| A military research study into injury prevention for | | | | position. Check your hips. Are they open about |
| soldiers produced some very interesting conclusions | | | | forty-five degrees? Many of us tend to slide the hips |
| that also apply to the golf swing. The U. S. Army | | | | and only rotate after impact. Perfect this move and |
| invested millions finding out when and how much | | | | your golf shots will fly farther than ever before. |
| specific muscles and joints work during the golf | | | | The other half of this power equation is hip strength, |
| swing. | | | | specifically the hip abductors. It is possible that a |
| After all of the data gathering and analysis was done | | | | golfer could have great hip action but have weak hip |
| a surprising truth was revealed. No one expected to | | | | muscles. Does that describe you? If so, here is a |
| discover that the when it comes to how the body | | | | simple little exercise you can do anywhere to |
| generates power in the golf swing, the hips are the | | | | strengthen those hips. |
| key. | | | | Stand on one foot with your hands on your hips. |
| It is essential that you have the proper hip action to | | | | Slowly move your elevated leg from side to side in |
| have power in your golf swing. Without it your swing | | | | front of you. Do this 10 times, holding the stretch |
| will be weak. Poor hip action causes blocked shots, | | | | position. Repeat using the opposite leg. To improve |
| pulls and weak high fades. Sound familiar? | | | | the effectiveness of this exercise, attach some |
| The hips should slide slightly forward and then rotate | | | | resistance tubing or bands to your ankle. This |
| in the downswing. They should not sway at all. Think | | | | resistance will not only help you build hip strength but |
| of it as just a bump forward toward the target at | | | | also improve your overall sense of balance which is |
| the beginning of the downswing. The hips slide | | | | also key to a good golf swing. |
| forward to achieve the proper weight transfer. Now | | | | Those golfers with poor hip action and weak hips are |
| the front hip becomes the center of rotation for the | | | | more susceptible to committing swing errors costing |
| rest of the swing. | | | | strokes and ruining handicaps. They face a greater |
| The key muscles to this power move are the hip | | | | risk of injury as well. |
| abductors. They are located on the outside of your | | | | The secret to a powerful golf swing is in the proper |
| legs and play a significant role in transferring the | | | | hip action and muscle strength. That is how you'll find |
| power from your body to your swing. Golfers with | | | | more distance power in your golf game. |
| powerful swings are about thirty percent stronger in | | | | Focus your efforts on improving your hip action and |
| the hip abductors than those with weaker swings. | | | | strengthening those hip abductors using the tips |
| At the moment of impact the hips should be rotated | | | | provided here. It won't take very long at all until you |
| open to a forty-five degree angle to the target line. | | | | begin to notice the improvement on the course. And |
| You can test this in your swing by taking a slow | | | | that is more rewarding than I put into words. |
| motion practice swing and stopping at the impact | | | | |