The One Piece Takeaway In Your Golf Swing (pt. 2)

Pictures and video clips are shown for this part on my website at: http://basicbodymovementforanygolfswing.com/onepiecetakeaway.html The One-Piece Takeaway Movement This is a brief outline of what is in my lesson modules. (Note: the references are for a right-handed golfer. I am a left-handed golfer, myself. Please think left in place of right if you are also a left-hander.) You have positioned yourself at your golf ball, set up in a comfortable posture, and you are now ready for your first movement to take your golf club away from your ball. The start of your first move is to draw your right shoulder and armpit area back towards your right heel --- in a straight line. The completion of this move will place you in a position which features: * The front of your shoulders closely in line with your right foot. * Your shoulder blades facing the green or fairway area where your ball will land. * During this single movement action you are to maintain your posture angles. * You must also maintain the position of your arms to your body and of your hands to your forearms. * There must NOT be any sideways movements of your arms to help you turn. * There must NOT be any turning of the hands. * There must NOT be any "flipping" or "hinging" of the hands at your wrists during the early part of this movement. An often used instruction to start the takeaway is to initiate the movement with your left arm and left side. Little thought is given to your right side. Your right side has to move backwards, out of the way, for your left side to arc comfortably down and under your chin. And, guess what? Correctly pulling your right shoulder area back to your right heel will comfortably draw your left shoulder under your chin without any difficult pushing activity. So, how do you pull your right side backwards as indicated above? First, a practice exercise. 1. Stand up right. (Do this in front of a mirror if you can.) 2. Put your hands on your shoulders to prevent arm movement. 3. Firm your whole body. 4. Pull your right shoulder straight back to be above your right heel. 5. You must feel the weight of your body about half way between your right hip joint and your tailbone. 6. The front of both shoulders should be above your right foot. Did you notice what muscle carried out this movement? No! OK, repeat the movement following the above instructions. As soon as you begin the movement try to identify what muscle is pulling your shoulder and armpit area backwards. Still can't quite figure out which muscle it is? It is the part of your large back muscle where it passes over your right kidney area. At least you will feel more tension at this spot of your back muscle. Your back muscle is very powerful --- when it is stretched out and then tightened aggressively. The effort needed by this muscle to draw your right shoulder backwards is not very much. In my lessons, I use an arbitrary number like one twentieth of its power. This is the only conscious movement you need to do the "one piece takeaway". In the pictures and videos on my website you can see how my upper body responds to the one movement described above. The One-Piece Takeaway Movement — In Posture 1. Set up in your usual posture when addressing the golf ball. 2. Place your hands on the front of your shoulders. 3. Firm your whole body. 4. Be aware that your spine is now angled forward. 5. Pull your right shoulder straight back to be above your right heel. 6. But, since your spine is angled forward your right shoulder also arcs upwards as it moves backwards. 7. Feel your left shoulder arcing forward and under your chin area. 8. As above, your arms must not move out of position to your body to assist the turn movement. 9. You must feel the weight of your body about half way between your right hip joint and your tailbone. This turn in posture must feel comfortable. You should not feel any pinching and stretching in your sides or backbone areas. Summary Remember, the more movements you use or allow in your takeaway movement then the more problems you will have trying to make all these movements work together. You can do this. But, you will have to practice more often. If you can learn to do the biggest part of your takeaway with one movement you make it easier to have a good golf swing with less practice.