August 18, 2025 Zoom Education Session (WEB 1 & Fitnees WEB 1)

by David F. Wright

©copyright Wright Balance® 2025

Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) & Squaring the Hips with Trail Hand Grip

(WEB: Grip; PSR & Fitness)

This EBook is comprised of videos of 5 segments of the August 18, 2025 Zoom Education session. Each video is followed by a quiz on the content.

Videos & Quizzes

1 Using the Power Spots to Determine your Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) by Core Zone

2 Keeping the Hips Square with a Trail Hand Grip Change

3 Rotational & Oblique Slings Corrections Must be in the 8 Inch Performance Stance Width RangePSR for the Core Zone

4 There are Ideal Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) Zones for All Activities from Exercise to Cycling to Running to All Sports

5 The Impact of Exercise Inside & Outside the Core Performance Stance Width Range (PSR)

1. Using the Power Spots to Determine Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) by Core Zone

Question

**When I applied pressure to my Middle Core Power Spots on the middle finger of each hand in this video, what stance width range did I find? **

  1. My hips were square between 8 and 24 inches
  2. My hips were square between 12 and 20 inches
  3. My hips were square between 16 and 24 inches
  4. None of the above

Answer

  1. My hips were square between 16 and 24 inches

Note:

Question

True or False

Your student's hips will always square between 8 and 16 inches when applying pressure to an Upper Core Power Spot.

Answer

False

That performance stance width range was specific to me, not all players. I have found only 4 other players who share the same ranges as I. However, you will likely find the majority of your student plus or minus one inch in the Upper, Middle and Lower Core performance stance Width ranges.

You will also find players who fall within 1 inch of the 8 inch ranges but only have a 7 inch range, not 8 inches. I have found one player who has 7 inch ranges in their Upper and Middle Core Zones and a 6 inch range in their Lower Core Zone. Use the following guideline when testing the Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR).

1. Upper Core 8 to 16 inches plus or minus 1 inch

2. Middle Core 16 to 24 inches plus or minus 1 inch

3. Lower Core 20 to 28 inches plus or minus 1 inch

Note: Again, the 8 to 16 inch Stance Width Range is a starting point but it will not apply to all players. No 8 inch range is absolute for all. However, use the 7 inch mark as a starting point for Upper Core Players; start at 14 or 15 inches for your Middle Core Player; and begin at 19 inches as a starting point for the Lower Core Player. Also note that not all players will have an 8 inch range; Some stance width ranges will have 7 inch ranges.

For example,a Southern CA Wright Balance® Professional's Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) are as follows: Upper Core 7 to 14 inches; Middle Core 15 to 22 inches; Lower Core 21 to 27 inches. Playing Professional, Ezra Evans, a Middle Core player, has a Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) of 16 to 23 inches. Wright Balance® Professionals Kevin Mooney's and George Puchinsky's Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) are the same as mine: Upper Core 8 to 16 inches; Middle Core 16 to 24 inches and Lower Core 20 to 29 inches.

Note that in the above summary of different performance stance width ranges that some of these ranges are 7 inches and one of them is 6 inches. However, the Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) are close to and / or within the 8 inch ranges observed by Core Zone.

Once you know the Dominant Core Zone when giving a lesson, place a bar on your student's hips and have them apply pressure to the corresponding Core Zone Power Spot on the middle finger of both hands. Put a yardstick on the ground and have them place their left foot on "0" Then have them place their right foot in the following matching PSR and note where their hips are square.

Again, test as follows:

  1. Upper Core 8 to 16 inches plus or minus 1 inch
  2. Middle Core 16 to 24 inches plus or minus 1 inch
  3. Lower Core 20 to 28 inches plus or minus 1 inch

Find the width in inches of their lowest stance width in their Core Zone where their hips are square and have them step wider until their hips open or close. Repeat the "test" to be certain you get the same results and until you know what their best Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) is. Note the PSR you determined and provide your student with that information, ideally on a yardstick or alignment stick. They will be using this stance width range in everything from driver to putter to exercise at home or in the gym.

Question

True or False

Once you determine their absolute stance width ranges (PSR), those ranges become their range for golf, exercise, walking, etc. If they have an Upper Core Dominance but wish to train in a gym doing squats or wall slides with a ball or wall sits, they should do the Wright Balance® Express (with tape) in a Lower Core Stance Width. Then, use the Lower Core Stance Width range (PSR) for placement of the width of their feet when exercising for maximum recruitment of the Zone they are training.

