Squish the Bug for Effortless Power - Pt 3 of 3

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Learn how to use your legs and hips for power in the golf swing by using the Squish the Bug Drill. Learn more about RSA here: RotarySwing Academy

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Alex Francis Ver
Do you still have to keep your shoulders closed or away from the target like in the Dead drill?
October 4, 2024
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Alex Francis Ver
Sorry, I meant shoulders turned away.
October 4, 2024
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Chuck
Are you asking if you keep the feeling of your back remaining turned toward the target to start the downswing? If so, that is sort of a yes or no answer. While some people love that feeling to me It has always been a little unnatural. Instead, when you think about rotating your core, your shoulders are going to of course, be turned and tilt as you enter side bend and so I don’t focus on holding them back. I focus on rotating my core through.
October 6, 2024
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Kade
Good morning, Chuck! Thank you again for all of your hard work! This has truly been a game changer for me. I have a bad back and the lead side swing has held me back, this effortless trail side teaching has brought me back from the dead and given me back my 20 year old distances. It's been a long (but fun) rebuilding process and I'm hitting my 7 iron 195 on a rope!... for the most part. And it's not just that club I've gained 30-40 yards in each club. I'm working on grooving it now from top to bottom of my bag. A couple of questions I have and forgive me if you address it in the comments as I haven't read through all of them, and I think I remember you briefly addressing it in one of your recent squish the bug or head videos, should I still think about widening the angle from the top as I start the downswing? Also, for the release, should I still add a little speed with the right hand and / or square it through impact? I sometimes find it hard to square the face if my hands are completely turned off. Or should my hands and arms be completely turned off and use my lower body only? I may just need to keep working on grooving it but wanted to say thanks more than anything!
August 28, 2024
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Chuck
That's awesome Kade! The new series we just posted yesterday is going to address a lot of these things, but to give a quick answer, the widening with the wrists still occurs at the top, but the more powerful the body movement and fast, the less the wrist will be able to actually widen, but the feeling will still be the same to overcome the forces the body is putting on the wrists. As for squaring the face, the new series goes in depth on this, so check those new videos out
August 28, 2024
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Kade
Awesome! Thank you very much! I can’t wait to check them out
August 28, 2024
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Paul
Hey Chuck, As you said on one of your videos, this needs to be simple. I got the right hand throw and have been doing well with it. I'd like more distance (~250 drives now). Do I want 280+ sure, but these techniques are difficult for me (especially the turn the arms completely off). This is the same issue I had with front side dominance. Can I get my hips to work as the engine? Best answer is sometimes. I start off good and then my brain goes back to the arm/body power. Pushes to the right follow. Any advice for the old dog/new trick golfer who fully understands thee concepts, but does not have the athletic gifts to put them into action consistently? Paul
August 26, 2024
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Chuck
Hey Paul, I am working on a new program to tie all these things together in a truly step by step program that will teach you how to integrate the movement through every shot. I'm testing it now with an RSA group and once I have it dialed in I will have all members begin working through it. If you're an RSA member, you can dive in now under the RotarySwing Academy tab and then look at the "Experimental" section.
August 26, 2024
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Paul
Thanks Chuck, I look forward to these videos. Paul
August 26, 2024
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Mark
Sorry just seen end of video showing how hands get ahead even when leaning back
August 11, 2024
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Mark
Hi chuck. You just referred me to this video to stop shutting the face at impact . If you tilt and side bend as you say keeping head back why doesn’t that naturally open the loft massively and bottom out before the ball early making you hit upwards high rather than a downwards blow and how does it bottom the club out past the ball with hands head of club head at impact ? Also, looking at the videos you have shown of the first golfer and tiger, they don’t actually move the hips laterally outside your lines you have drawn either side of their hips . They seem to just load a little amount onto right side . They never shift away from the ball. The first guy, you can see his red trousers dont move off the ball at all? Finally, what does squish the bug mean? You mean right foot as you start downswing?
August 11, 2024
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Andrew
Hey Chuck, this drill is adding a ton of distance to my driver, woods, and long irons. Admittedly I have been just hitting those clubs enjoying the new found power. That being said, I am now shanking every club below a 7 iron. What am I doing wrong?
