The Post Up Move - How to Use Lead Leg for Power and Maintain Posture

Sorry, you need to be a member to access this video.
You Are Just Seconds Away - Become a member here!
Already a member? Log in now

Have you ever wondered how the pros use their legs for power in the golf swing? This video explains it in clear detail to help you stop losing your posture and start hitting powerful golf shots.


All right. Let's take a look at this in real time using tiger and Rory. So I'm going to draw a couple

Lines. One on the left tip and one on the top of the belt. Now these are two

Important things because they help you understand the forces that the top golfers on the planet are using to create effortless club head speed. And as I've talked about for years, it's using the ground.

You hit the ball with your legs. And from this angle, it's such a great way to be able to see

The swing and connect the dots between what you see face on

And down the line where it's a very flat two dimensional look, this

Helps tie these pieces together. So watch as tiger goes down, you're going to see his BeltLine drops significantly.

Now, what is D why is he doing this? Well, think about it.

As you understand where you're trying to

Move the body during the swing to get the club to go where you want. Notice, I didn't say move the club to get the body to go somewhere. We move the body to get the club to go where we want,

If tiger is going to push

Up and back, which is very clear to see there, that which we'll talk about in just a second,

Where should you move first in order to be able to push

Away from the ball. Now, first let's understand where the club's going, right? The club is obviously in the downswing because the ball is on the ground. The club is going club. It is going down, right? The club head, because moving on an arc is also moving out away from you.

So tiger knows

That in order to get that club to move really fast, using

The big muscles in his body, his hips most

Move back and up the opposite

Direction the club's going. So in this case, you can see where Tiger's hip was during the transition

Is BeltLine is way down here and now notice how much it moves up. So why would you move down first?

Well, obviously, if you're going to really load those legs, if you were going to jump up off the ground, which tigers foot literally leaves the ground here, as he pushes so hard

Off that left side, that you would want

To go down first, if you're going to jump as high as you could, you wouldn't just stand there, statically. You would quickly go down and then

You would be able to stretch the muscles of the muscle fibers upon a correct connect, excuse me, contract very quickly.

And this is the stretch shortening cycle. And this is what allows you to create effortless speed. So you want to take advantage of this in your swing and use your legs to hit the ball. But from this angle, what's really important that I really want you to see

Is how much tiger and Roy's hips, both move back.

You can see that at this point, this swing Tiger's leg has moved significantly back from where it was, where it started. So if we wipe

This out, here's where his leg is now and look where it was during the transition. The only way you're going to do that is to push your foot into the ground. This direction.

He's moving his foot diagonally. You're pushing into the ground, diagonally

Away from the ball and up in order to move the hip, to move the club down to the ball, using his legs.

And you'll notice that Rory does the same thing, but there'll be a subtle difference in that notice the Tiger's left leg has completely disappeared here. I

Have much more hip rotation by pushing that left hip and this direction back in a way

Where's Rory, you can still see a little bit of it. And as a result, he looks like he is lost

The spine angle, much more so than tiger from this angle. This is simply a matter that his left hip didn't move back. As far as tigers do,

They're doing the exact same thing. Just one more so than the other. So long story short, when you're working on understanding how to use your legs and the video I posted on the site many, many years ago, how you hit the ball with your legs. This is a great illustration, a great angle to see this happening from that. You're truly pushing into the ground away from the ball. And that is what you use to move. Move the club back toward the ball. You'll notice tigers, head drop here, which has been criticized for many years. This is the most powerful

Move that he has in his golf swing. He's going down to load that leg so that he can push harder to move his hip away from the ball. And that is the key to power in the modern golf. Now

Let's take a look at this from the opposite view before we are looking at it, quartering from behind. Now, we're gonna look at it from up the line and you'll see the exact same thing, but it's so easy to see from this perspective, how aggressively Tiger's moving his hip away from the ball. And so you'll notice right here, his left leg is as close as the balls it's going to get. And now it's going to begin to move away from the ball aggressively

