Want to hit the ball further? Sure. And there are plenty of cyber coaches out there to help you.
A common piece of advice given to get that extra distance is to ‘transfer your weight to your left foot as you hit the ball’.
Now all this makes good sense. Transferring your weight on the downswing has the effect of speeding up hip and shoulder rotation.
But is this really good advice?
Let’s take the example of teaching a beginner to do a long serve.
Traditionally, the coach tells the beginner about the biomechanics of the stroke. They tell them to focus on the relevant body and arm movements – where to face, how to turn, how to coordinate their shoulder, arm, wrist and racquet.
The aim of this detailed instruction is to ensure the player develops good technique – the foundation on which progress is built.
But even though this is the standard way of doing things, just how effective is it?
Whatever the sport or physical activity coaches always want their young charges to go faster, further or higher. But how?
Let’s take swimming for example. Say we’ve got two swimming coaches teaching freestyle. One tells their future champions they should focus on ‘pulling their hands back’. The other says they should focus on “pushing the water back”.
So does it matter? After all, they’re both saying pretty much the same thing.
Like to sink more putts? Sure. But how?
Well, let’s get some advice from the touring professionals. After all, their living depends on it so they should know.
Jordan Spieth (winner US PGA, US Open, British Open) tells us to keep staring at the hole when we putt. Padraig Harrington (winner US Open 2007, 2008, US PGA) tells us to track the ball on its way to the hole. Dave Stockton (winner US PGA 1970, 1976) tells us to keep our focus on a spot in front of the ball.
You’re standing on the tee, staring down the fairway. It’s possible you’re only thinking about one thing. Perhaps two. How do you launch your ball into orbit? And how do you outdrive your golfing companions?
Luckily, research tells us the secret to getting those extra yards. It’s the X-factor stretch. It’s when you further increase the rotational difference between your hips and shoulders on the early downswing.
But there’s just one problem.
We’ve all experienced it.
You’ve got a thundering and relentless forehand when you’re practising. But when you’re playing a real game, it disappears.
But what’s this? It comes back when you’re practising again.
What’s going on? And what can you do about it?
What can champions do that you can’t? Well, there’s probably plenty of things. But there’s one particular thing they do and you don’t – at least don’t do as often and as well.
It’s they get ‘in the zone’ or have a ‘flow experience’.
So would you like to get ‘in the zone’?
Want to be a champion table tennis player? Or at least someone who can throw their weight around at their local club?
Well, the starting point is to get yourself a classically correct technique.
So how do you get it?
Don Bradman advised young cricketers to ‘keep their eye on the ball.’ And a long line of cricketing giants such as Geoff Boycott, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer have also said it.
But there’s a problem.
The Don couldn’t do it. And neither could Boycott, Hayden and Langer.