Mirrors vs. Cameras

[billchao]

I have a mirror in my living room. Actual two of them - fo and dtl.:-D

Well you can't use them because you voted camera ;-)

[turtleback]

You didn't say I couldn't use a large external display

Well tough, you can't.  And you can't use a club or ball either, so there.

[Ernest Jones]

I am surprised how many people said some variation of "no contest, camera". I chose camera too, but it was a real tough call. Mirrors are great for feeling what a position feels like and how far you can exaggerate the feel before you exaggerate the movement. Tough call, but camera wins out because, ultimately, I'm not hitting the ball with static positions.

[boogielicious]

I am surprised how many people said some variation of "no contest, camera". I chose camera too, but it was a real tough call. Mirrors are great for feeling what a position feels like and how far you can exaggerate the feel before you exaggerate the movement. Tough call, but camera wins out because, ultimately, I'm not hitting the ball with static positions.

One issue for mirrors that has not been mentioned is you have to look up to see what is going on.  This may alter what you are doing a bit.  With the camera, you are focused on the ball and your head is in its normal position.

[Morocco Mako]

Mirror.

I'm working on eliminating all swing thoughts and instead ingraining the feel of the swing to the point it becomes an automatic (almost instinctual) movement.

The immediate feedback from a mirror allows me to analyze how the movement felt as I was making it and immediately make adjustments till I get the movement and the feeling of making the movement down.

With a camera, the feeling of making the movement is long gone. All that is left is intellectually analyzing the swing--the approach that leads (at least for me) to multiple/complicated swing thoughts.

[mvmac]

I voted for camera. I do use mirrors and think they can be very useful but a camera just gives you better feedback on what is really happening. The mirror is good for practicing feels or positions and the camera is good for seeing how those feels translate to the swing. You get more of the "truth" with the camera.

Having said that there have been times where the camera has hurt my progress. I got too attached to hitting certain positions rather than focusing on one or two things. Golfers have to be responsible when using the camera and not be concerned with being "perfect". No swing is perfect, I can find things "wrong" with anyone's swing.

I also know some instructors that spend too much time looking at the camera and placing too much importance on hitting positions rather being flexible (understanding everyone has their own quirks) and building a functional motion.

[iacas]

I love the mirror for real-time feedback on how to do/feel certain things, but it's physically impossible to really analyze any part of your own swing at full speed while looking in a mirror.

That pretty much says it all.

Mirrors are great for helping you find your feel for a certain move and whether it creates the right "real" thing.

Cameras are how you check how much of that feeling you're applying in the context of a swing (of any length/speed).

I voted camera, and it's kind of a 90/10 or 95/5 thing. It's really not that close. Mirrors are perfect for a much smaller, more limited kind of thing.

The immediate feedback from a mirror allows me to analyze how the movement felt as I was making it and immediately make adjustments till I get the movement and the feeling of making the movement down.

A camera is nearly immediate, and has the benefit that you're not having to LOOK at a mirror while doing it. No?

With a camera, the feeling of making the movement is long gone. All that is left is intellectually analyzing the swing--the approach that leads (at least for me) to multiple/complicated swing thoughts.

Why is it "long gone?" If you make a swing trying to "do this" (whatever "this" happens to be), check it in the camera, see that you can do it more, then the next swing you "do it more."

All while looking at the ball normally, not trying to look in a mirror.

[nevets88]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nevets88

I have a mirror in my living room. Actual two of them - fo and dtl.

Well you can't use them because you voted camera

Get rid of them? But that's like 14 years of bad luck.

I voted for camera. I do use mirrors and think they can be very useful but a camera just gives you better feedback on what is really happening. The mirror is good for practicing feels or positions and the camera is good for seeing how those feels translate to the swing. You get more of the "truth" with the camera.

Having said that there have been times where the camera has hurt my progress. I got too attached to hitting certain positions rather than focusing on one or two things. Golfers have to be responsible when using the camera and not be concerned with being "perfect". No swing is perfect, I can find things "wrong" with anyone's swing.

