Golf Standing balance sway test detail explaination
Golf Standing balance sway test detail explaination
After posture, the next most important physical characteristic required to make an optimal and consistent golf swing is balance. The purpose of the standing balance-sway test is to help you identify muscle and connective tissue tightness that may be pulling you out of ideal standing posture and balance, thus interfering with your posture and balance at address and during your full swing.
Perform the standing balance-sway test as follows:
Remove your shoes and stand on a level surface with your arms hangingrelaxed by your sides.
If you've been prescribed customized orthotics (arch supports) for your shoes, repeat this test with your orthotics in place and your shoes on.
Close your eyes and gently relax your body so that you can attempt to feel which direction your body would tend to drift, tip, or sway if you let it.
After 5 to 10 seconds, open your eyes and identify the predominant direction of sway.
Repeat the test several times to determine whether you have a consistent direction of sway.
Much like a tent's center pole leaning toward a support wire that has been staked into the ground too tightly, the direction that you consistently feel is the first and/or strongest direction of sway is probably caused by connective tissue and muscle tightness pulling your body in that direction. If left uncorrected, this tightness will also pull you out of posture and balance at address as well as during your swing. Any attempts to correct your swing motion without first reducing the physical causes of your posture and balance dysfunction can lead to inconsistent performance and/or injury.