Jason Day - Elevation for Speed

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In this video, I'll show you one distinct difference in Jason Day's swing compared to Cameron Tringale's swing. This key move allows Jason Day to hit the ball further by more than 20 yards on average! I'll show you how critical arm elevation can be for speed and I'll also show you how to move your hands and arms into a perfect backswing position that is guaranteed to help you boost your driving distance. If you have been looking for ways to hit the ball further, then you must see how important this one key move really is.

  • Elevate the arms as you are flexing the trail arm to complete the backswing.
  • Keep the right elbow in line with the body and use the shirt seem as a reference point. 
  • Look for the hands to be above the trail shoulder at the completion of the backswing.

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Mark
Can't hear the video!
July 28, 2015
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Mark -- We just tested the video on our end. Make sure you have the bars in the bottom right hand side of the video player turned up so that you can hear it.
July 28, 2015
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John
A new idea for me is that the full swing combines a rotation of the body with a vertical up and down elevation of the arms. My question then, is this. When you've gotten to the top of your swing and are really fully loaded, do you have the sensation of pulling your arms straight down? I've noticed that the only way I can do that is to use the lower body to move the arms; the arms are so wound up that they can't initiate movement. Is this right? --John Benson
February 1, 2015
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
John, You're 100% correct. The weight shift to the left, squat to square/sitting into left side, and pulling with the lead side obliques, lats, glutes will pull your arms for the majority of the downswing. Once your lead arm is parallel to the ground after pulling from the lead side, then you can focus on pulling the left arm down until your hands are in front of the trail side thigh and the club is parallel to the ground. Then you continue to pull with your left arm as you throw the ball with your right. I think you'll enjoy this video. It's what made it all click for me. http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/tour-pros/sang-moon-bae-hips-for-lag You're going to love your new swing once it's finished R.J.
February 1, 2015
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matt
It looks like Jason isn't connected with so much elevation at the top. I have a bit of a problem of getting too wide, losing connection, and it throws me all out of whack. Can I get the same power from a less elevation and staying more connected?
December 19, 2014
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Matt -- Elevation is a variable in the swing. You can use lower elevation points in the swing. Think of it as borrowing from the width department and adding some of it back in with leverage and rotation. We have a video on the site that Chuck did that talks about this. It's called "how much shoulder elevation". Let me know if that helps you out
December 20, 2014
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Christian
great contrast. This is one of my areas that I am working on. I have always been deep up top and would like to get my arms and hands into the correct position up top. I love your pool noodle video. This is hard for me to change, but I am doing my drills everyday to get this engrained into my swing.
December 18, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Thanks for the post Christian. Another good video to help with the position is the 3 Functions of the Right Arm in the Advanced Downswing Section.
December 19, 2014
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Greg
Hi RJ, I seem to be seeing in a number of the professional swings that are reviewed the right heal coming off the ground at impact. There hips are staying back so they aren't losing posture, but it sure appears there is some push coming from the right leg. Can they get to this kind of impact position by solely pulling from the left side? Is this more typical of a driver swing. I'm not sure how they even get to this impact position and not lose posture.
December 18, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Greg, Yes, they could get their hips open and have their right heel on the ground at impact and still keep their spine angle. You want to roll the right ankle inwards instead of allowing the heel to come off the ground. The purpose of rolling the ankle and keeping the heel on the ground is to act as a breaking mechanism in order to keep the hips from spinning out. It also keeps you from getting your weight shifted on to the balls of your feet. There is a video in the downswing section that describes the role of the right foot in the downswing. That video should help fix any issues that you have been having. R.J.
December 18, 2014
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charles
Hey Chris. Another excellent video. Following up on a comment made by another member, in order to create "more power and more speed" from a "top of the swing" position like Jason Day, is there a definitive "drop" of the hands and arms and shaft to "slot" the club into the powerful delivery slot? Seems only logical that if a golfer has a very vertical top of the swing look, then in order to get the shaft on a powerful delivery line they would somehow have to re-route, or loop, or reorient the shaft so that solid contact can be made. Other videos on RST, like several on Sergio's swing, have him getting very high at the top of his swing and then dropping his arms and hands into a completely different swing plane--into a plane that is delivering the club at the optimum attack angle. Jim Furyk does the same thing only more exaggerated. I've tried looping the club and it works for me. Did I just answer my own question?.... What I guess I'm looking for is validation that this is what is happening...higher (not deeper) hands, with a distinct looping of the clubshaft into the most powerful delivery angle. Should I continue to do this or not? Come to think of it, there isn't much talk on RST about "plane." Maybe that is exactly the point. No two golfers have the same backswing, so why worry about any "plane." Chuck has a video where he talks about "grip" and how it affects "lag." He says, "sort of go "limp" at the top." This sounds like what Jason Day is doing here. Would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.
