The Step Drill - It's a PRESSURE shift, not a WEIGHT shift!

[mjb4385]

I've been a slider/flipper since I started playing golf 20 years ago. On a good day I can break 80, on a bad day I can be closer to 100. I've tried just about every single drill/intent out there (think like 100 pages deep in Google searches), all to no avail. I follow Monte's teachings and have purchased a lot of his premium content (and also did an online lesson with him recently). There's something he covers in the efficient swing (and elsewhere, I'm sure) that I never really focused on/understood - It's a pressure shift, not a weight shift. I started digging a bit more into this today, and came across the Step Drill as explained by Athletic Motion Golf (google it as this won't allow me to insert links). I went out this morning and took 20-30 swings using this drill, then filmed a few normal swings. The before picture is from yesterday, the after from today, with only those 20-30 swings in between (yes, it's the same pullover, quit judging me). I obviously still need to eliminate some slide and get the left side rotating better with a firmer left side, but the difference in impact position was nuts. My intent was basically to just get as downhill as possible into the left leg just after P3.

Hope this helps someone else, I'm excited to keep working on it. Cheers!

 

 

 

 

[pusb365]

That's an awesome change, well done.

 

[Coy M]

I've been working on getting more pressure into my lead foot and earlier without pushing off the back foot. The two videos from AMG really helped me understand pressure shift, thanks for the share!

[COACH9]

I need to experiment with that. I was trying to get pressure left early, at the range today. It's tough getting +70% left by P-5 and 80% by P-6.

When I do get there, it does produce a powerful shot.

[Dumpedunder]

Yeah, it happens a lot earlier than people think. It goes back to the “there is no backswing then downswing” mantra.

Your backswing is progressively getting you forward as you continue to rotate back. They refer to it as “recentering”.

AMG has good info on it. Gankas gets you there with the thoracic extension piece at the top.

If you don’t get forward early enough, we fight a leverage dump, because we can’t complete the circle. I love the change you made!

[jkbroker]

If you are struggling building pressure into the trailside, make sure you are getting into left tilt and getting some hip tilt (right hip getting higher). I struggled with building the pressure, I wouldjust keep turning, but no pressure was getting built into the right leg/glute. You need to have the pressure built to be able to "fall" on to your left side and active your glutes to keep the right side stable.

[Man_O_War]

awesome....it is still a weight shift :).. you are just doing it in dynamic balance...weight shift doesn't mean ALL your weight...

[tchilds]

You, do, however, have a different hat on . Nice improvement!

[torbill]

Right, exactly my reaction. An increase in pressure has to be due to a weight shift, so the notion of pressure versus weight shift is a bit of a misnomer.

But I get it, and I think that this is a really good tip that might help my game.

I do the Jimmy Ballard method, a super-simple method that is based on connection and weight shift. In the Ballard method there is no emphasis on falling into the dowswing. It’s presumed that you can hold the weight-shifted position at the top. With this approach, as you say, it is dynamic, you can’t hold the position because you are beginning to fall forward toward your lead foot as the backswing gets near completion.

One of the problems that I have with the Ballard method is getting properly started on the downswing, with the proper movement of the lower body so that the forward weight shift is correct. I tried this falling-in approach on the range, as I see it as completely consistent with Ballard principles, and it really seems to help. I like it. But it is going to take some practice before I am able to take it to the golf course.

Another approach to getting the forward weight shift going correctly, for me, is the Johnny Miller “brush it drill”. It does much the same thing, and I think that both help for getting footwork/weight-shift right.

[MrHateCoffee]

I used this drill for a whole 9 yesterday and had amazing results.  I may play the rest of the year on the course hitting shots like this until it becomes a habit.

[me05501]

I like the term pressure too. It reminds me that all these moves should be gradual instead of sudden. I think about using it like I use the gas pedal in a car. You get more controllable power from squeezing it than stomping on it. 

[glk]

On 5/16/2020 at 11:57 AM, torbill said:

Right, exactly my reaction. An increase in pressure has to be due to a weight shift, so the notion of pressure versus weight shift is a bit of a misnomer.

But I get it, and I think that this is a really good tip that might help my game.

I do the Jimmy Ballard method, a super-simple method that is based on connection and weight shift. In the Ballard method there is no emphasis on falling into the dowswing. It’s presumed that you can hold the weight-shifted position at the top. With this approach, as you say, it is dynamic, you can’t hold the position because you are beginning to fall forward toward your lead foot as the backswing gets near completion.