I also know some instructors that spend too much time looking at the camera and placing too much importance on hitting positions rather being flexible (understanding everyone has their own quirks) and building a functional motion.

That's part of the art of using a camera I'm bad at - ignoring the not important things in the swing and focusing on the most important ones. It doesn't help that there are so many great looking swings you're comparing yourself to when using side by side video but after awhile I learned I can only tackle one thing at a time with effectiveness and efficiency.

[Ernest Jones]

That's part of the art of using a camera I'm bad at - ignoring the not important things in the swing and focusing on the most important ones. It doesn't help that there are so many great looking swings you're comparing yourself to when using side by side video but after awhile I learned I can only tackle one thing at a time with effectiveness and efficiency.

I still struggle with this. I'll watch a video of myself working on something specific and get distracted by my foot coming up too soon or whatever, ultimately I need to just stay the course of what I'm working on. Erik or Mike will undoubtably speak up if something other than my priority is becoming an issue, until then I try to ignore it until it becomes my priority. Getting better at blocking it out, it helps to realize I have no ****ing idea what's important and what's not! Lol.

[Lastpick]

With video you can see the action of your legs, hips and shoulders.  With a video you can also look at the height of your head and shoulders.    Can't do this with a mirror because you can't replicate a swing while looking in the mirror.

[Morocco Mako]

With video you can see the action of your legs, hips and shoulders.  With a video you can also look at the height of your head and shoulders.    Can't do this with a mirror because you can't replicate a swing while looking in the mirror.

Place a convex mirror just beyond the ball. Both the ball and the mirror will be in your line of sight. In other words, you can still "keep your eye on the ball" and see yourself in the mirror.

For example, you can look at the height of your head and also experience what it feels like to keep your head steady (or what it feels like when you move your head wildly). Registering that feeling is what helps in reproducing the move without swing thoughts.

I'll admit the convex mirror takes a little getting used to, as it distorts the image, but once you get used to it it's no harder than looking into a flat mirror.

Most any part of your swing can be analyzed this way IF you focus in on a single part of your swing. But then, that's what most people do with a camera: they focus on one part of the swing at a time as the continually rewind and replay the video.

The biggest disadvantage of a mirror is it's in real time--you can't rewind and replay. The biggest disadvantage of video is it's NOT in real time, so you can't ingrain the feeling of a good (or bad) move.

BTW, I'm not against video.I don't think it has to be an either/or situation. Video is great for highlighting the areas I need to work on, but I think a mirror is better for ingraining a good habit (or eliminating a bad one).

[Zeph]

Camera because I can't look in a mirror while swinging. The camera is slower, but it has uses a camera can't replicate.

[jamo]

@Slice of Life pretty much nailed it, but I'll add to the camera vote.

[Pretzel]

Considering the fact that what you do during a practice swing and a real swing are very different beasts, and a mirror only really allows you to see what you're doing during a practice swing, I would take the camera to get feedback as to what I am really doing when taking a full swing.

[WUTiger]

I would pick the camera, for perceptual reasons. I have trouble using "mirror images" for practicing movements.

In karate class, I need to have the instructor demonstrate any complex moves standing by my side. Mirror image messes me up.

On the practice range, I can use the tall mirror to check static positions, or length of backswing, but not much else.

[Lastpick]

And to top it off, two camera positions gives one a total picture of the swing.  One facing the camera and one from the back swing view.  The camera view from the backswing gives on a good look at posture and shoulder position during swing.

[DrvFrShow]

Mirror.

Because he didn't say you could download the video onto your computer to analyze it in slow motion.

Mirrors also don't need firmware updates, driver updates, and assuming the thing never breaks, you only need ammonia and newspaper every now and then. However if you become a vampire, the camera would probably be a better deal.

[Jameson]

I´m a country man, so choose the mirror.