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Breaking through a wall

Boston_golfer

Boston_golfer

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How do you guys deal with hitting a brick wall? I had a lesson yesterday, and although on camera I can see my flaws, and I'm listening to the instruction, I feel like I'm just hitting a wall, and can't make my body do what my mind knows it needs to do? Should I get another instructors perspective? Maybe something they say will make it click? Check out YouTube videos?

Super frustrated.
 
This sounds like a muscle memory thing. You know what to do, but do you know what it feels like when you do it right? If you don't have a connection between fixing a flaw and how it feels different when you do it right versus when you do it wrong, you'll never get anywhere. Your instructor should be helping you with this feedback, so if they are not then that's an issue. Or is this an online instructor? An in person instructor should be hands on showing you the correct position and how it feels.
 
he does....but the "right" position feels very wrong....does that make sense? I can sense his frustration too....
 
Boston_golfer said:
he does....but the "right" position feels very wrong....does that make sense? I can sense his frustration too....
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The right positions feel wrong because they're new. IMO trust your instructor and accept that the changes will not yield immediate dividends. It will take time for your body to get used to the correct positions.
 
blugold said:
The right positions feel wrong because they're new. IMO trust your instructor and accept that the changes will not yield immediate dividends. It will take time for your body to get used to the correct positions.
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This is true.
Its so freaking tough. I keep reverting back the second my focus slips and its killing me.
 
ArmyGolf said:
This is true.
Its so freaking tough. I keep reverting back the second my focus slips and its killing me.
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Agreed. It's frustrating because we may be making the right moves but the body will revert to bad habits. So we bail on the changes and go back to awful. This is honestly the best practice I get for not being frustrated.
 
I tell me friends who are beginners that if it feels wring you are probably doing it right. I am kidding obviously but a lot can be taken from this. If you keep grooving the same swing you cant expect a different result.
 
If you are working on something specific, sometimes reading/asking about how it 'feels' for other people will help. I do that often with my instructor or just on the internet. Everybody's different, but many times you can find something that makes the light bulb go off. Other than that, you can ask him for drills to do at home. It takes a long time for some people to make even minor improvements.
 
Time and reps are the only things that will make something new feel correct. Once you start hitting the ball well you will start feeling more confident with the new move
 
It's something I've been struggling a lot with this season, as I know what I'm doing wrong yet keep doing it, even when I'm actively thinking about correcting it during my swing. I try different swing thoughts and discuss it a lot with my teacher, in terms of what to think about and focus on during the swing. Then it's repetition and ensuring that you are grooving the right move.
 
Boston_golfer said:
he does....but the "right" position feels very wrong....does that make sense? I can sense his frustration too....
Click to expand...

Take a bunch of practice swings to start to get used to the new positions. I struggle with trying to make swing changes when my ballflight suffers, it's so easy to go back to my "old" swing in order to get the ballflight to be somewhat decent. However, the more comfortable you feel with the new positions during a practice swing, then you will be more comfortable when hitting a ball. My wife probably wants to kill me, but I've also taken an old wedge into our home and will practice my new swing positions every night after everyone else goes to sleep, it's really helped me.
 
Yeah, I don't know why yesterday frustrated more than usual, but it did. My instructor is a great guy, I don't fault him. He's doing what he can, I just think that I'm having a mental block along with muscle memory not allowing me to "easily" get it. He had me record about 4 or 5 videos of him talking me through what my issues are, and demonstrating a few drills to help/ He also told me to record myself at least every other night on my cell, and text him so he can correct any issues during practice as well. He's definitely going above and beyond to help me.

I think my general mood lately is just pouring over to golf. I've been ver yeasily irritated lately, and just seeing the bad form on camera, and the ****** results really rubbed me the wrong way. I'll archive a few videos, and maybe in a few weeks when/if I see improvements I'll post them.
 
What are your expectations and how much time are you devoting? How many pieces are you trying to fix at one time?

I'll give you an example. I had some inside takeaway issues at the beginning of the year. I worked almost daily on that for three weeks - spending at least 30-45 minutes just on the takeaway. At the end of the three weeks I looked at the video and it was much better, but before that I didn't even want to see.

Same with spinning hips. I worked for probably 8-10 weeks on that issue alone. Ugh. It still crops up too.