August 6, 2024
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Chuck
Probably not getting your lead hip back out of the way
August 7, 2024
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Scott
In the DEAD drill transition video, It stresses the importance of NOT hanging back on the right leg and NOT pushing off the right leg either...but in this video, the obverse is emphasized. Can someone explain this to me? It appears to be a a contradiction unless I am missing something....
July 28, 2024
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Chuck
The dead drill is a lead side pattern. The goat code is a trailside pattern, so they are very different.
July 28, 2024
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Scott
So they are not meant to be mixed?
July 28, 2024
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Chuck
There are many things that crossover but when learning it's best to stick with one path or the other until you have a good understanding of it, then you can see if you want to become more of a hybrid or stick with a pure lead or trail side movement
July 29, 2024
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Scott
Is this drill more for driver or for irons too?
July 20, 2024
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Chuck
It is for all clubs, but will be the most obvious, and you will stay back the most with the driver
July 20, 2024
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Lorenzo
Hi Chuck, I'm a little confused. In a previous video "How to get your hips open at impact" you mentioned that you should fall into your left leg and you even mentioned the "squish the bug" that you you should not use it because baseball and golf are not the same (I think it is somewhere in the 7 or 8 minute). Can you explain/clarify this or am I mistaken?
July 19, 2024
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Chuck
Hi Lorenzo, both work and you can see examples of both on tour. It depends on how far to the one side or the other you want to go. The more trail side you are the more you can "hang back" per se', the more lead side you have to get more left and of course everywhere in the middle finding balance works as well.
July 19, 2024
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Matt
I tried doing this drill and really focusing on my head to fall back, but doing so in the exaggerated feeling of trying to hit balls ended up with a lot of fat shots with my 7 iron. When I did hit it good I barely took a divot. Is no divot ok? If you are in the rough how would you get to be more steep with this? Also, if hitting fat, would that mean firing arms too much and getting active with hands or just not fully shifting back to left?
July 17, 2024
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Chuck
In the rough you would want to be more on top of the ball with the head and yes hitting it fat typically means you are pushing/extending the trail arm. Here's the GOAT on divots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MarasqeT_2k
July 18, 2024
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Matt
By keeping your head more on top of the ball do you still look to have it work away from the target on the downswing? And yeah I do remember seeing that video a while back and was always amazed but than you watch them on tour and they always seem to take pretty healthy divots during events.
July 18, 2024
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Chuck
Yes, the head working away gives you a firm platform to release the club and arms from, if you keep rotating the head through it's more of a dragging motion that requires more rotational speed ala David Duval for example. As for the divots, for sure when they're trying to flight the ball down with a shorter club, you can see some guys digging squirrel graves. Tiger hits a lot of low shots on the course and will dig trenches with the best of them on those shots.
July 18, 2024
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Matt
To deloft and take those are they engaging more of their arms and wrists at impact instead of the loose feeling of the core doing the majority of the work? Just trying to get a feel for when you master this effortless feeling what would need to change to try more of the specialty shots based on course scenarios.
July 18, 2024
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Chuck
Delofting in a trail side pattern has more to do with dropping hte head and shoulder to drive the trail arm forward with the body (core very involved) then the arms and wrists can stay relaxed to whip
July 19, 2024
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Frank
Chuck, I watched all 3 squish the bug videos. At end of #3, you mention that you have some exercises for older men to reactivate glutes, and look for the link. No link. I watched on your site not you tube. Where do I find those exercises and what is the name of video Frank Kaunitz
July 15, 2024
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Chuck
Hi Frank click the description tab above
July 16, 2024
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Andrew
This is what I see in the Description tab, Learn how to use your legs and hips for power in the golf swing by using the Squish the Bug Drill. Learn more about RSA here: RotarySwing Academy. I does not take you to the exercise ?
July 16, 2024
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Chuck
They are under RotarySwing Academy tab in the navigation then go to GOAT Code Power Program
July 16, 2024
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Andrew
Thanks Chuck. I was struggling with switching to the goat code, but the Squish the bug has really helped me! Thank you for your continued effort and training videos!
July 17, 2024
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Chuck
You're welcome!
July 18, 2024
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Ryan
Should you try to leave your arms behind and have them kind of "whip" through last?
