Muscles and Golf Swings

Muscles and Golf Swings

Phil Cheetham, of http://www.mytpi.com, has studied the swings of many top professional golfers. Using the TPI 3D machine, he found that the swing sequence was the same for each golfer, from the top of the swing to the point of impact. While each golfer's swing may look different, like Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Ray Floyd, and John Daly, the same body parts are used to transfer momentum to the head of the club.

The division of different body parts used in golf swings are as follows:

      1. Lower body

      2. Torso trunk

      3. Arm and hand

      4. Golf clubs

      Top professional golfers use parts in sequence like a flick and do it consistently.

The Kinematic Sequence of measuring the speed of different parts of the body using a 3D Data Analysis machine and plotting it as a graph starting from T (top swing) and I (impact), the Kinematic Sequence is found as follows:

From the figure, the X-axis is the time (seconds), Y-axis is the velocity of the hips, torso, arms and golf clubs, the lower part of the body. Measures hip rotation (red - Pelvis) starts accelerating at a lower altitude than the rest of the body, then rapidly decelerates.

The green trunk accelerates quickly above the hips and then slows down rapidly. The blue arm accelerates even higher than the trunk, and slows down quickly. Finally, the brown golf club accelerates to its peak speed at or just before the point of impact.

The hip, fuselage, arm, and golf club head all have different top speeds that are represented by a graph starting with the hip. As each body part reaches its maximum speed, it must slowdown in order to transfer momentum to the next body part in sequence. The maximum speed of the fuselage comes next, followed by the maximum speed of the arm, and finally, the maximum speed of the golf club head at the point of impact.

Most amateur golfers have difficulty with the order of movement when swinging a golf club, such as the maximum speed of the arms and stick before the hips or torso. This often leads to compensatory movements, such as bending the left elbow, which can cause a loss of speed and accuracy for the golf club.

It was evident from the EMG study of the muscles during the swing that the right hip flexor and the muscles behind the left thigh began to contract before the top of the swing.

Analyzed Signals / Periods

The fuselage will be worked on continuously. First, the triceps muscle will be focused on, then the muscles of the lower right arm will be worked on in full. After that, other muscles will be addressed.

Professional golfers can accelerate the clubhead from the Transition position (when the left arm is parallel to the ground) to the point of impact in 0.05 seconds.

Most amateur golfers take more than 0.11 seconds from downswing to impact, which disrupts the Kinematic Sequence. This is because the lower right arm has begun functioning before the downswing has even begun, indicating a lack of proper muscle coordination. Examining how the muscles work can help golfers understand the cause of this issue and take steps to improve their swing.

There are several reasons why amateur golfers or golfers who used to play well may lose their Kinematic Sequence:

1. The transmission of power to the golf club head is not mechanical (Incorrect swing mechanics).
2. Physical conditions with restrictions, such as an incapacity to rotate the hip joint (Internal Rotation of Hip), an incapacity to rotate the shoulder, or muscle condition that is not strong enough.
3. Unsuitable use of golf clubs, such as being too long, too heavy, or too stiff.

By combining swing analysis with a Golf Simulator and recording muscle activity with EMG, golfers can gain insight into whether their swing has a good kinematic sequence and is using the right muscles efficiently to transfer maximum force to the club. This will help them to improve their technique and ultimately their performance on the course.