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Many sports incorporate the Lever System and the pivoting action of a club, bat, racket, etc. Developing the Lever System begins with pivoting the club back and forth.

Tennis and golf are very similar in that the ball is stationary at impact, and you pivot the club or racket to hit the ball. When you hit a tennis ball, it is at the apex of the toss; therefore, it is considered stationary. The Lever System or pivoting action is critical to creating speed. Your center mass isn’t moving much and is not responsible for speed.

In golf, if you put a club on your shoulders and swing it back and forth, you will feel the Lever System at work. Long Drive Champion, Mike Austin, used to help Mike Malaska with this drill. Start with the club on your right shoulder and begin to throw the club out as you swing; your left arm will straighten as the clubhead straightens. Because your left arm is relaxed, it rotates externally and will fold up as you continue the swing to your left shoulder. This pivoting action is the Lever System, which is how you generate speed. Your arms don’t help the ball and pull through the swing.

It is essential to get the feel of the Lever System and how the club pivots. You will notice how little your body moves. Take this drill and apply it to your golf swing and try to hit a ball. Let your body move with the swing to maximize the Lever System. The biggest thing that Mike Malaska has learned in 50 years is that the golf swing is invisible. What you see isn’t necessarily happening.

The Chair Drill is one of the best drills to learn the Lever System. Set up to a ball while sitting on a bag stand or a chair, and put your right leg back, so your knee is out of the way. Make little swings and hit the ball from the chair.

This drill will help you harness the Lever System. Because you are isolating your body movements, you will be forced to use your arms and pivoting action to hit the ball.

LEVER SYSTEM - PART 2

In the golf swing your lead arm stays fairly straight. Not because you keep it straight. It stays straight because of what your trail arm does. As you start the club back. Your wrists begin to hinge. As they hinge your trail arm is always trying to push your lead hand away from you. So the pushing away with the trail arm is what keeps your lead arm fairly straight. That keeps the tension out of your lead arm and lets it accelerate through the ball.