One of the problems that I have with the Ballard method is getting properly started on the downswing, with the proper movement of the lower body so that the forward weight shift is correct. I tried this falling-in approach on the range, as I see it as completely consistent with Ballard principles, and it really seems to help. I like it. But it is going to take some practice before I am able to take it to the golf course.

Another approach to getting the forward weight shift going correctly, for me, is the Johnny Miller “brush it drill”. It does much the same thing, and I think that both help for getting footwork/weight-shift right.

Pressure and weight are not the same thing and one can change pressure without moving weight.

 

 

[Bocaji]

I have had the opposite issue from flipping. I got into a habit of getting off of my trail side early (which resulted in rotating too early/arms left behind). What has helped me (but I’ve yet to take this to the range) has been to maintain pressure into my trail foot during the transition while shifting pressure to my left foot. Transition happens so fast that it’s hard to tell if there is any difference but my intent is vastly different from before and I’m excited to take that to the range.

 

While practicing this ‘intent’ I came across the AMG Step drill video. I also looked up “golf club center of mass” on YouTube and came across a video by swingstation that talks about the ‘center of pressure’ in relation to the body, also an excellent video that talks about the transition.

Edited March 28, 2021 by Bocaji

[MonteScheinblum]

19 minutes ago, glk said:

Pressure and weight are not the same thing and one can change pressure without moving weight.

 

 

You can also have pressure left and weight right.  They are vastly different. 

[me05501]

17 minutes ago, Bocaji said:

I have had the opposite issue from flipping. I got into a habit of getting off of my trail side early (which resulted in rotating too early/arms left behind). What has helped me (but I’ve yet to take this to the range) has been to maintain pressure into my trail foot during the transition while shifting pressure to my left foot. Transition happens so fast that it’s hard to tell if there is any difference but my intent is vastly different from before and I’m excited to take that to the range.

 

While practicing this ‘intent’ I came across the AMG Step drill video. I also looked up “golf club center of mass” on YouTube and came across a video by swingstation that talks about the ‘center of pressure’ in relation to the body, also an excellent video that talks about the transition.

Thanks. Maybe this is the video you’re referring to? This is a great explanation. 
 

I think a lot of us get improperly programmed by instructors who say “turn to the top and hold it.” As this guy points out, if you’re making a good golf swing you shouldn’t be able to stop at the top. 
 

 

[Bocaji]

10 minutes ago, me05501 said:

Thanks. Maybe this is the video you’re referring to? This is a great explanation. 
 

I think a lot of us get improperly programmed by instructors who say “turn to the top and hold it.” As this guy points out, if you’re making a good golf swing you shouldn’t be able to stop at the top. 
 

 

That’s it. I agree, and I’d put that video into my top 10 of must watch golf instructional videos even. 

[torbill]

On 3/28/2021 at 12:25 PM, glk said:

Pressure and weight are not the same thing and one can change pressure without moving weight.

 

 

Glk, this is a video of a particular golfer’s understanding of physics, and I will argue that it’s technically incorrect.  If the player is in a position of what is called static equilibrium, with some distribution of weight on his feet, and if there is no external force applied, such as another person pushing on his shoulder, the only source of the force that is required to change foot pressure, that the golfer has available, is to shift his weight. Sure, from a static address position you can use the muscles of your right let to push to the left, which I think is what the fellow in the video seems to be claiming.  But this will make a backswing impossible because everything will be going forward.  This is physics, plain and simple, and no golfer has ever violated the laws of physics.

 

What we have to think about is what the terms pressure and weight shift are about, as they relate to golf.  When golfers talk about “weight shift” it seems to me that they are normally thinking about the classic golf swing, in which the player visibly moves off the ball, then returns.  Example, Ballard.  Conversely, the modern swing is more centered.  Here the concept of pressure becomes important, because the player’s weight shifts less strongly, and is more momentary/dynamic.  

 

Physics is the source of my comment about the necessity of a weight shift, no matter how small and momentary, to change foot pressure.  

 

 

[glk]

43 minutes ago, torbill said:

Glk, this is a video of a particular golfer’s understanding of physics, and I will argue that it’s technically incorrect.  If the player is in a position of what is called static equilibrium, with some distribution of weight on his feet, and if there is no external force applied, such as another person pushing on his shoulder, the only source of the force that is required to change foot pressure, that the golfer has available, is to shift his weight. Sure, from a static address position you can use the muscles of your right let to push to the left, which I think is what the fellow in the video seems to be claiming.  But this will make a backswing impossible because everything will be going forward.  This is physics, plain and simple, and no golfer has ever violated the laws of physics.