July 15, 2024
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Chuck
only if you want it to feel truly effortless with maximum speed! Yes, absolutely you do
July 15, 2024
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Roy
I don't see where your staying back in the sequence that immediately follows your demo of the "exaggerated" move. To me, it looks like your doing a standard shot. I have always had a problem best described as exaggerated moves being foremost in my thought pattern which tends to make me believe (subconsciously) that it's the way I should be doing things in the normal swing. Maybe you can describe that sequence such that it shows when you're doing the "exaggerated" move compared to the "real" move. Just a thought from a "visual" learner.
July 12, 2024
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Roy
Chuck, how much would you say you shift the hips after you're loaded over the back leg? Looking at your swing again, it doesn't seem to be very much. Thanks.
July 13, 2024
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Kade
Love it, Chuck! Another piece of the puzzle and these videos answered some questions of some things I am already doing and wasn’t sure if they are right. What really helped my arms chill out was the permission to keep my arms connected to the chest and allow the body to turn them (duh… how long have you been saying that and I missed the point???). I seem to be hanging back a little too long and feel like I’m 90 percent on my trail leg at impact and still have a lot of weight on my trail toe at the finish… I’m not getting through to my lead side in the follow through but definitely posted/locked out on my lead leg. Should I add more lateral move before rotating? Also, I’m starting the shift from my trail heel then it quickly gets into my big toe without spinning it out/slipping… similar to an advanced baseball swing / squish the bug. Is this the right feel? Thank you again for all your efforts!
July 11, 2024
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Chuck
HI Kade, would really have to see it (you can post short video clips here now) to know for sure, but if I understand you correctly then yes a little more lateral shift is what's missing.
July 12, 2024
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Kade
Thanks, Chuck! I worked on getting more to the lead side and not hanging so far back on my trail foot in my "exaggerated" feel. I was hitting good shots but taking deep divots which I thought may have been caused by not shifting enough. Now just need to groove it with good tempo... everything I'm doing now is mach 10 and need to get control of my lower body. Thank you thank you!
July 12, 2024
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Ken
Hey there Chuck, As you stated, I am definitely seeing a gain distance with less effort. However, all of my shots seem to be pull-draws about 15 yards offline. I can certainly feel my wrists releasing at impact and not sure how to get things online. I've tried different grips with the same result as well as playing around with a combination of hip slide and squish the bug combination with the same result. I'm sure there are a numerous reasons for this but I could sure use a couple things to try to look at initially. Thanks as always.
July 11, 2024
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Chuck
Hi Ken, sounds like you're over the top a little, firing the arms at the top of the swing
July 12, 2024
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Lee
Will your shoulders still be square at impact doing this or be slightly open? Thanks for all the research and videos!
July 11, 2024
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Chuck
Hi Lee, yes still square with the shoulders. They can be a little open as well
July 12, 2024
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Lee
Hello Chuck, thanks for the reply. I was also wondering if we should still get to neutral joint alignment with this where the left shoulder is over the left hip which is over the left knee which is over the left ankle at impact for right hand players? I understand that may not be the case with the driver but is it still the case with irons for this? Thanks again Chuck!
July 13, 2024
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Chuck
Yes sir, but as you'll see in this week's new video series, there's more to it than that
July 15, 2024
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charles
Keeping back feels good and I’m hitting my rescues much better but I keep falling backwards after impact?
July 11, 2024
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Chuck
Probably trying to keep head too far behind the ball
July 11, 2024
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Joost
Hi Chuck, Great content. Thanks. I would like to see you teach this to a senior 'pusher', to see which tips and practice you give for the change. Regards, Joost
July 11, 2024
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Paul
This is brilliant, I’m a high HCapper lefty and under the guidance of CM. Since adopting the Goat Code everything has improved but noticeably distance. I’m technically a senior but can hit it like Rory in theory ( can’t we all ) but the next day I’m knackered hip wise with all that rotating and gyrating. Now it’s seems so free flowing and relatively pain free. To me the BIG deal is relaxing the grip, not sure what I was on before but now it’s a 3 and that’s a driver. Problems little with irons, 5 wood ( sold my 3 wood two years ago and might live to regret this ) and driver I tend to push left ( remember I’m a Lefty ) but now part 3 of squish the bug and bringing the head back over the trail foot I reckon will remedy this. Until I and tomorrow I will not know but one thing is for sure The Goat Code ( and Craig’s guideance has made the game a lot more enjoyable. Ps just need thr GC to the short game now!
