starting motion

[jkgt]

Hi Gregs!
My current burning question is this: Is there any one generally accepted first move or "trigger" for the throughswing? In reading and talking to fellow players, it seems to come down to right knee moves towards the ball or left knee moves towards the target, either of which will presumably initiate the uncoiling of the body. Are there any other triggers and is any one better than the others or is this a matter of doing whatever is feeling comfortable and working for one's swing?
Thanks,
Jerry

www.proguitartracks.com

[GregJWillis]

There should not be any conscience trigger that you need to pull. If you have to try to do anything, then you will inevitably fail in other areas. I know that many of you are reading this and are saying, "BS".

Think of walking. What trigger do you use to start the walk to the left foot? You started with the right foot, your arms swinging, and it is now time to take the step with the left foot. If I had to think about it, I would probably walk in a jerky motion. Much like toddlers walks for the first time. They have to think about each step. But once they get going and learn the proper sequence of things, they are not thinking about walking, they are thinking about where they want to go.

The swing is the same. If you get to the top and you have to think about what to do first, it is already too late. It should be a smooth transition from turning back to turning through.

We can talk about the details of each component in the swing: Legs, hips, shoulders, arms and hands. And that they all are doing different things at different times. And you already know and heard that the legs want to be first...left knee/right knee etc. We are past the toddler stage here.

I am addressing one simple point here:

If you have to think about it, then you are not allowing it to be a fluid natural occuring motion. You will force something to happen and that will cause other compenents to misfire and mistime. That is not good for the overall swing.

But to answer your question they way you wanted me to?:

It is different things for different folks. I use my left knee to start the locking straight motion. This has an affect of it moving at a 90 degree angle to the target and not down the line. I also don't push off with my right leg so much. That always caused my to slide forward. I like to stay in a rotational mind set. The left knee-lock does that for me.