"5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge June 2016

[krupa]

Working on evolvr lesson.  I keep my back (right) foot planted too long so working on getting my lower body rotating better.  Slow half-to-full swings with a sand wedge and wiffle balls in the backyard.  

[Lihu]

21 hours ago, Lihu said:

More time trying to reduce the back swing in front of a mirror. I'm going to try to swing as "hard" as possible and see where the back swing ends up. When I'm cold the back swing seems okay, it's generally when I am warmed up that I start over swinging.

Noticed that when my muscles are fresh, I hit farther and can control my backswing better. Going to only do range time like a "workout" rest a day then play. So alternating 3 days rather than trying to play, range, play, etc. Going to try range, rest, play, rest, etc.

Off days, I'll do cardio and stretching or something.

[onthehunt526]

6/25/16:

Worked on proximity to the hole with my chipping and pitching this morning.

[Rainmaker]

On 6/24/2016 at 10:23 PM, Rainmaker said:

I've been working on Key 2 - but really not practicing a whole lot - there's just been stuff going on - I had a hot water heater blow, my a/c went out. Forces are conspiring against me, lol. 

I practiced for about 30 minutes today - slow motion, my 2 drills I'm working on and then some full swings.  I'm making steady progress on grooving in this piece I'm working on - the "drop" part of the transition followed by the weight transfer - specifically the motion of my lower body, more specifically my right and left knees. 

I've grooved in something that works but, on video, it looks like I'm cheating my left knee.  My teacher gets his going "away" from his right knee to a stupid degree, lol.  Like his pants are super stretched when he does it.   I'm also feel like I'm building the stretch in my left shoulder too soon . . like it really should not come into play until I start dropping into the transition and then my left side should feel like it's pulling away from my right - but it's not doing that so much. 

I'm almost ready for my next lesson but I'll take another go-around at trying to get my left knee going "away" from my right knee more first. 

Hmm . .how does he do that?  He may just be my superior in this regard.  I've been trying really hard to get my left knee working like his and it's not really happening. 

I worked today on more slow-motion stuff and not that many full swings.  There's not a reason to do full swings if I can't even do it in slow motion. 

I'm not giving up, though.  I won't book another lesson until I'm *sure* I can't get my left knee any better on my own (or, of course, if I do get it better on my own . .because then I'll need the next thing).  For the most part, when I find I simply *can't* do a motion, it's because I don't understand it . .but at some point, obviously, I'm going to hit my personal physical limitations.  This could be one.  But, like I said, not giving up. 

Edited June 26, 2016 by Rainmaker

[Lihu]

22 hours ago, Lihu said:

Noticed that when my muscles are fresh, I hit farther and can control my backswing better. Going to only do range time like a "workout" rest a day then play. So alternating 3 days rather than trying to play, range, play, etc. Going to try range, rest, play, rest, etc.

Off days, I'll do cardio and stretching or something.

Did some back swing drills in a mirror.

Spent the a few hours shooting, which I hadn't done in a while. My cousin and I rented all the firearms we shot for the day. It was one of those on the spur of the moment type of things. Favorites were STEG 17 and P226 357Sig. The AR15/M4 and Glock19 were kind of weak in comparison. STEG 17 had way more power with the 7.62/51 Winchester loads. The loads were almost as hot as the standard 30-06. All the M14 and M1 Garand were "broken" so we got the STEG and we were not disappointed. We stopped guys shooting S&W 500 in their tracks with the high quality loads. Us and the 10 Gauge slug guys just a few lanes down changed the atmospheric pressure in the entire range at every discharge. Video to come in my swing thread. 

 

[onthehunt526]

6/26/16:

Worked on chipping again today. Trying to get closer to the hole. So I can get up and down more often.

[boogielicious]

10 minutes mirror work before my workout. Same focus. I may do a short range session later today.

[Lihu]

On June 26, 2016 at 5:38 AM, Lihu said:

Did some back swing drills in a mirror.

Spent the a few hours shooting, which I hadn't done in a while. My cousin and I rented all the firearms we shot for the day. It was one of those on the spur of the moment type of things. Favorites were STEG 17 and P226 357Sig. The AR15/M4 and Glock19 were kind of weak in comparison. STEG 17 had way more power with the 7.62/51 Winchester loads. The loads were almost as hot as the standard 30-06. All the M14 and M1 Garand were "broken" so we got the STEG and we were not disappointed. We stopped guys shooting S&W 500 in their tracks with the high quality loads. Us and the 10 Gauge slug guys just a few lanes down changed the atmospheric pressure in the entire range at every discharge. Video to come in my swing thread. 

Ok, I'm an idiot. Didn't check spellcheck to see that SCAR was replace with STEG whatever that was

More back swing drills. Got to tighten up that swing!

