This EBook was updated by Dr. Wright December, 2023

Preparation for Motion Drill

Before doing the motion drill for your Core Region, be certain you place a piece of tape on your dominant Zone Power Spot and REMOVE any rings on your fingers. In the following illustration, tape is being placed on the left hand of the UPPER Core (Anterior Zone) Power Spot as shown in these illustrations. It is the first pad of any finger on either hand.

The tape should be placed with a mild pressure on your dominant Power Spot. If the tape is too tight on your finger the process will not work.

Additionally, if you are doing the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, place a piece of tape either on the opposite hand fingertip or opposite side foot on a toenail as shown in these illustrations.

I would encourage you to use 3M medical / paper tape. If you leave the tape on your toe, it will last several days as it gets wet it adheres better.

Use the handle size from your dominant Core Zone and be certain it matches the appropriate stance width. The stance widths shown in this illustration are 14 inches (Upper Core) 16 inches (Middle Core) and 18 inches (Lower Core.

Once you have placed tape on your fingernails or toenails on one hand or foot and on your dominant Power Spot on the opposite hand, you can work on your sequencing at any stance width. Recall that the Upper Core player has a narrow stance, the Lower Core player's stance width is the widest and the middle Core Stance Width falls in between.

If you used the "Blue" (Posterior Zone) handle size and Blue Stance Width when doing the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, your weight will move over the center of your arches as shown in this illustration.

If you haven't been doing the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express and you have pain issues or want to use a different Core Zone for recovery following a workout, ask your Wright Balance Professional to do measurements and provide you with your handle sizes and stance widths. The handle size recruits different Zones from the front to the back of your body changing heel to toe balance. Each Zone has a different motion for golf.

>What we know:

  1. Your Carrying Angle is your personal angle of power, symmetry and range of motion
  2. If you leave the tape on your Power Spot and hand or toe, following the Wright Balance 4-Way Express you will have ease of rotation and maximum power in all activities from golf to lifting a box
  3. Your Carrying Angle changes by Core Zone and at each subregion within any one Zone.
  4. Our latest research has demonstrated that each Core Zone has 5 subregions.
  5. You are able to move your Carrying Angle to any one of the 5 subregions or a total of 15 possible Carrying Angles. This allows you to tailor your students Carrying Angle to fit their playing Core Zone and play from any stance width with maximum power.

The following provides you with sequencing of motion drills for your playing Zone.

The Wright Balance® Anterior Zone

If you are a Wright Balance® Anterior Zone player, when you add knee flex, your weight will move over the balls of your feet from any stance width.

If your motion is correct you will experience the ground reaction force you will use (without a club). Start your motion with your arms across your chest. This video is a guided practice in how to do motion drills as an Anterior Zone player.

You will experience the use of the ground and this motion. Notice at the top of your motion drill IF you start your motion with your lower body (hips) that your center of mass is target side and your lead knee points behind the ball.

Note: If you do the Wright Balance® 4 way Express with a handle size that matches your Anterior Zone in a 14 inch Stance Width you will experience the motion and characteristics described here. The Wright Balance® 4 Way Express requires body measurements by a Wright Balance® Professional and testing for grip size. The handle size and the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, combined with the 14 inch Stance Width recruits the Anterior Zone and places your balance over the balls of your feet. Using this process, you are able to change your playing Zone or provide pain relief by moving the Core to one of the other two Zones.

As you turn through to impact notice that your hips "stall" and you rise as you change direction. Your weight is on the balls of your feet. You aren't able to "clear" your hips without rising as you change direction to get your hips through. The club will pull you through to your finish position.

As long as you start your motion with your Lower Core (trail hip )before releasing your Upper Core, you will notice that your center of mass loads on the target side. Note the target side center of mass in the following images of these Anterior Zone (Upper Core)Tour Players. Also note at the top of their swing, their lead knee moves behind the ball, the same positions you experienced during the Anterior Zone motion drill. If you tested as an Anterior Zone player and you practice the motion drill described above, this is what you will experience.

Colin Montgomerie

Patrick Reed

Phil Mickelson

Shane Lowry

Brandt Snedeker

Payne Stewart

Larry Rinker

This is a screenshot from a video Larry made during a description of his Upper Core Swing

Again, note at the top of their swing, their lead knee moves behind the ball. If you tested as an Anterior Zone player and you practice the motion drill described above, this is what you will experience.

This video is a guided practice in how the Anterior Zone player plays from the balls of their feet, sets their posture, starts their swing sequence and uses the ground rotationally and vertically for power in their swing.

Again, as you turn through to impact notice that your hips "stall" and you rise as you change direction. Your weight is on the balls of your feet. You aren't able to "clear" your hips without rising as you change direction to get your hips through. The club will pull you through to your finish position.

Ground Reaction Force Use in the Anterior Zone Player

The Anterior Zone player uses the ground rotationally and vertically with very little linear motion. You will experience those forces during your motion drills. How do I know how the Anterior Zone player uses the Ground?

Research

In 2016, Dr. Robert Giombetti, Neurologist and Wright Balance® Professional, began a research project to determine how players from different Core Zones use the ground. He has conducted this research with over 200 elite players to date. The first phase of the study reported here had 80 plus participants, all elite players. The subsequent 120 plus player results have been consistent with the original 80 subjects.

Dr. Giombetti used the Wright Balance® measurement System to set the Stance Widths & of 80 Elite Players. He used a Swing Catalyst & a TrackMan Launch Monitor to gather performance data.