 

What we have to think about is what the terms pressure and weight shift are about, as they relate to golf.  When golfers talk about “weight shift” it seems to me that they are normally thinking about the classic golf swing, in which the player visibly moves off the ball, then returns.  Example, Ballard.  Conversely, the modern swing is more centered.  Here the concept of pressure becomes important, because the player’s weight shifts less strongly, and is more momentary/dynamic.  

 

Physics is the source of my comment about the necessity of a weight shift, no matter how small and momentary, to change foot pressure.  

 

 

Disagree.  Golfer for a long time have a shift, rotate, shift , rotate pattern.  There is lateral movement but pressure shifts much more and much faster than the com of the body.  This is actually an advantage in creating speed. By having the pressure forward with the com back on crests a moment that  increases torque.

 

see kwon model.  This is the physics of using the ground,ie ground force reaction    The golfers com is the red dot in the center of the pelvis and the arrows on the feet represent the pressure with the center area being the moment created whIch is large in the transition and downswing as the pressure rapidly moves from the trail foot to th

e lead while the com stays back.  
 

Good swings have been doing it for decades.

 

or hogans swing as just one example. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_SXD4MFBJ7/

 

I also refer you to both swing catalyst and boditrak site for their learning centers .

a more interesting discussion is on the forces the golfer uses in regards the ground.   This webinar has a great discussion and covers the bases.

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by glk

[torbill]

3 hours ago, glk said:

There is lateral movement but pressure shifts much more and much faster than the com of the body.

 

You’ve changed the subject.  My statement is that there can be no pressure change without a force, and I argued that the force is supplied by a weight transfer.  You acknowledge this by referring to lateral movement.  And there doesn’t even have to be lateral movement because the weight of the club and arms will change the center of gravity.  I asked you what the source of a pressure-changing force could possibly be, other than a weight transfer.  You didn’t answer the question.  

 

I have no issue with the notion of understanding foot pressure, to inform and help build a better swing.  This makes a lot of sense to me.  My comments pertain to the basic physical principles that are at work in the golf swing.    

[glk]

12 minutes ago, torbill said:

 

You’ve changed the subject.  My statement is that there can be no pressure change without a force, and I argued that the force is supplied by a weight transfer.  You acknowledge this by referring to lateral movement.  And there doesn’t even have to be lateral movement because the weight of the club and arms will change the center of gravity.  I asked you what the source of a pressure-changing force could possibly be, other than a weight transfer.  You didn’t answer the question.  

 

I have no issue with the notion of understanding foot pressure, to inform and help build a better swing.  This makes a lot of sense to me.  My comments pertain to the basic physical principles that are at work in the golf swing.    

Pressure can be shifted without weight shift.    Force comes before movement - if you need to move weight to create force that is backwards.

I can stand and push off my left foot to move right without shifting my weight but my weight will then shift due to the force.  Basic physics.    Newton first law.  You need a force to move the body, moving the body does not create the force.

Edited March 31, 2021 by glk

[golfie1]

Weight is measured as pressure. 

Edited March 31, 2021 by golfie1

[TheDeanAbides]

Every single time we take a step we have an example of this. Before your lead foot hits the ground your weight is forward but all of your pressure is on the back foot pushing off the ground. 

[Simpsonia]

9 hours ago, torbill said:

 

You’ve changed the subject.  My statement is that there can be no pressure change without a force, and I argued that the force is supplied by a weight transfer.  You acknowledge this by referring to lateral movement.  And there doesn’t even have to be lateral movement because the weight of the club and arms will change the center of gravity.  I asked you what the source of a pressure-changing force could possibly be, other than a weight transfer.  You didn’t answer the question.  

 

I have no issue with the notion of understanding foot pressure, to inform and help build a better swing.  This makes a lot of sense to me.  My comments pertain to the basic physical principles that are at work in the golf swing.    

 

This is only sort of true, but also the main part of what you're missing here. There can be no pressure change without a change in force. It can be either positive or negative. In the case of Andrew Rice's video, he's using a negative change in force, ie relaxing/lifting pressure on the lead leg.  

 

Take your example, if you are standing upright and perfectly still, if you lift up your left leg suddenly, your center of mass/weight has not changed, but all of the pressure will now be in your right foot. You will also suddenly fall to your left side unless you reassert downward pressure with your left leg. It's the same in golf, you're shifting pressure by a combination of relaxing pressure and then asserting pressure in each leg in sequence. 

 

That said, yes weight shift is a bit of a misnomer in the scientific sense, since yes weight is measured by pressure (and why weight can vary given different gravities). A more technically accurate description of what they mean when they say weight shift would be center of mass, or rather change of position of center of mass. But, it's laymen talking to laymen, so I think a little bit can be excused here. 

