BodiTrak, Putting Rhythm, Balance, and Lateral Motion Research
During a recent putting clinic covering rhythm and tempo I wanted to examine what happens to balance during the stroke. The players all accomplished a ‘before’ 10 foot putt standing on the BodiTrak mat then we jumped into training. We worked with basic mechanics first, then progressed to something different: each player simply was asked to walk around the putting green. I counted the beats for each individuals tempo, and then instructed each golfer on the musical technique of triplets (learned from my daughter, Rachel, with a music performance degree). So as you walk during sets of two steps count 1-2-3. The first count starts the stroke; 2: is the backstroke, and 3: is the finish (see Isocrony, edbrittongolf.com, June 15, 2015). What that did was expose each player to a tempo mostly quicker that what they were used to. Then we practiced distance control focusing only on each players new rhythm and tempo. Distance control improved, but BodiTrak data also changed. Pressure traces had small balance adjustments. However, Center of Pressure-Velocity changes were dramatic.
Interesting…so did they become quicker than the “perfect” 2:1? Are you saying they are more apt to find their natural putting rhythm – and that can be quite different from what most instructors try to jam their students into?
2:1 ratio stands; what changes is the tempo. Like playing a song at different speeds; you still hear the same rhythm. Everyone has their personal tempo.