[onthehunt526]

6/27/16:

Work with the Driver today... Was hitting some blocks off the tee yesterday... Though I scored ok (86 for 18). My transistion is a little quick at the top... So I'm working on a smooth transistion... 250 off the tee is sufficient... Really need work with my 4w over the next month... But the 3H is solid enough where the 4w is mostly unnecessary.

[RandallT]

Hour at the range, focusing on last lesson results. A4-A6 positions in slow motion. Then swing at moderate speed to check video. 

[Lihu]

13 hours ago, Lihu said:

Ok, I'm an idiot. Didn't check spellcheck to see that SCAR was replace with STEG whatever that was

More back swing drills. Got to tighten up that swing!

The official temperature was 93, but the actual temperature using thermometers was 102 at the range and it was slightly overcast! Only a few die hard idiots like me were there, and even then I quit after using a few balls in the basket I found. I hit 56 for several shots and a everything up to 150 yards a few times, then one club each 7i to driver.

[onthehunt526]

6/28/16:

59 days in a row and counting. Didn't have a lot of time. So I worked on my takeaway for 5 minutes before I headed to work today...

[Rainmaker]

On 6/26/2016 at 3:03 AM, Rainmaker said:

Hmm . .how does he do that?  He may just be my superior in this regard.  I've been trying really hard to get my left knee working like his and it's not really happening. 

I worked today on more slow-motion stuff and not that many full swings.  There's not a reason to do full swings if I can't even do it in slow motion. 

I'm not giving up, though.  I won't book another lesson until I'm *sure* I can't get my left knee any better on my own (or, of course, if I do get it better on my own . .because then I'll need the next thing).  For the most part, when I find I simply *can't* do a motion, it's because I don't understand it . .but at some point, obviously, I'm going to hit my personal physical limitations.  This could be one.  But, like I said, not giving up. 

Ha!  I see how he does it.  Opposing forces.  That is not going to work for me in slow motion, lol.

The feeling is that my left side is "stretching away" from my right side.  This happens when my momentum is going *back* but I anticipate it (anticipate? not sure) and stretch away with my left knee while the right is not exactly still going back but definitely not yet ready to go forwards.  Then the right knee tries to "catch up". 

After a few warm-up swings, I worked on slow motion and then full swings - adding all the pieces I'm working on one at a time . .first the downswing path and flat left wrist, next the weight transfer ideas - which currently feels to me like "sitting down on a spring" . .then I added in "opposing forces". 

Opposing forces is a weird one and I can't explain it.  It's a feel.  Think of one of those Japanese drums with the beaters on strings that you twirl in your hand . .you're twisting it one way before the string has fully finished going the other.  That's totally *not* the way my teacher describes it - he describes feeling a stretch/tension build under your lead shoulder in the transition.  I probably have a very rudimentary or still incorrect understanding of it - but progress is progress, lol.  I know opposing forces is a big deal, though. 

 

[RandallT]

10 minutes mirror work. Took a bit of time off from the range, so yesterday was a checkpoint that I'd mostly forgotten how to do this! A4-A6 positions feeling a tad more comfortable today than yesterday, but more work to do. Possibly range later today, but doubtful. 

[boogielicious]

10 minutes mirror work before my workout. Same focus.

[Lihu]

16 hours ago, Lihu said:

The official temperature was 93, but the actual temperature using thermometers was 102 at the range and it was slightly overcast! Only a few die hard idiots like me were there, and even then I quit after using a few balls in the basket I found. I hit 56 for several shots and a everything up to 150 yards a few times, then one club each 7i to driver.

Working on my backswing with a mirror. Will try to go to the range tonight since it's too hot outside.

[Rainmaker]

The usual practice session - I'm moving into what I call the "video review phase" . .where I've got something semi-worked in and now it's time to fact-check it  and start making necessary adjustments. 

I'm pretty happy with my progress on my weight transfer.  My knees are working much closer to how they should be.  My weight is transferring better - I'm much more balanced throughout. 

I'm still rotating my hips too early.  My knees are doing what they should be but my arms are still way up there.  Even when I try to "get them down fast"  - they're still pretty much way up there. 

My downswing is synched to my right knee, not my left knee. 

I'm getting that cool effect on video, though, where it looks like I'm starting the downswing with my club still going back.  Immediately after that it all goes to hell, lol. 

oh, right - the actual practice, lol . .I warmed up, went through my current drills, hit about 30 Pitching Wedges into the net and then got 3 swings on video and reviewed them.

Edited June 29, 2016 by Rainmaker

[Lihu]

21 hours ago, Lihu said:

Working on my backswing with a mirror. Will try to go to the range tonight since it's too hot outside.

Worked pretty well. I was still over swinging my driver and hit tons of slices and hooks, but my 3W was behaving really nicely.

Working on more back swings with a mirror.