Do You Start Backswing w/ Hips or Shoulders?

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To start the golf swing with the upper or lower body, that is the question! I think Shakespeare first posed the question, now let me answer it once and for all!

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Fred
Craig, it seems I hit straighter drives and long iron when, at address I take my right shoulder, not directly in line with my target but slightly away or slightly more "open" if that makes sense. Is that something I need to stop?
September 19, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Fred. I don't mind if it is a little rib cage/hips, but the shoulders starting to get open may concern me. If you look at our YouTube Channel- Watch- Steal this Tour Pro Setup Tweak Video.
September 19, 2020
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Jim
and can your head shift slightly to the right when loading and back on downswing?
August 10, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Jim. The head will not stay perfectly stagnant. Slight motion back and returning to address is normal.
August 10, 2020
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Jim
Great instruction comments and demo. 1. Do you initially push off the inside of the right foot in the first instant fractionally before you slide to the left as downswing starts? Does right foot add power or go for the ride? 2. Can you slide and turn at the same time? 3. Do your left lattisimus dorsi and other trunk rotating muscles get very involved as you move your left pelvis up and around? At the same time? Fractionally later? Do they add power or muddy the waters?
August 10, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Jim. Right foot can add power, but 99% of players need to feel it goes along for the ride. Take a look at the Sam Snead Squat to see how you actually counter torque vs push off in the first move. You need to shift/turn at the same time. Lateral and rotational. Take a look at Closed Hip Slide Video. The lead lat will be involved in aiding to get the arms back out in front. But, you don't need to be yanking, or pulling extremely hard with it. You can start to muddy the waters by trying to get to active with certain groups during the post because the goal is to start to slam on the brakes.
August 10, 2020
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Jesse
Outstanding explanation of the glutei load. I struggle with this as well, and tended to freeze my lower body in response to swaying during the backswing. I finally realized that I was moving my lower body back way too far, which prevented me from getting my weight back to the front leg on the downswing. I took a look at one of the earlier videos that talked about moving one inch to the back and three inches to the front, and everything clicked. Now I just have to make it a habit.
May 27, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Nice Jesse! Don't freeze that lower half.
May 27, 2020
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dan
Very helpful clarification. Early in RST I was a hip spinner. I’d fixated so much on the 2” shoulder glide to initiate the takeaway, I never really loaded into my trail hip. Became very upper body dominant. I could hit all the positions in the mirror but still struggled/got long and loose with the real swing. This lesson things clicked right into place. And actually makes the wall drill easier, dead drill easier... also I’d been getting lower back pain on trail side - that immediately went away. Thanks for this.
May 26, 2020
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Chuck
You're welcome Dan! I've seen this a lot lately in these online lessons, that's why I have been publishing these specifically to help everyone understand the balance between overactive hips and properly active hips.
May 26, 2020
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Remington
Hi Chuck, very puzzled: you say in the takeaway video that the hips barely move in the takeaway, just the trail scapula a couple of inches inwards and downwards. In this video, however, you are saying that the hips actually initiate the takeaway. Which is it?
May 26, 2020
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Chuck
Weight shift and rotation initiate the takeaway. As I stated in the video, the vast majority of golfers tend to be way overactive with their hips to start the swing, that is why I have always emphasized focusing on getting the upper body to turn first as that's what most need to focus and while learning to quiet their overactive lower body.
May 26, 2020
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Chris
So the answer to the golden question of what initiates the swing is, “loading the right glute “ ?
May 25, 2020
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Chuck
You shift your weight and rotate essentially at the same time.
May 25, 2020
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Brad
Another excellent description of how to load right side. I had fallen into letting my lower body fall asleep also. Maybe the old tip restrict the hip turn got me on the track for a long time. Thanks chuck!
May 25, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Brad. Thanks for the compliments of Chuck's Lesson.
May 25, 2020
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Lippen
I’ve been trying to limit my arm swing with little success and my sequencing has been way off and quite frustrating. As you explain loading the right hip and watching all the check points, are you saying for a better golfer to start hips and shoulders together and allow the separation of hips and shoulders happen when the right glute is fully loaded and the transition to the left begins? Another words don’t try to make separation happen?
May 24, 2020
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Chuck
It's the same for a crappy golfer and a great golfer, it's just that the higher handicap tends to over rotate the hips and the lower tends to restrict too much, but both need to do the same thing and meet in the middle.
May 25, 2020
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Stephen
Great video, but I have a question: I've been using the Rotary Connect on my legs during practice. This prevents my left (lead) from collapsing into my right knee. Should I stop using the connect on my legs, or am I using it incorrectly? Or don't I know what I'm talking about?
May 24, 2020
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Chuck
It shouldn't collapse into the right knee, the spacing remains relatively the same because as the left knee moves forward and in, the right knee is also moving back because of the hip turn.
May 24, 2020
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Stephen
Ah, thanks. I didn't think about the right (trail) knee also moving back.
May 24, 2020
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JOHN
Still confused.Does right hip initiate the swing?I assume it actually creates weight shift.
May 24, 2020
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Lee
I would think it would be muscles attached to the LEFT iliac crest of the hip bone to get to squat to square. These muscle include internal and external abdominal oblique muscles And a few others such as the latissimus dorsi that Pull the left hip to square and pulls the arms/hands with it. Curious if that’s the case.
May 24, 2020
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Chuck
Weight shift and rotation happen simultaneously
May 24, 2020
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Ken
Good lesson, Chuck. May I make a wardrobe suggestion? If you could wear a lighter shade of pants, we could see better how the legs work from the knees down. In that dark room, it sort of looks like you're cut off at the knees. I know it would help me a lot if I could see how you load from the hips down, especially in a lesson with this subject matter. I enjoy the live lessons. All the best!
May 24, 2020
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Manny (Certified RST Instructor)
I agree with you, Ken. I would also consider a closer view on the replays of your (Chuck's) swing. I have to get up onto the screen to see your replays. I too really enjoy these lessons, please keep them coming! Fantastic work!
May 24, 2020
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