The primary function of having a good frame is to provide
the joints and segments with the maximum available
options to work with. One could then argue that this
is the main purpose of good strength and conditioning
programs. In short, joints enjoy being in and moving
around neutral.
When they start from neutral essentially it provides the
maximum amount of options they biomechanically have due
to lack of restrictions in the degrees of freedom. However,
when a player presents themselves to the ball with a faulty
body structure this can then have a negative influence on
what options are available to joints and segments, leading to
a reduction in range, control and coordination.
ONE OF THE MAIN PRIORITIES IN MOST
SESSIONS IS TO HAVE GET THE PLAYER
BACK TO ZERO
A brief way of looking at the influence body structure
has on the golf swing can be discussed with this
understanding – in advance of movement the brain
designs two maps, the first is called a brain map & the
second one is called a road map.
The brain map is effectively the body informing the brain of
where all the various joints, segments etc. are in space prior
to movement, a road map is then designed on where the
human is attempting to move to based around the position
of the joints/segments.
How this looks in golf, at set up the brain knows where the
joints and segments are and what options they’ve available,
it knows what the task is which for the purpose of this
discussion is the backswing, it then computes how do I
complete the task from this start position with these options.
If joints are in neutral and the segments are well matched
up, anatomically and biomechanically this provides the
structure for the human to move in a way with minimal
compensations i.e a professional golfers swing. However if
the joints are in a less than ideal position and are sitting
significantly outside of neutral, what the road map does
is essentially go this is no problem, I’ll simply ask other
segments and joints to do more to accommodate the
dysfunction elsewhere i.e wrist breaks and movement in the
hips. The player moves around the problem to make it all
work, however at what cost and to what level? In essence,
if a coach or pro is changing what he/she “sees” as a first
point of call they are invariably changing the aesthetics of
the swing rather than improving function.
Often players have poor structures but can still physically
complete the task, albeit with compensations therefore
they physically can move however in a compromised way.
Moving in this compromised way can (over the long term)
lead to injuries.
Start position issues are often influenced by structural
imbalances, however it is not uncommon to see good
athletes with great structures still have poor start positions.
Factors that can influence this are historical misconceptions
of what the purpose of a good st