As he's pushing his hip up. And we

Can see this again, from what I was talking about just a moment ago, how much Tiger's hip is going to mean,

Move up and away from the ball and this

Direction and this Oop, this is direction that you need to start to feel in order to start maintaining your posture, to maintain your tush line. This movement is coming from the left

Leg, pushing the hip back and away from the ball. All right, now let's look

At one of my favorite swings out there right now, Kyle Berkshire. He is the longest hitter on the planet, and you're going to see the exact same things that we saw and tiger and Rory swing just to the nth degree and beyond he's going to do the exact same thing, but watch as he begins his transition, how hard he plants into that left foot really smashes down onto it. And then he pushes so hard that his foot leaves the ground and he's moving that left hip up and back as he posts into it, that he actually leaves the ground and moves his foot back several inches, which you can see from this view, which is really, really cool. You'll see how hard he pushes into the ground at impact. He's turning his hips so quickly and posting up so aggressively that his foot leaves ground and moves back. This is what you're trying to feel, but of course, certainly not to the same enth degree that we see used in Kyle swing. This is really, really aggressive, but the same feeling, the same most motions, the same movements are what you have to feel in order to use your hips correctly for power in the golf swing. Now let's take a look at an even more extreme example of this motion being used to hit the ball unbelievably long distances.

All right, so this is Justin James, I think pound

For pound, the longest hitter on the planet right now between he and Kyle and both of them do the same things just in slightly different ways, but create the same effect of trying to create space by moving their hips away from the ball, pushing off the ground, using that left side. So as you, as he starts down this, one's probably going to blow your mind. If you've never seen his swing before, watch how hard he pushes his body away

From the target line, right? Most

Amateurs do the exact opposite. Most every single amateur on the planet loses their posture, loses the tush line because they move from the right arm and right side

To move their body into the ball. And yeah, long

Hitters, powerful ball strikers, all move their hips away. That's how you're creating rotational force and vertical ground force together to create the most amount of power out of the big muscles in the swings of the arms and hands don't have to work so hard. And from this view, this is really, really cool. He actually launches off the force plaid 

The using a body track there, he pushes into the

Ground smashes that left foot into the ground. So hard creates a tremendous amount of vertical forces. The ground pushes against him all done with this left leg and then watch how hard he pushes off that left foot. He literally leaves the forest pad and gets completely away from it. And that's creating tremendous width for his arms to whip through the hitting area as he's using his legs to push his hips

Away from the ball away from the target line. Because again, you should always be moving your body in the opposite direction. You want the club to.