I know personally that I can't handle a bunch of things at once. One focus at a time - maybe two if they aren't related. I can't do upper and lower body changes at the same time either. I need to work on one and totally forget the other.
 
There is a reason even the pros struggle mightily when making swing changes. They have far more practice time to commit, the best teachers, and immense talent. They still struggle, sometimes for years. If you believe in the teacher (and it sounds like you do), keep the faith and keep working. The process sucks, but the result is worth it!
 
Hawk said:
What are your expectations and how much time are you devoting? How many pieces are you trying to fix at one time?

I'll give you an example. I had some inside takeaway issues at the beginning of the year. I worked almost daily on that for three weeks - spending at least 30-45 minutes just on the takeaway. At the end of the three weeks I looked at the video and it was much better, but before that I didn't even want to see.

Same with spinning hips. I worked for probably 8-10 weeks on that issue alone. Ugh. It still crops up too.


I know personally that I can't handle a bunch of things at once. One focus at a time - maybe two if they aren't related. I can't do upper and lower body changes at the same time either. I need to work on one and totally forget the other.
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You sound like my instructor. "You're not SUPPOSED to get it all right away....golf is hard and needs practice."
 
Boston_golfer said:
You sound like my instructor. "You're not SUPPOSED to get it all right away....golf is hard and needs practice."
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Pretty much unfortunately lol. I feel your pain man. 100%. You're right too - sometimes you can be ok with it, but some nights it's just downright frustrating. See it as hopefully improving your game 6 months from now or maybe even longer. Long haul for more fun down the road.
 
Boston_golfer said:
he does....but the "right" position feels very wrong....does that make sense? I can sense his frustration too....
Click to expand...

That happens every time my instructors have tried to change any part of my swing. It will feel weird for a little while, body will try to default to what it knows as being right or comfortable.

I am working on some swing changes right now and there are swings were my body feels like it is working against me. The next swing it is exactly the way I want it. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Just keep at it and pretty soon your body will start to feel like the changes are the norm instead of the exception.
 
Spent a lot of time listening to Bob Rotella in the car on my way to and from practice and lessons when that happened to me. That and making my own notes/journal for keeping my thoughts on how well I played, practised, or how my lesson went got me over the hump. The whole thing is how well you make the change yours and the quality of your practice more than the quantity.

The reality of it all is that its all in your head. Thinking about the change and rehearsing it in your head and thinking about how to move to incorporate the change is all a part of the learning process. You need to do those things to start making the move automatic.
 
I wonder if the video analysis is putting extra pressure on you somehow? Maybe practice for a longer period of time than you normally would before checking your progress on video. E.G. if your checking your video every two weeks, maybe go six weeks before checking it again. Just a thought. I've never seen video of myself, and I have struggled a lot as well, so I may be barking up the wrong tree!
 
One of my main issues right now is head movement....only even when I think it hasn't move a single inch, the video shows otherwise. I don't want to dig my self a hole by thinking I'm right, practicing that way and then finding out my head moving down and forward.
 
Boston_golfer said:
One of my main issues right now is head movement....only even when I think it hasn't move a single inch, the video shows otherwise. I don't want to dig my self a hole by thinking I'm right, practicing that way and then finding out my head moving down and forward.
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What are you doing to stop that movement? What still have you tried
 
The one thing I've done that is showing me the "feel" is I put my right temple against a corner of my wall, and then doing my shoulder and hip turn.... with clubs, I pull my driver out of the bag and put just the tip in the bag, do the driver head lines up with my head, and then line my head up with that and swing.
 
blugold said:
The right positions feel wrong because they're new. IMO trust your instructor and accept that the changes will not yield immediate dividends. It will take time for your body to get used to the correct positions.
Click to expand...

This. Repetition will eventually make the new positions feel right.
 
I'm trying to get the head still, maintain spine angle, turn shoulder and hips in synch....Golf is a sport where 3 out of 4 wont work, lol.
 
Worked up a bit of a sweat with the Smash Bag yesterday on my road to a better swing. Just trying to make all the "wrongs" FEEL right. I felt like I had a lit breakthrough with the hip rotation, but then again I always feel like I'm having a breakthrough and go back to old habits, so I'm gonna try and spend a minimum of 10 minutes a night working on it. I went for almost 35-40 minutes yesterday....We'll see.
 
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