| It's no secret that improving your golf swing can be | | | | change them. This type of movement learning |
| exasperating and even seem impossible at times. It's | | | | involves noticing the proprioceptive (feeling and |
| also fairly obvious that thousands (if not hundreds of | | | | sensation) core of your body's movement. |
| thousands) of people claim to know some type of | | | | Now, that may sound like a lot of new-age mumbo |
| "secret" for golf swing instruction. | | | | jumbo to some people, but it's not. We are talking |
| But is there really a secret to improving your golf | | | | about sound scientific principles from the field of |
| swing? The human body is capable of learning virtually | | | | motor learning and human development. The problem |
| any kind of behavior and movement, so why does | | | | is that the techniques and processes have largely |
| the golf swing seem so difficult? Many people have | | | | been untapped by the golfing community. |
| problems with their golf swing or golf putt. Why? | | | | Where do you begin the process of using |
| Because golfing actions are unfamiliar to most people | | | | sensory-motor-learning to improve your golf swing? |
| (unless they have been doing them since childhood). | | | | I am sorry to say, that you can't improve your golf |
| There are very few actions that we do in golf that | | | | swing by reading about the techniques or thinking |
| have any relationship to actions that we do in daily | | | | about the techniques. You will actually have to do the |
| life. | | | | techniques and get comfortable with the idea of |
| What you need is a way to make the unfamiliar | | | | trying some new and often strange movements. For |
| become familiar. What you need is way to make | | | | instance, what if I had you lie on the floor and |
| golfing feel correct from deep inside the core of your | | | | engage in an entire sequence of movements |
| body's movement. | | | | designed to improve the coordination of your head, |
| Golf Swing Instruction: Imitation or Learning? | | | | eyes and neck? What if I told you to keep you eyes |
| Golf Pros and instructors often teach us the game | | | | closed the entire time, so that you could have |
| by having us imitate other's actions - like their swing, | | | | greater focus on yourself and your body? Would you |
| putt, or hand placement. Imitation is "OK" for a start | | | | be willing to do that? If not, you wouldn't be able to |
| and we all have to imitate to some extent. But true | | | | benefit from sensor motor learning systems. If you |
| improvement in your golf swing, true comfort while | | | | were willing to explore, you would find a whole |
| playing, and true mastery will come from you learning | | | | wealth of new possibilities and golf swing |
| to be true to the often hidden dynamics of your | | | | improvement. |
| own movement. This type of sensory-motor-learning | | | | The most evolved practitioners of sensory motor |
| is how you initially learned about movement as a child. | | | | learning are "alternative health practitioners" such as |
| It's less common in adults, but it is still possible to use | | | | those who do the Feldenkrais Method, Alexander |
| it. | | | | Technique, or Rolfing. The trick is to find someone |
| What is sensory motor learning? | | | | who understands the needs and desires of golfers. |
| Sensory motor learning is the best and most | | | | But even if they don't, consider that a slight |
| effective way to improve your golf swing. Part of | | | | improvement in your ability to move from your core |
| the process is getting yourself into a relaxed and | | | | could unleash a whole new potential in your ability to |
| open state so that you can learn to feel the inner | | | | improve your swing. |
| dynamics of your movement and how you can | | | | |