| Between 1986 and 1995, a group of | | | | skaters' legs rotate and extend so far |
| doctors and biomechanics specialists led | | | | out to their sides. And, for golfers, |
| by Frank Jobe, M.D., in affiliation with | | | | when the legs are held in place by |
| the Biomechanics Laboratory of the | | | | spikes, it is the primary reason hips |
| Centinela Hospital Medical Center, | | | | rotate so fast. |
| Inglewood, CA, published six papers | | | | The third-ranked muscle (in % of |
| presenting results from | | | | capacity used) is the left quadriceps, |
| electromyographic research they had | | | | coming in at 88%. Your left leg gets |
| conducted on good golfers, i.e. all with | | | | pretty well bent at the knee during the |
| handicaps under 5, including some | | | | backswing, stretching the quads. When |
| professionals. | | | | they fire, they drive the left hip way |
| Data on twenty-four muscles between the | | | | around and behind. |
| knees and the skull were reported. | | | | Muscles below the waist fire before |
| These data reveal how a body goes about | | | | muscles above the waist. In Five |
| hitting a golf ball, and which muscles | | | | Fundamentals, Ben Hogan says: "The hips |
| deserve the most attention. | | | | initiate the downswing. They snap back |
| Only one of the reported muscles fired | | | | to the left with tremendous speed. The |
| at 100% of its capacity. I've asked | | | | faster they go the better. They cannot |
| over 50 golfers, of all abilities, which | | | | go too fast". This research shows how |
| muscle this is, and no one has gotten | | | | right on Ben's comment was. |
| the answer right. It's the right | | | | To accelerate the clubhead from 0 to 100 |
| buttock (for a right-handed golfer). | | | | miles per hour in about 0.3 seconds, you |
| Even more interesting, the primary | | | | must make major use of the big muscles |
| function of this muscle in the body is | | | | in your thighs and hips. A swing that |
| understood apparently only by muscle | | | | feels as if it's trying to hit the ball |
| specialists. It is technically a | | | | primarily with arm muscles isn't going |
| rotator muscle, not a flexor or | | | | to win any long-drive contests. |
| extensor. It is the reason speed | | | | |