Answer

True

**>NOTE: If you missed any of these questions, view the 5 minute YouTube video above, # 1

2. Keeping the Hips Square with a Trail Hand Grip Change

Question

Middle Core Player, Xander Schauffele has a long thumb. This means he is gripping the club on a:

  1. Lower Core Power Spot
  2. Middle Core Power Spot
  3. Upper Core Power Spot

Answer

3. Upper Core Power Spot

Question

What is it about the grip of Middle Core Players Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler, that allows them to play using an Upper Core Power Spot, a long thumb and a square hip line?

or Scottie Scheffler

Answer

**Notice the Trail Thumb. It is off the grip toward the index finger.

**

To experience this phenomena, place a bar on your hips and set both power spots in the same position on both hands. Then go to a Stance Width that is out of your Wright Balance® Performance Stance Width Range (PSR). Set your trail thumb down the center to center left or center right depending on you handedness. Note that your hips are open or closed when you are out of your performance Stance Width Range.

NEXT, move that trail thumb off the grip so that it is almost touching your lead hand index finger as does John Daly in this image...

...and Ben Hogan in these images.

Look at your hips. They will be SQUARE.

Question

Why not have all of your students move their trail index finger on the top of the grip to the side? It is easier than a total Grip Change.

Answer

Any of the following are correct:

  1. The grip power spots pre-set the strength and weakness of the grip
  2. New Students will tend to get too wide and compromise their sequencing of motion
  3. Your better players can make that subtle change in their grip as it permits a narrower stance for chipping and putting (the trail index finger must be off the grip to the underside with the putter as well.)
  4. As they get wider or narrower than their ideal Performance Stance Width there is reduced shoulder rotation.
  5. Even if the player moves the trail index finger off the grip to the side, they should practice in their determined ideal performance stance width range (PSR) through the bag.

NOTE: If you missed this answer, view the 5 minute YouTube video above (#2).

The following video shows what happens when you test your performance stance width range and then step out of that range when doing the rotational and oblique corrections following the Wright Balance® Express.

3. The Rotational & Oblique Slings Corrections Must be in the Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) for the Matching Core Zone

Question

What happens when you step out of your performance stance width range (PSR) when doing the correction of rotational and oblique slings following the Wright Balance Express?

Answer

The majority of the time you will see little to no rotation of the hips for correction and / or the correction will only be on one side. To balance the kinetic chain, do the rotational and oblique corrections within the performance stance width range for the Core Zone where the Wright Balance® Express was done.

This video shows the Wright Balance® Express at a Lower Core Stance Width (12 inches). Twelve (12) is a Lower Core Wright Balance Express stance width that is inside the Upper Core performance stance widths (8 to 16 inch range). When I do the Correction of the Rotational and Oblique Slings, note that the Stance Width of correction must be in MY lower core performance range (20 to 28 inches) even though I used 12 inches to do the Wright Balance® Express.

NOTE: If you missed these questions, view the 2 minute YouTube video above (#3).

4. Ideal Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) for All Activities from Exercise to Cycling to Running to All Sports

Question

If I am doing Squats, what core Zone should I use to do the Wright Balance Express?

  1. Upper
  2. Middle
  3. Lower
  4. None of the above

Answer

3. Lower Core

When you do the Wright Balance® Express in one of the 5 Lower Core Zones, you activate the region from your navel to your pelvic floor. When you finish the Wright Balance® Express, you will note that, when you add knee flex, your weight is in the vicinity of the center of your arches back.

Note: When doing the Wright Balance® Express in a Lower Core stance width, your lower extremities are recruited / activated. If you do the Wright Balance® Express in the first of the five Lower Core Stance Width (12 inches); you will activate your core region just below your navel; when you add knee flex you will note your weight is over the center of your arches.

If you do the Wright Balance® Express in the widest Lower Core Stance Width (36 inches); you will recruit the region of your pelvic floor; when you add knee flex you will note your weight is toward your heels. (If 36 inches is too wide for you, use 6 inches to do the Wright Balance® Express). However, you must use the Performance Stance Widths (PSR) that match your Lower Core when you do the wall sits, wall slides or squats. For example, tests 20 to 28 inches to determine your Lower Core Performance Stance Width Range (PSR). That range, will recruit your Lower Core during exercise and other activities.

