Nominate a Stupid Monkey

[Ernest Jones]

3 minutes ago, woodzie264 said:

You're not coming off dickish. I think I do understand - I think I mentioned that in my explanation. 

My understanding is that being given corrective guidance on swing imperfections, the Stupid Monkey is to work on those things diligently to achieve the correct technique and to do so with thoughtless obedience. Recognizing my swing imperfections/flaws when set in opposition to the 5SK's, I have taken those recommendations and worked to achieve them.

I do realize the preferred method is through direct observation (which I am will get to next Spring), but in principle I think I've met the requirement, IMHO. However, as stated in my "application," I get that without having posted serial videos, it would not confirmable to you as Mods.

I've read the description of a Stupid Monkey and think I understand as written above. If I'm wrong, let me know. I won't think you're being a dick.

Your focus seems way too wide to me. You need to know your priority piece, and that is very hard to figure out on your own.

Don't worry about showing us a ton of swings and injuring your shoulder. Just film ONE swing, don't try to record the perfect one, or your best one - your worst swing and best swing are probably more similar than you think - and post it. If you're lucky, someone will identify what your priority piece is. Then work on that. That's it, that's what a Stupid Monkey does.

Forget about 5sk, just work on your personal 1sk, until it's no longer your priority piece. To put that into perspective, I have had the same priority piece for about 3-4 years now. It may be my forever piece, and that's OK because it's the one piece that if improved, will make me better faster than doing anything else to my swing. Focusing on something other than my priority piece slows down improvement, or even reverses it.

[woodzie264]

1 minute ago, Ernest Jones said:

Your focus seems way too wide to me. You need to know your priority piece, and that is very hard to figure out on your own.

Don't worry about showing us a ton of swings and injuring your shoulder. Just film ONE swing, don't try to record the perfect one, or your best one - your worst swing and best swing are probably more similar than you think - and post it. If you're lucky, someone will identify what your priority piece is. Then work on that. That's it, that's what a Stupid Monkey does.

Forget about 5sk, just work on your personal 1sk, until it's no longer your priority piece. To put that into perspective, I have had the same priority piece for about 3-4 years now. It may be my forever piece, and that's OK because it's the one piece that if improved, will make me better faster than doing anything else to my swing. Focusing on something other than my priority piece slows down improvement, or even reverses it.

That was helpful, thanks...you just have to break it down to idiot terms sometimes with some people

[Ernest Jones]

3 minutes ago, woodzie264 said:

That was helpful, thanks...you just have to break it down to idiot terms sometimes with some people

Good luck. 

[iacas]

@woodzie264, don't get me wrong at all - I appreciate your belief and support of LSW, 5SK, etc.

But ultimately I'll side with the idea of waiting until the spring to evaluate this, as I haven't seen one clear direction with one clear piece from you. Your scores are improving, and your handicap, and that's to be applauded. Stupid Monkey is not about improvement, though, but improvement done a specific way. And it doesn't mean you have to stay working on the same thing for months on end, but it does mean that you need to have some sort of plan, and as you said yourself, we have to have a way of verifying it.

And, the call was closer than you might think, but particularly with the break and downtime you're expecting, let's just evaluate this in the spring, okay?

[woodzie264]

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

@woodzie264, don't get me wrong at all - I appreciate your belief and support of LSW, 5SK, etc.

But ultimately I'll side with the idea of waiting until the spring to evaluate this, as I haven't seen one clear direction with one clear piece from you. Your scores are improving, and your handicap, and that's to be applauded. Stupid Monkey is not about improvement, though, but improvement done a specific way. And it doesn't mean you have to stay working on the same thing for months on end, but it does mean that you need to have some sort of plan, and as you said yourself, we have to have a way of verifying it.

And, the call was closer than you might think, but particularly with the break and downtime you're expecting, let's just evaluate this in the spring, okay?

sure! I expected as much. I considered doing the swing analysis a few weeks ago, but given how things may change by the Spring, I thought it best to wait on that. I'm not discouraged, only driven.

[Strat-Pack Rick]

I totally understand how this works now, in the beginning i had no clue but i get it. This is the coolest award you can receive to me. It shows dedicated focus to getting better without trying to find an easy fix which makes you worse. This award will mean more in the long run than any of the others. Outside of a Hole in One, If you're a stupid monkey you will earn the rest by default basically. It will all come together. I want to go down that path. @Iacas disregard my earlier request for explanation. Ive been reading about this for an hour. Nevermind.

