area close to a wall so you can have added input try to close your eyes.  Like stated previously you have just eliminated one the three components of balance.  This makes it much more difficult.

Improving your balance is very simple.   As you will see over the next several weeks or months your body will have the ability to “catch” itself, which will begin to improve swing efficiency.  According to Titleist performance Institute the average for a professional to hold a single leg, eyes closed balance is 16 seconds.  Get there and you are on your way to a more efficient swing.