Question About Pinning Left Arm to Chest in Backswing

[badatputt]

Hi guys, I have a quick question on pinning the left arm to the chest, aka keeping left armpit pressure, in the backswing. Is this an advisable thing to do, and does it fix a flying right elbow or overswing?

 

[mdl]

Yes it's a good idea and no it won't fix your issues.

I fixed the over swing by getting a swim floatie (those blow up things you can put on little kids arms in the pool) and putting it in the crook of the elbow. Put it in a position so that you feel it before you get to 90˚ and it's a lot of work if you try to go past 90˚.

Now swing while taking your backswing no past the point where your trail elbow is making an angle no less than 90˚. With the floatie you'll be able to tell even during live swings if you take it back too far and fold you're elbow past 90˚. How far you go back will depend on your flexibility, but it will feel like you're barely taking a back swing

[badatputt]

Okay appreciate the feedback!

[iacas]

Not a big fan. If the left arm is tight the hands are often too far around you. Not up in front of you.

[badatputt]

Thank you for the response. Since my swing plane from dtl already tends to go too far inside, I shouldn't be messing with this swing thought.

[mvmac]

Agree with @iacas, left arm needs some freedom to elevate and then move down. If it's pinned to the upper chest you limit your mobility and ability to create leverage. If you have a chicken wing or over-swing, it's most likely more of a grip or pivot issue than an arm issue.

[badatputt]

Thank you for the feedback

[billchao]

18 hours ago, mdl said:

Yes it's a good idea

I disagree. It’s not something the pros do. The lead arm adducts slightly but it’s nowhere near “pinned” to the chest.

[colin007]

Yeah pinned to the chest makes me think of the arms continuing to travel well after the turn stops

[mdl]

To make it clear, I'm talking just about left armpit pressure like the OP mentioned. Like you can pull your shirt under your front armpit and it shouldn't fall out during the backswing. I'm very much not advocating any kind of chest pin. The armpit shirt trick just keeps me from getting too disconnected and high at the top, which makes it super hard for me to stay in sequence and to get my hands down.

[nevets88]

Isn't there like a 10 minute Athletic Motion Golf video just on this subject alone? Will try and find it.

[iacas]

2 hours ago, mdl said:

Like you can pull your shirt under your front armpit and it shouldn't fall out during the backswing.

I don’t really agree there.

[mdl]

On 12/10/2020 at 12:31 PM, iacas said:

I don’t really agree there.

Interesting. I've found you've gotta really be detaching your arms to drop the shirt tuck. I assume that's not what you're advocating?

FWIW, I got it from my coach, but subsequently watched a Morikawa video where he notes that's one of the things he goes back to regularly to make sure he's not detaching his arms.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, mdl said:

FWIW, I got it from my coach, but subsequently watched a Morikawa video where he notes that's one of the things he goes back to regularly to make sure he's not detaching his arms.

Not a big fan of that feeling, no.

You can look up videos just like I can, but I like more freedom in that left armpit.

And I think you'll see that in the swings you'll find on YouTube.