A review of Tom Watson’s newly released ‘Lessons of a Lifetime’ DVD series.
See the new section ‘reviews’ in this blog to read all about these 3 DVDs. You’ll see the collective wisdom of the best players and teachers of the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Also discussed is how some of the instruction imparted is quite scientific, while some is not, especially from an anatomical perspective.
Why does science matter? Why does anatomy matter?
The answer to the first question is that this IS the 21st Century – why should we settle for subjective, when advances in research have made it possible to be extremely objective about everything we do during the golf swing? When every other sport is basing their movements more and more on what research says?
The answer to the second is that no matter whether we’re old or young, large or small, male or female, we all have the same skeletal structure, the same muscles and ligaments and joints and they are not capable, as we often believe them to be, of movement in any old direction – regardless of how flexible and strong our muscles are!
ummation of forces, stretch-shorten cycle and ground reaction force (all these latter 3 for max club speed).
1.) Ground reaction forces (newton law) that would require some type of squat or sitting move?
MGS doesn’t talk about this in any of the videos I have reviewed?
(which is not taught very much in modern instruction vs. the oldie days with Sam Snead, Moe Norman, ben Hogan, tiger- squatted).
2.) Summation of forces: several different parts of the body act together to maximize the force. In theory, force summation occurs when all body parts act simultaneously In practice, the strongest and lowest body parts around the Centre of gravity (e.g. trunk and thighs) move first, followed by the weaker, lighter, and faster extremities.
How should this be initiated in the MGS for the downswing? ((you will have lower-body before upper body before club.))
3.) Stretch-shorten cycle: Explain how this works with MGS?
Ground Reaction Force – MGSS keeps the trail side lower than the lead at all times. therefore, the body does not go lead-side flex during backswing, trail side and again lead side flex during downswing, but only lifts the lead side up as the arms straighten and the head stays back. There is also no power-leak as the trail foot does not come off the ground prematurely.
Summation of forces – because the head and trail shoulder are ‘locked’ in place, the lower body is the only thing that can start the downswing – without any conscious movement – so the order takes care of itself
Stretch-shorten cycle – again, as the head and spine remain tilted away from target at the start of the downswing, and the lower body leads, the pectoral muscles and the obliques get stretched (in a sort of X-factor-Stretch) and then contract.
The latter concept has been proven to not work, by one of the biomechanists at one of the Universities.