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
Awesome Paul, let me know how it works for you!
July 11, 2024
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Dean
Chuck How should a 70+ year old golfer with hip restrictions modify this approach so it is body friendly, especially lower back a lead hip?
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
Hi Dean, keep in mind this is to help you move more quickly to help the arms move more quickly. As I discuss in the video, your back and hip both are protected when moving correctly rather than trying to push hard using the muscles in the front of the thigh. You're using more the muscles in the back of the body and they are pulling the body into position and this is safe for both.
July 10, 2024
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Michael
How does this "squish the bug" move relate to the counter-torque move? They seem like different approaches with counter-torque acting like a brake on hip rotation, while squish the bug is a hip accelerator.
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
Hey Michael, pay attention to how I’m describing the glut and hamstring firing. That is actually driving the foot backwards away from the target line. That’s why these moves are one in the same that’s why you don’t want to push off the quad that would be completely different move.
July 10, 2024
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M. (Certified RST Instructor)
Hi Chuck, thank you again for a brilliant 3 video's that give superb information about using the lower body to produce power and the upper body to create speed. You made a small comment about the J-move from you previous video's and I am happy you did. Just to make it clear for me, does it still mean that you have to make the throw movement to get rid of the J-curl first early in the downswing to create the feeling the clubhead is falling down and then let it go? Thanks for helping!
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
They are all happening simultaneously.
July 10, 2024
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Talmadge
Hello, I just finished watching the squash the bug videos and can’t seem to find the exercise videos Chuck spoke about. Can someone please show me where they are? I definitely have an issue with my lower body and feeling my glutes activate!
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
Look under RotarySwing Academy in the navigation, then GOAT Code Power Program
July 10, 2024
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Dave
For some reason when I click on the link to any of the power program videos it asks me to login, even though I am already logged in. Is being a paid member of the site not sufficient to access those videos or is there a problem with them?
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
Hi Dave, as I described at the end of this video it is part of the RSA program so you need to be an RSA member to access them.
July 10, 2024
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Dave
Sorry, I knew it was in the RSA section, but didn't realize that was behind a separate paywall.
July 10, 2024
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RJ
Hey Chuck. I got to watch step 2 of the GOAT Code Power Program and loved it! Will you be releasing more GOAT Code content on RSA in the future?
July 9, 2024
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Chuck
All three parts of the program are under the RSA dropdown in the navigation and I will be doing another one on the core soon.
July 10, 2024
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Craig
Hi Chuck, another great video that is helping me piece it all together. I did have a couple of questions: 1. In Rotary Swing 1.0, you talk about stance width and "neutral alignment." In this version of the swing, do you still want "neutral alignment" or do you widen a little more to get more side bend? Or does it vary by club? 2. As you hit shorter clubs down to wedges, do you reduce rotation and increase lateral movement or do you keep the same swing all the way down the line? 3. Do you plan on doing a wedge series/short game series with the trail side swing in the future? Thanks as always for the great content!
July 9, 2024
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Chuck
Stance width is always the same based on pelvis width. You only want one golf swing to maintain so you want it to feel as similar as possible with every club in the bag. And I am planning on new short game content soon (putting in a putting green at our academy next week!)
July 10, 2024
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Onome
Heh Chuck, great vid. Where is video for hip activation in the menu?
July 8, 2024
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Chuck
https://rotaryswing.com/c4/112576-goat-code-power-program-step-1-activation
July 8, 2024
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Onome
Thank you
July 8, 2024
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charles
If you keep head back so far how do u not hit it fat?
July 8, 2024
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Chuck
As I demonstrated in the video as your spin ti backward, it moves your hands forward
July 8, 2024
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Michael
Hey Chuck, you keep mentioning "squish the bug". I have never heard this and I don't know what "squishing the but" is. or means. I can guess by context that it is something which swinging a baseball bat?
July 7, 2024
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Chuck
You have to watch the first two videos above it, they are part of a series
July 8, 2024
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Dave
If I might be so bold, I too was struggling a bit with trying to "get" what "squish the bug" actually meant (maybe I have been a little dense here). I finally decided that Chuck is saying that in transition you are transfering pressure from the heel or midpoint of the trail foot to the toe, as if you were trying to grind a bug into the ground. Is that on the right track? And I have looked at all three videos and I really like the content! Thanks!
