Extensor Action?
 

I am fairly new to the TGM and I don't have the book yet. I seen the phrase, "extensor action" used on this forum. Could someone please explain extensor action and how it relates to the golf swing? Thanks

Hi flopshot, Click on "SEARCH" up above and type in "Extensor Action". You'll get plenty of info on that subject. Same at Chuck Evan's forum and also Brian Manzella's. Have a good one, pshr

Abridged Version
 

Flopshot,

Very simply, it is the continuous effort to straighten the right arm from address to follow through. It pulls the left arm straight and maintains the left arm radius during this interval.

Bagger

Thanks Bagger. That helps clear it up for me.

Re: Extensor Action?
 

Also, go to our archives page and search on extensor action. You will find a lot of Yoda teachings on the subject.

-Trig

A copy of a post I put on Brian's board in response to the same question...

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It is a 'light' pull, BELOW PLANE, in essence you are trying to 'lengthen your left arm' straight down to where it points at the ground, NOT towards the sweet spot unless you have zero #3 (think natural golf setup for zero #3, not recommended IMO).

Imagine you had a beam of light shooting out of your left forearm at fix, use PP#1 to stretch the left hand down that beam, tracing that line on the ground which is inside, and parallel to, the target line.

Imagine you had a beam of light shooting out of your right forearm at fix (flashlight drill).

The "Point" that those beams cross is the "Point" you are swinging ON ITS PLANE during the swing - and 'rotating around' for swinging or 'mirroring' for hitting (well you do rotate around it, just a lot less in feel and degree). Trace a line on the ground (inside and parallel to the target line)with that "Point"

All of the discussion of 'plane' in the swing boil down to swinging THAT point, the tip of the triangle.

All of the discussion of hinge action in the swing boil down to rotating around THAT point, on THAT plane - The three hinges:

opening 90* back, closing 180 through (horizontal hinge) clockwise, counter clockwise, full roll
staying 'square' (angled hinge) no roll
closing 90* back, opening 180 through (verticle hinge) counter clockwise, clockwise, reverse roll

Extensor action is Rhythm, it is LEVERAGE and MASS and one of the most important concepts in TGM, one of the greatest 'simplifications' of how to 'get it'

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so, with a non-zero no.3, your extending inside targetline but, by how much? how do you know when to say when?

so im no longer tracing the planeline with the laser?

It is important not to confuse the 'shaft' with the 'plane of motion'.

See 2-F and the recent thread re: longitudinal center of gravity.

from 2-F - "So there is a "Sweet Spot", or "Swing", Plane. But herein, unless otherwise noted, "Plane Angle" and "Plane Line" always refer to the Center of Gravity application"

english please...hehe
i'll check it out, but i'd like an answer to my question.

For practical purposes, the stretch is 'extending your left arm with your right' directly toward the ground in the direction it is pointing when viewed from down the target line at impact fix.

Put another way, if you draw a line from the butt of the club up the underside of your left arm, you want to stretch your left arm down that plane. It can be very useful to think in terms of this "under the arms at address" line/plane.

See the drills section, the 'variation on table top drill' at the bottom to give you a clearer picture of what I mean:

http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=355