[Golfingdad]

Based on the video I just witnessed in his swing thread: 

I nominate @RandallT to be a stupid monkey.  40 seconds worth of slow motion partial mapping swings per one full swing that is maybe 60% power ... good stuff!

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

Based on the video I just witnessed in his swing thread: 

I nominate @RandallT to be a stupid monkey.  40 seconds worth of slow motion partial mapping swings per one full swing that is maybe 60% power ... good stuff!

Done.

[boogielicious]

Congrats @RandallT! Now stick with the plan!

[CarlSpackler]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

Done.

Congrats @RandallT!

[RandallT]

Wow, an honor just to be nominated! Thanks for following along! I was once a reluctant "My Swing" person- just a browser really. Once you dive in, it's amazing how it keeps you on track. Ditto with the daily practice thread. I'll try to stay as dedicated to daily posting there as frigging @woodzie264.

[woodzie264]

2 hours ago, RandallT said:

Wow, an honor just to be nominated! Thanks for following along! I was once a reluctant "My Swing" person- just a browser really. Once you dive in, it's amazing how it keeps you on track. Ditto with the daily practice thread. I'll try to stay as dedicated to daily posting there as frigging @woodzie264.

Congrats! Well done 

[Rainmaker]

Congrats to RandallT!  

I recently (few months ago) "got it" with regard to the stupid monkey concept.  I used to be the worlds smartest monkey but now I'm totally stupid, lol.  

 Partly I think it's because I've gotten good enough to be able to be a stupid monkey.  Initially it's more difficult because there are so many things to potentially fix, lack of understanding how to fix them, etc.  It's really hard to focus on just one thing when you have so much to focus on and haven't really gotten that "glimpse of promise".

But I did get that glimpse . .and after a half dozen times of getting it, I decided to accept it.  There is just no faster way for me to improve than working on what my teacher tells me to work on.  If I work on anything else that will ultimately slow me down.  When it's time for the next piece, I go back for another lesson and get it.  

For the last month, I've only been working on hand and arm rotation.  I'll do it in slow motion, do it with half swings, etc. . but I'm always working on this particular motion.  The month prior to that I worked on keeping my left knee bent much longer.  This lead to me changing my swing shape and mental picture.  My teacher is very used to me coming in and telling him all this random crap about feels and what I've been doing to try and achieve what he says and what I think is working and what isn't, etc. . but this time I just went in and the conversation went like this:

Teacher - so - how's it going lately?

Me - Great - last lesson you told me to keep my left knee bent longer and I have.  

Teacher - great - lets see.  

Me - swings and keeps left knee bent much longer

Teacher - Great!  

Me - but I still feel like I'm not hitting it as hard as I can.  What can I do to hit it farther?

Teacher . . .has me hit a few drivers and then starts on hand/arm rotation. 

 

This is such a huge departure from previous lesson dialogue.  

Don't misunderstand me . .I'm not nominating myself, lol . .just chiming in to say . holy cow . .after like 3 years since first hearing about "Stupid Monkey" . .I finally get it.  

 

[woodzie264]

I’m throwing this out there for a third time, but not necessarily because I think I’ve earned it...yet. But, while writing a post on myswing thread today, it reminded me of this award and I see no one has been awarded the Stupid Monkey since 2016 (as far as I can tell), so I figured I’d at least put this out there for future consideration and to bump the thread for others

I realize that having only a few pages of posted videos on MySwing hardly qualifies me for this award, I do hope to one day earn it. 

[iacas]

4 minutes ago, woodzie264 said:

I’m throwing this out there for a third time, but not necessarily because I think I’ve earned it...yet. But, while writing a post on myswing thread today, it reminded me of this award and I see no one has been awarded the Stupid Monkey since 2016 (as far as I can tell), so I figured I’d at least put this out there for future consideration and to bump the thread for others

I realize that having only a few pages of posted videos on MySwing hardly qualifies me for this award, I do hope to one day earn it. 

You got it!

[woodzie264]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

You got it!

I’ll be honest, I didn’t see that happening yet, but I am eager to improve and want to continue to work on my priority piece and do the badge justice.  I appreciate all that you and the other moderators do here. 

[woodzie264]

I nominate @billchao, he’s got 61 pages of posts on MySwing thread for crying out loud

[boogielicious]

8 hours ago, woodzie264 said:

I nominate @billchao, he’s got 61 pages of posts on MySwing thread for crying out loud

Plus he wears a white belt!😜