December 17, 2014
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Jukka
Great comment! I think that RST is the standard model swing and it`s not the only way to do it. Here is great swingplane video from Clay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiIIGj1Uo3E. Jukka.
December 21, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Charles, Yes, the arms drop straight down as you sit into the left side to get your downswing started. If you watch most the downswing videos, you see this drop if the hands, but instead of dropping them inside, just drop the arms and keep the shoulders in a closed position as you begin to rotate the hips. Then the pulling of the obliques from the front side will swing your arms into that power slot that you referred to. Most amateurs tend to begin to open the shoulders when they drop the arms. If you check out our downswing videos, you will see examples of this idea. Does that confirm your thoughts? R.J.
December 18, 2014
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charles
Yes R.J. this confirms my thoughts. I can work with this now knowing that you guys feel that a drop and/or a "loop" is perfectly acceptable anatomically and from a kinesethetic standpoint.
December 22, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Charles, I would think of it more as a drop or turning off the muscles more so than I would a loop. A loop would suggest that you're getting really deep with the club head and swing the club around the body. We just want the arms to fall so that they're about belt level, then start pulling them down and forward until they are to the mid thigh on the trailing leg, then release the club at the ball. If you check out the downcock pump drill in the downswing section of the site, it'll help you with this feeling. R.J.
December 23, 2014
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Jukka
Hi Chris! Great video. What do you think this "loop" idear in the backswing. I mean more vertical up and drop to slot. ( i don´t mean slice loop ) Somehow it feels more rytmical and easy way to do it. It´s winter here so i cant try hitting balls with this feeling. Jukka
December 17, 2014
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Iain
Is there a way to strengthen/increase flexibility to help raise the hands to head height? Thanks. Iain
December 16, 2014
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Lain -- Also on top of what RJ said, you may want to take a look at the video that Chuck did recently on proper muscle activation. Here is the link for that. http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-advanced/introduction/proper-muscle-activation
December 17, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Lain, There are flexibility and strengthening exercises in our golf fitness section of the website. I encourage you to check them out. R.J.
December 17, 2014
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chris
I have this same issue, as a lefty, my right arm pushes going back and ends up flat, get stuck = blocks / hooks etc. What should the feeling be going back? - when does the elavation start to come into the backswing? - because from the start is wrong I guess? Also does should my left arm (remember I'm a lefty ), be pointing straight up when flexed? - seems hard to get that position....any excersies to increase the flexibility to allow this move to happen? Thanks, Chris
December 16, 2014
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Chris -- I would strongly suggest that you take a look at the pool noodle shoulder elevation video and see some reference points for elevation in the takeaway and backswing. Try working like I do in the video without a club at first and then slowly add the club progressively while working this drill. If that does not help, let me know and I will gladly further assist you.
December 16, 2014
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Martin
So I have this exact problem with my swing. I let my right arm get deep behind me. What are the actual body parts I need to focus on to fix this? Is it a right hand support issue, a loose elbow that needs to be brought back to the torso, or the upper arm just flailing behind the body?
December 16, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Martin, Rotating the shoulders with the muscles in the middle of the back (Lower traps, rhomboid, upper lat) and keeping the right elbow pit pointed towards the sky at the completion of the takeaway will fix these issues for you. I have a few videos that you can check out which should be able to eliminate your deep elbow in your backswing. http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-advanced/setup/right-elbow-pit http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-advanced/backswing/keep-the-right-arm-straight-to-turn http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-basics/takeaway/5-minutes-to-the-perfect-takeaway Let us know if you have any questions, we're here for you! R.J.
December 16, 2014
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Marvin
I have a question regarding sitting into the left side. Does the combination of sitting into the left side and simultaneously rotating the left hip away from the target put any torque into the left knee, making it vulnerable to injury--from the weight-bearing coupled with the rotational torque? If so, how can this be avoided? Also, are there any recommended exercises to strengthen the knees and protect them from injury?
December 16, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Marvin, We certainly do not want anyone to get injured, especially you Marvin! The RST program is designed to make the golf swing as safe and efficient as possible. With that being said, RST does not encourage large amounts of lateral slide or any rotation of the knee joints. The knee joints are a hinge joint and are only meant to flex front to back. Also, we must bear our weight over the ankle joints and load the glutes to stabilize our swing. So, I have a few videos for you to watch to alleviate your concerns about protecting the knee with RST. http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-basics/setup/golf-setup-posture http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-advanced/backswing/left-knee-laser-beam-drill http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-advanced/backswing/right-knee-laser-beam-drill Let us know if you have any other questions! R.J.
December 16, 2014

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