Must be Premium Member to Comment

64x64
Ron
Craig, does the lead hip go straight back during the post up or back at say a 45 degree angle?
April 4, 2023
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Ron. Back and away. If you go too excessively your weight may fall back on trail foot. Not perfectly straight back.
April 4, 2023
64x64
Blake
Hi, Chris. Your lesson and the two videos helped. The answer I think is: I was pushing my left hip UP too much, not BACK enough. Feels better now, doesn't hurt. How did the rest of my swing look? Did I fix the "too much lag" issue? Any other fixes major needed right now?
March 12, 2021
64x64
Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hi Blake, The rest of the swing looked really really good. We are at a point with your swing shape we need to be really observant to your ball flight and your dispersion from side to side and front to back to better understand how the face control in relationship to the new movements is.
March 15, 2021
64x64
Blake
Good to hear. It is getting warm again in Chicago, so in a few weeks I will send new videos of actual golf ball in flight. Thanks you for all the help!
March 15, 2021
64x64
Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Sounds like a plan.
March 15, 2021
64x64
Roy
I tried to put my comment/question into the "the tour pro downswing sequence drill" but, for some reason was unable to do so. So, here's my question: in the drill mentioned above at the 18:21 mark, Chuck indicates that the club should be parallel to the ground when you "start" to post up. However, Chuck seems to be "finished" posting at that point instead of "starting" to post. Please clarify. Thanks. Roy
January 17, 2021
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Roy The club will be entering the trail thigh slightly further back then parallel or just at parallel. When performing the drill at pace if you post up sooner with the club further back you will lose your club angle too early. The dead drill is in chunks to get the sequence, but when moving at pace these items happen very fast and will be closer to the position Chuck refers to.
January 17, 2021
64x64
Kevin
In some ways this is like the snead squat counter torque move but with the left foot. It makes sense that the left foot has to push away to help offset the force of the club swing down the line. I'm thinking more of this feel and the snead squat with the right will help quiet down my right side and clear the left hip while adding support.
December 8, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Kevin. Best of both worlds. Deadly combo. Good trail and lead side leg usage.
December 8, 2020
64x64
Kevin
Craig - I’ve been working on this more and more since my review last week. I can feel my swing speed increasing with an earlier post with more pressure in the lead foot. Feel that really bring the club into impact. Although I am still going past NJA. I think I’m worried to post back too much out of a fear of increasing axis tilt too much like I see in this video. Should I just focus more on rotation and less on the post or both? I’ve also experiment with more lead knee and leg rotation but on video I see the same issue
March 18, 2021
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
The tilt is going to come from more lateral motion of the hip then post up. Focus more on the rotation back with the hip. Nevertheless, it is already looking much better.
March 19, 2021
64x64
Kevin
Thanks Craig - getting closer - took this picture tonight really focusing a “rotational post” move instead of just posting to really clear that hip out - it’s really pulling everything through fast now including my shoulders so I need to tame that down but hip looks better
March 19, 2021
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
For sure getting better
March 19, 2021
64x64
John
Is it common to top the ball (in the beginning) after transitioning to the rotary swing? I am assuming that posting up may cause/contribute to this until timing is improved? Do you have any thoughts on this and any tips? Thank you.
November 19, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello John. Not very common. Sounds like improper posting. Take a look at Moving the Fulcrum and You Hit the Golf Ball with Your Legs. Proper posting will actually help you retain spine angle shying away from the top.
November 19, 2020
64x64
John
I have reviewed the recommended videos and they are very helpful. Thank you!
November 19, 2020
64x64
Veasna
Am I safe to assume that we should shift our weight to the balls of our left foot as we come down in order to make it easiest to push away? I know at setup Chuck talks about having our weight over our ankles and I though it should stay that way for the entire swing.
September 21, 2020
64x64
Chuck
The weight moves in more or less a figure 8 pattern during the swing and should move to the ball of the lead foot at the top and during the transition, then back to the ankle.
September 21, 2020
64x64
Veasna
Is there a video with force plates that explains this with some visuals???
September 21, 2020
64x64
Chuck
Start here https://rotaryswing.com/golf-instruction-videos/full-swing-basics/downswing/tour-pro-downswing-sequence-drill
September 21, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Veasna. The weight will move a little more towards the front of the foot, but needs to work back towards the ankle pretty quickly. Weight will move like a figure 8 in the swing.
September 21, 2020
64x64
Ian
I think like most amateurs, I don’t have anywhere near this leg flex. Really working hard to develop this.
August 21, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Ian. Most amateurs rely too much on arms/hands. Gotta get those legs involved.
August 21, 2020
64x64
Steve
