Is extensor action at address ok?

Is it correct to apply extensor action at addresss before the club is taken away?

That's the trick. It may feel awkward at first, but after a while you'll do it automatically & never leave home without it.

The "checklist for all shots" section towards the end of the book has Extensor Action all over it. For a reason.

By this do you mean stretching out of the left arm towards the ground.?

Is this what Tom Tomasello describes in the drill on his video (chapter 2 ARMS) when takes the left wrist in the right hand and first stretches it towards the ground?

Originally Posted by metallion That's the trick. It may feel awkward at first, but after a while you'll do it automatically & never leave home without it.

The "checklist for all shots" section towards the end of the book has Extensor Action all over it. For a reason.

I think it makes my "power package" more stable when I have extensor action at address. I think I'll make it part of my pre-shot routine

Originally Posted by Daz By this do you mean stretching out of the left arm towards the ground.?

Is this what Tom Tomasello describes in the drill on his video (chapter 2 ARMS) when takes the left wrist in the right hand and first stretches it towards the ground?

Exactly. If you think of the left arm as a piece of rope; the right hand keeps the "rope" taut using extensor action via PP#1.

To make it less dramatical, extensor action is a general medical/anatomical term - sort of. An extensor muscle is a muscle that has has the purpose to open a joint, increasing the angle between the limbs attached. So extersor muscles are used to straighten fingers and straighten legs. In TGM Extensor Action refers to the (deliberate) action performed to increase the angle between the right forearm and upper arm - thus using extensor muscles.

So where does the resulting force end up?

When Hitting the pressure is applied through PP#1 and down the shaft. When Swinging the pressure is applied through PP#3 and down the shaft. In both cases the effect will be the left arm (the primary lever) being extended to straight.

I am not the right person to list all the benefits of EA, but maybe the most obvious ones are:
- Creating width
- Presetting alignments at Impact Fix and make sure we keep the alignments during the swing.

Again in Homers checklist he wants you to make sure about EA in some 9-10 places during the swing.

If there is no Extensor Action we - for example - need hand-eye coordination and manipulation to hit the ball solidly. But if we apply it at setup - and keep it - we "know" we will hit the ball solidly, since the left arm will want to extend at impact anyway.

A few extensor muscles shown here:

Originally Posted by metallion
When Hitting the pressure is applied through PP#1 and down the shaft. When Swinging the pressure is applied through PP#3 and down the shaft.

Hi metallion,

I must admit your post has confused me. I'm a swinger and have been applying extensor action through PP#1, is this wrong? I also don't understand how extensor action could be applied by using PP#3 as it is behind the shaft?

Cheers,

Danny

Originally Posted by Yoda There are 45 items in the Mechanical Checklist for all Strokes (12-3). In all but three Sections of the Stroke -- Preliminary Address, Adjusted Address and the Finish -- Extensor Action is listed as a 'check' item. In other words, Extensor Action is present from Start Up to the end of the Follow Through. Including Impact Fix, that would be nine Sections, or 20 percent of the 45-item Checklist.

[Extensor Action also may be present in Adjusted Address, but it is not listed as a check item. That is because Extensor Action fully-applied would Flatten the Left Wrist. This is acceptable for Hitters using Impact Address (10-9-B) but not for Swingers using Standard Address (10-9-A).]

Bottom line: If you integrate Extensor Action into your Total Motion, you are well on your way to a sound Golf Stroke.

Greenjeans . . .

Could you speak a bit more about the Swinger beginning from Adjusted Address and apply EA during Start Up? Also, how does EA Flatten the Wrist?

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Daz By this do you mean stretching out of the left arm towards the ground.?

Is this what Tom Tomasello describes in the drill on his video (chapter 2 ARMS) when takes the left wrist in the right hand and first stretches it towards the ground?

Yes but the stretch off pp3/1 is not in any old direction towards the ground - its towards the impact point plane line.

Originally Posted by Yoda Except with Zero #3 Accumulator, the stretch (Non-Accelerating Thrust) of Extensor Action -- whether executed by Pressure Point #3 or #1 or both -- is not On Plane, i.e., toward the Impact Plane Line. Instead, it is Below Plane -- in the direction the Left Arm is pointing.

I didn't know this - way cool

Originally Posted by Yoda Bottom line is that, immediately during Start Up, the Right Thumb and Forefinger simply pulls the Clubshaft into line with the Left Arm (thereby Flattening the Left Wrist). This action can be all the Backstroke necessary for Putts, Chips and short Pitch Shots beginning from a Classic Adjusted Address (Bent Left Wrist).

In longer Strokes, the Extensor Action Takeaway can be executed with enough authority to 'throw' the Club all the way to the Top.

(Bold by Sean)

Can extensor action be used to trigger the takeaway?

If so is it a good procedure?

Originally Posted by Yoda Except with Zero #3 Accumulator, the stretch (Non-Accelerating Thrust) of Extensor Action -- whether executed by Pressure Point #3 or #1 or both -- is not On Plane, i.e., toward the Impact Plane Line. Instead, it is Below Plane -- in the direction the Left Arm is pointing.

Exactly.

When I first learnt about this, I thought 'cool, but how's this going to be useful for my own swing'.

After a bit more incubation, I realised that that's one of the ways you can differentiate between an Active Right Arm Thrust and Extensor Action. You can feel the Right Arm Thrust going directly at the Ball, whereas the stretch of Extensor Action is clearly below Plane. Learn to feel the difference! It’s very useful especially if you’re Swinger because you don't want to be inadvertently activating that Fourth Barrel (Accumulator #1)!

Originally Posted by Yoda Except with Zero #3 Accumulator, the stretch (Non-Accelerating Thrust) of Extensor Action -- whether executed by Pressure Point #3 or #1 or both -- is not On Plane, i.e., toward the Impact Plane Line. Instead, it is Below Plane -- in the direction the Left Arm is pointing.

Could the incorrect directional application of extensor action (i.e. directing it toward the plane line rather than below plane) cause the club to get too flat from start down into release? Although I'm able to go from start up to top staying nicely on plane, I've always fought a tendency to have the club move under-plane from start down to release (a Sergio like motion). I just grabbed a club trying to feel proper extensor action, and I can see that my natural tendency is to direct that stretching direction toward the plane line.

CG