Following your exercise, test your Rotational Slings with one hand on the wall and Oblique Slings, left and right with both the inside and outside legs with and without knee flex. Do these tests in your Lower Core Performance Stance Widths, e.g., 20 to 28 inches.

Note: Remember, the Core Zone Performance Stance Widths (PSR) vary for each of us. Use the "standard" Upper, Middle and Lower Core ranges to test.

  1. Upper Core 8 to 16 inches plus or minus 1 inch
  2. Middle Core 16 to 24 inches plus or minus 1 inch
  3. Lower Core 20 to 28 inches plus or minus 1 inch

    As noted, you and or your students will fall within one inch of these ranges.

Question

If I am running, walking or cycling, what Core Zone should I use to do the Wright Balance® Express?

  1. Upper
  2. Middle
  3. Lower
  4. None of the above

Answer

1. Upper

When you do the Wright Balance® Express in an Upper Core Stance Width, you have activated / recruited the region from your jaw to your lower sternum. Your balance at ground level will be from the balls of your feet to your toes. If you do the Wright Balance® Express at 8 inches and add knee flex, you will note that your weight is toward your toes. If you do the Wright Balance® Express at 32 inches your balance will be on the balls of your feet.

Use the Upper Core Stance Width when doing the Wright Balance® Express that fits your activity / exercise.

Question

I have done the Wright Balance® Express in one of the 5 Upper Core Stance Widths. Then, I rode my stationary bike for 6 miles or I have gone for a brisk walk for 30 minutes. Upon returning from my walk or cycling, how would I determine the impact on my Core?

Answer

I would use my Upper Core Performance Stance Width to Test my Rotational and Oblique Slings. After walking or cycling I would expect the impact on my Core would be my Internal Obliques. Testing my Internal Obliques would be my outside leg with and without knee flex within my known Performance Stance Widths (PSR). However, I continue to test my Rotational and External Obliques at my known Performance Stance Widths as well.

Note: If you missed the answers to any of these questions, watch the 10 minute YouTube video in #4 above.

5. The Impact of Exercise Inside & Outside the Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) for the Matching Core Zone

In the following video I demonstrate the impact of the "Performance Stance Width Range" of the Lower Core Zone (or where you have done the Wright Balance® Express). I then demonstrate what happens if your exercise is outside the "Performance Stance Width Range" (PSR) of your Core Zone. In summary, the exercise only impacts the Core if it is done in your "Performance Stance Width Range" (PSR) of your recruited Core Zone.

Question

When I did wall push-ups outside my Performance Stance Width for a Lower Core player, what impact did it have?

  1. No observable impact inside or outside my Performance Stance Width Range (20 to 28 inches)
  2. My hips rotated open inside my Performance Stance Width Range but not outside my Performance Stance Width Range
  3. My hips rotated open outside my Performance Stance Width Range but there was no observable change inside my Performance Stance Width Range
  4. None of the above

Answer

  1. No observable impact inside or outside MY Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) of 20 to 28 inches.

These observations show that the Wright Balance® Express should be done in the Zone to recruit the muscle groups used in the sport, recreational activities and exercise. For example, cycling, walking or running should be preceded by the Wright Balance® Express in the Upper Core Zone. Exercise focused on the lower extremities should be preceded by the Wright Balance® Express in the Lower Core Zone and followed by the Performance Stance Widths for that individuals the Lower Core Zone.

Question

What Wright Balance® Express Core Zone should I use before doing calf raises?

Answer

Each of the 5 Lower Core Stance Widths should ideally be used when doing the Wright Balance® Express followed by calf raises or any lower body exercise. Rotate the Lower Core Stance Widths for the Wright Balance® Express when exercising over several days. In other words, each day of Lower Body workouts you should rotate to a different Lower Core Stance Width when doing the Wright Balance® Express. You want balanced training within each of the 5 Core Zone Stance Widths. This would be true of Upper & Middle Core exercises as well. Rotate the 5 Stance Widths before each exercise day.

Question

What performance stance width range (PSR) should I use for my lower body exercise program?

Answer

Any lower body exercise I do should follow a Lower Core Stance Width when doing the Wright Balance® Express. Then, My personal performance stance width range (PSR) is 20 to 28 inches. All my lower body exercise will be in that range.

NOTE: If you missed the answers to any of these questions, view the 5 minute YouTube video above (#5).