Edited March 31, 2021 by Simpsonia

[PracticeSwinger]

13 minutes ago, Simpsonia said:

That said, yes weight shift is a bit of a misnomer in the scientific sense, since yes weight is measured by pressure (and why weight can vary given different gravities). A more technically accurate description of what they mean when they say weight shift would be center of mass, or rather change of position of center of mass. But, it's laymen talking to laymen, so I think a little bit can be excused here. 

I think your last edit nailed it... (don't kill the messenger here) but I'm guessing it's semantics as torbill seems to be using 'weight' with a physics definition in mind; the gravitational force exterted on an object... as others refer to the 'mass' (and center of it)... for example, if you jump and are momentarily in a free fall - you are weightless (talk about a diet plan!) as obviously your inherent mass hasn't changed...

[TurnDog69]

I think we're going to end up losing the forest through the trees with the semantics argument about weight vs. pressure. As with most things in golf, trying to understand the difference between the two is inconsequential to all but the most body aware golfer. 

 

I think we should be focused on the proper "Feeling" and less on the exact physics behind the movement. 

 

Thanks for pointing us towards the AMG video, OP. It's really good and one of their better ones (Concise with an actual drill) I have long struggled with getting my hands in front of me, and pressure shift has always been a root cause of be dumping lag and flipping with my arms stuck behind. Mainly, a proper pressure shift is an incredible way to "buy time" to get your hands down (Justin Rose drill) for those of us in a rush to start the downswing from the top (and those of us who fire hips wayyyyyy too early)

[TheDeanAbides]

21 minutes ago, TurnDog69 said:

I think we're going to end up losing the forest through the trees with the semantics argument about weight vs. pressure. As with most things in golf, trying to understand the difference between the two is inconsequential to all but the most body aware golfer. 

 

I think we should be focused on the proper "Feeling" and less on the exact physics behind the movement. 

 

Thanks for pointing us towards the AMG video, OP. It's really good and one of their better ones (Concise with an actual drill) I have long struggled with getting my hands in front of me, and pressure shift has always been a root cause of be dumping lag and flipping with my arms stuck behind. Mainly, a proper pressure shift is an incredible way to "buy time" to get your hands down (Justin Rose drill) for those of us in a rush to start the downswing from the top (and those of us who fire hips wayyyyyy too early)

It's where either great backswings go to die or the ball gets crushed. 

[glk]

pressure is force over area.  So it is different than weight.    Pressure between 10lbs of force being applied to a sharpened pencil on the forearm versus a book is going to be very noticeable and painful.
 

and we human are quite good at doing what we are told, tell me to move my weight and I’m going to move my body.   Amg has a video on a golfer doing a reverse k setup and how it negatively affected the swing - the golfer was consciously doing this and did it very well.   So to me the distinction is important.

[TheDeanAbides]

23 minutes ago, glk said:

pressure is force over area.  So it is different than weight.    Pressure between 10lbs of force being applied to a sharpened pencil on the forearm versus a book is going to be very noticeable and painful.
 

and we human are quite good at doing what we are told, tell me to move my weight and I’m going to move my body.   Amg has a video on a golfer doing a reverse k setup and how it negatively affected the swing - the golfer was consciously doing this and did it very well.   So to me the distinction is important.

I remember you posting about the difference a couple of months back, and I just didn't get it. I know how to move, but I couldn't conceptualise the difference until a few days ago. 

[TurnDog69]

 

2 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

It's where either great backswings go to die or the ball gets crushed. 

You're definitely right. I hope I don't come off as argumentative - not my intent. More saying that I function so much better with a feel than the minutia of knowing the physics. And The more topics spiderweb and spin out into greater detail, the better than chance I never am able to apply it. 

 

In your opinion, what's the best feel for the pressure shift you've seen?

Edited March 31, 2021 by TurnDog69

[glk]

1 hour ago, TheDeanAbides said:

I remember you posting about the difference a couple of months back, and I just didn't get it. I know how to move, but I couldn't conceptualise the difference until a few days ago. 

As I mentioned earlier, the forces are much more interesting than just pressure.   The old pressure mats only measured one dimension of force - vertical.   With the force plates, swing catalyst and gasp for two examples, becoming more prevalent the horizontal and torque forces are also being measured.   Like lm’s open up insight into club/ball impact conditions that weren’t possible with previous technology so have force plates started to give insights to how we use the ground in the swing - something tHe eye can’t really see.   So cool stuff.    I really recommend taking swing catalyst certification level 1 - it is free and provides a basic understanding - further certifications come at a small cost and only takes a few hours at most.   I’m thinking of getting kwonified, too but then again maybe not.