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
Hi Dave, you're getting there. The drill was used in baseball to help hitters stay behind the ball and pivot. Because baseball has a stride, they don't actually stay on the toe, but as you've seen in the examples, many modern power players actually stay back on the toe to stay behind the ball and pivot off of it.
July 10, 2024
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David
I have re-watched all 3 parts to understand “squish” but still not clear. After you take the small step forward with your front foot then it appears you are rotating from your back hip as hard as you can while trying to keep your upper body back. When I tried this, I felt a lot of discomfort in my lower back. What am I misunderstanding?
July 9, 2024
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Ted
Hopefully my understanding of it is correct and will help you. The squish the bug drill is meant to teach the feeling of keeping weight on the back foot during the initial delivery of the bat to the ball. You pretend to have a bug under the ball of your back foot and to kill it, you not only have to press down with weight but you need to grind it into the dirt (which Chuck calls the pivot). If you fail to keep enough weight back, the bug escapes. When you shift your hips forward, if you allow your upper body to move forward with your hips, you unweight the back foot and let the bug escape. You'll find that the only way to keep weight on the back foot when you move your hips forward is to keep your upper body back (hence the resulting side bend). The pivot of your back foot on the ball of the foot is a counter clockwise movement (assuming right foot) which is what brings the back knee forward as shown in the videos. In the videos, the head of the player basically lines up with the back knee at impact with the ball. It's a very different feel from having the back foot weightless where everything shifts forward. Try the drill where Tiger raises his right arm and brings it down to his side while doing the squish the bug. It not only shows the right foot movement but the timing too. Much like the Axiom where your body reacts to the movement of your foot, the hip movement is a result of squishing the bug. You shouldn't focus on rotating the hips but on what your back foot is doing and how your body weight is being distributed. Hope that helps and the instructors can correct whatever I got wrong.
July 11, 2024
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Chuck
Definitely NOT rotating as hard as I can, I specifically stated it's not rotation in the video. May need to watch it again as I talked about the back as well
July 10, 2024
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David
So at 26:09 of video, aren’t you rotating fast?
July 10, 2024
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Chuck
It's not rotation as much as a pivot and a tilt
July 11, 2024
1.1 Introduction to The GOAT Code 1.2 The GOAT Delivery Position (GDP) 1.3 The GOAT Grip 1.4 The GOAT Setup 1.5 GOAT Ball Position 1.6 Trail Hand Putting Drill 1.7 Tiger Woods Tee Drill 1.8 Add Lead Hand to Putting Stroke 1.9 Skills Assessment Challenge: Putting
2.1 Trail Hand Chipping Stroke 2.2 Trail Hand Ripper Chip 2.3 Add Lead Hand to Chipping Stroke 2.4 Progressive Drill to Add Lead Hand 2.5 Add Lead Hand to Ripper Chip 2.6 Clubface is KING 2.7 Skills Assessment Challenge: Chipping
3.1 Transferring Power from the Core to the Hand 3.2 The GOAT Pitch Shot 3.3 Pitch Shot Starting Line Drill 3.4 Fundamentals of Compression 3.5 Skills Assessment Challenge: Pitching
4.1 Core Activation - Chair Drill 4.2 Core Activation - Medicine Ball Throws 4.3 Core Activation - Slam Ball 4.4 Core Activation - Punching Bag Power 4.5 20 Yard Wedge Shot Basics 4.6 Skills Assessment Challenge: 20 Yard Shots 4.7 40 Yard Wedge Shots - The Magic! 4.8 GOAT Power Sequence 4.9 The GOAT Drill 4.10 The GOAT Takeaway 4.11 The GOAT 9 to 3 Drill
Webinar 1: The Core Webinar 2: Core Power & Putting Webinar 3 - Compression & Clubface Control Webinar 4 - Fascia & Effortless Power
Squish the Bug for Effortless Power - Pt 3 of 3 The GOAT Release The GOAT Release Intro - Endless Conveyor Belt GOAT Code Secret to Effortless Power - Pt 1 of 4 GOAT Code Effortless Power - Head Movement - Pt 2 of 4 GOAT Code Effortless Power - Using Your Head - Pt 3 of 4 GOAT Code Effortless Power - Take it to the Course - Pt 4 of 4

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