Flexibility and Speed

A simple definition of flexibility is a lack of muscle tension. The more speed you desire the more important flexibility becomes. If you were going to throw a baseball a far distance you wouldn’t stiffen your arm and wrist. If you wanted to walk faster you wouldn’t stiffen your legs. The great teacher, Manuel de la Torre stated it this way. “In golf, tension is a player’s greatest enemy. Flexibility on the other hand is a player’s greatest friend.” At address, the arms should be in the same state as when they are hanging at the sides when standing erect, completely tension free. More importantly they must remain in this state while the swing is being performed. When the arms are tension free, that flexibility is transferred to the entire body. This allows the swing to be performed with a wonderful feeling of effortlessness.