Great video. The visuals of the belt line dropping really helps. I have a great feel for this with the driver and even 3wood. However, struggle to do it successfully with irons. Should the belt line drop just as far with a short iron? Or should the belt line drop down a little less with shorter clubs?
August 13, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Steve. The shorter the shot the less you will tend to have a deep squat because you don't need the extra power.
August 13, 2020
64x64
Tom
Chuck - In many videos on your site you advocate having your chest square to the target line while the club releases and waiting for the club to pull you through to a finish position. In the "How Tiger, Rory & Ernie Use Their Hips for Power" video you ask your student to feel the left shoulder pull up and back to facilitate the release and to help eliminate the dreaded right-side push. Could you comment on this?
August 10, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Tom. The goal was for the student not to flatten out the shoulder plane by getting trail side dominant. So, maintaining the shoulder plane in which the lead shoulder would be working back up is the feeling Chuck has and he wanted the student to have. You still have to take into account the Fulcrum position with the lead shoulder you don't want to start rising it excessively and out of the shot. Chuck's feeling vs real. Not as exaggerated as shown on video.
August 10, 2020
64x64
THOMAS
Chuck....tremendous job with this video....what great visuals and science to reflect back on any time we get away from these fundamentals
August 8, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Thomas. Many thanks. Appreciate the post.
August 8, 2020
64x64
Michael
Hey Chuck, Great info as always. As a participant of the #5 Boot camp I am struggling with Chris and Craig's instruction to act like there is a pane of glass at shoulder height after I take my set up and do not break it as I rotate back and through. It is very uncoordinated and constraining (for me anyway). I have been watching and re-watching your great lesson with Jeff Grifin and you are advocating (I think) extension which naturally raises the shoulder past it's starting position. Am I understanding this correctly? It sure feels much more natural and comfortable. Your lesson with Jeff did a fantastic job of explaining how all the different body parts need to move in order to generate effortless power. Thanks to both of you for sharing it. ~Mike
August 7, 2020
64x64
Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Michael. Players tend to push and get their lead shoulder too high. Also, some experience the pop up of the head out of position. Chris refers to the shelf/plane of glass to not break it while moving from transition to post up with the lead shoulder. This is an exaggeration of the feeling to stay down. The main thing being advocated like in the You Hit the Golf Ball with Your Legs Video is to stay in posture as you hip moves back and away. If you watch Chuck in that video, or even Tiger in the reference video above. The head doesn't dramatically rise during post up, nor big pop up of the lead shoulder.
August 7, 2020
64x64
Michael
Hey Craig, Copy. Thanks for taking the time to respond. ~Mike
August 8, 2020
64x64
Chuck
I'm sorry Michael, I'm not exactly sure what you're referring to, so I'll see if Craig can chime in here
August 7, 2020
64x64
Ian
Great video. Is the upward / backward push activated by the heel (glutes ) or the balls of the foot ( quads) or both ?
August 6, 2020
64x64
Chuck
Both. the weight is initially on the ball of the foot and then moves back later in the post up
August 7, 2020
64x64
Will
I have been struggling to post up and maintain (somewhat) level shoulders as Chuck has demonstrated in some of the videos. In this video where Tiger has more up & away hip motion, it seems to result in more side bend the Rory as well, right??? How does one post up aggressively without creating side bend? Is that why the pundits are pushing side bend - they're unknowingly just encouraging a greater post up?
August 5, 2020
64x64
Chuck
If you push hard off the right side it will make the side bend worse and both of these golfers do that. I don't like a hard push off the right side for this reason in better players and because it causes a loss of posture in higher handicap players. You can also reduce side bend by having the arms fire a little bit more to get them back out in front of the body. The long and short of it is if you drive hard off the right and rotate the hips very open, you'll increase side bend, so you need to be mindful of these things to protect your back.
August 6, 2020
64x64
Kevin
Great video! One thing I really picked up on in this video is the extension in the arms through impact in all of the videos. As I've worked on this move I've had issues topping / duffing it or toe strikes as my left hip works up and back. Seems like as the lower body gets "out of the way" the upper has to really stay in the shot / increase spine angle (clamshell drill) AND have good arm extension
August 4, 2020
64x64
Chuck
The arm should be getting flung out there by the centrifugal force acting upon it. If you're trying to control the club with the arms it won't be able to extend.
August 4, 2020

We're after one thing: Real Results - Real Fast. And that's exactly what our members achieve. And that's why they say the AXIOM is: Mind-blowing. Game changing. Revolutionary.

Check it out ...

Here at RotarySwing, talk is cheap and the proof is always in the pudding. Come see the massive transformations we can achieve together in your swing.

See for yourself ...

From beginner to pro, we have what you need to get you where you want to go.

See how inside ...

RotarySwing was founded out of frustration with the current state of golf instruction. Quinton knew a better way had to exist to learn this game we all love.

Learn more ...