Of the 80 players participating, Dr. Giombetti identified 65% were UPPER CORE (Anterior Zone) Players, 25.5% MIDDLE CORE (Interior Zone) Players & 9.5% LOWER CORE (Posterior Zone) Players. The subject pool was made up of Tour Players, Club Pros, Top Ranked Juniors, Division 1 College Players & and elite Amateurs. The Subject Pool consisted of 71 Males and 9 Females.

This video shows a "real time" recording during the research with an audio explanation of the use of Ground Reaction Force in a UPPER CORE Subject. Dr. Giombetti is narrating the results of an Anterior Zone (Upper Core) player in this video.

The Wright Balance® Interior Zone

if you are a Wright Balance® Interior Zone player, when you add knee flex, your weight will move between the balls of your feet and the center of your arches, right between the balance points of Upper and Lower Core (Anterior and Poster Zone) Players.

The following video shows how the Interior Zone player plays with their balance just behind the balls of their feet and forward of the center of their arches; sets their posture; starts their swing sequence and uses the ground for power in their swing.

Notice at the top of your motion drill, IF you start your motion with Both your upper and your lower body (hips), that your center of mass at the top of your "swing" is centered over your pelvis and your lead knee points at the ball.

Note: If you do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express with a handle size that matches your Interior Zone in a 16 inch Stance Width, you will experience the motion and characteristics described here. The Wright Balance® 4- Way Express requires body measurements by a Wright Balance® Professional and testing for grip size. As noted, the handle size combined with the 16 inch Stance Width recruits the Interior Zone and places your balance just behind the balls of your feet and just forward of the center of your arches.

As long as you start your motion with both your Lower Core and your Upper Core (everything together), you will notice that your center of mass loads over the Center of your Pelvis as shown in the illustrations of Interior Zone Tour Players below. Also note that the lead knee points at the ball, exactly what you should have observed in yourself the motion drill.

Ernie Els

Jon Rahm

Adam Scott

Nelly Korda

Rory Mcilroy

Tiger Woods

Laurie Rinker

The image below is a screenshot from a video by Larry Rinker, Laurie's brother as he describes the Middle Core Swing (Interior Zone)

Start your motion, hands across your chest, with both your Upper and Lower Core. You should have the sensation that everything (hips and shoulders) rotates together in your backswing. As long as you stay within your Interior Zone 8 inch Stance Width Range (10 to 18 inches) and you start your swing rotating your Lower Core and Upper Core together, you will notice that your center mass is centered over your pelvis. At the top of your swing you will notice that your lead knee points at the ball. As you turn through to impact notice that you use the ground rotationally, vertically and linearly. Your hip clearance at impact is between the Upper and Lower Core hip clearances at about 45 degrees .

Again note at the top of the swing, your lead knee moves toward the ball, a characteristic of the Interior Zone player. If you tested as an Interior Zone player and you practice the motion drill described above, this is what you will experience.

As you turn through to impact notice that your hips rotate easier than what you experienced in the Anterior Zone. You may experience a subtle rise as you reach impact due to how the Interior Zone uses the ground.

This video shows a "real time" recording during the research with an audio explanation of the use of Ground Reaction Force in a Middle (Interior Zone) CORE Subject. Dr. Giombetti is narrating "real time" research data gathering with an audio explanation of the use of Ground Reaction Forces in a MIDDLE CORE Subject.

The Interior Zone player uses the ground rotationally linearly and vertically with very little linear motion. You will experience those forces during your motion drills when your sequencing is correct.

If your motion fits the Interior Zone motion sequencing, you will experience the ground reaction force you will use (without a club) in your swing. You will feel a subtle rise at impact due to the balance in your feet and, at impact, your hips will clear at about 45 degrees.

Be sure to do the motion drill daily before you add a club. When you add a club, if your hands aren't on the club correctly your hips will open or close. Work on your grip as shown in later EBooks.

The Wright Balance® Posterior Zone

If you are a Posterior Zone player, when you add knee flex following the Wright Balance 4-Way Express using the Lower Core handle size (blue), your weight will move over the Center of your Arches only if you tested as a posterior core player.

If your motion is correct you will experience the ground reaction force you will use (without a club). Start your motion with your arms across your chest. Start your swing with your upper body (shoulders) before releasing your lower body. You will notice that your center of mass loads on the trail side.

This video is a guided practice in how the Posterior Zone Player uses the ground. If you are a Posterior Zone player, the tape on the second pad of any finger will naturally place you over the center of your arches You will need the tape on your fingernail or toenail of one hand or foot and on the second pad of the opposite hand. Otherwise your balance will not match your Posterior Zone.

Notice at the top of your motion drill, IF you start your motion with your upper body (shoulders), that your center of mass at the top of your "swing" is on your trail side and your lead knee points in front of the ball.

Note: If you do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express with a handle size that matches your Posterior Zone in the 18 inch Stance Width, you will experience the motion and characteristics described here. The Wright Balance® 4 Way Express requires body measurements by a Wright Balance® Professional and testing for grip size. The handle size and the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express recruits the Posterior Zone and places your balance over the center of your arches.

Pause at the top of your backswing motion and notice that your lead knee is in front of the ball, straight out and perpendicular to the target line and your center of mass is over your trail side. The following images are of Posterior Zone Tour Players at the top of their swing.

As you turn through to impact notice that your hips "easily" rotate through to your finish position. The ease of your hip rotation comes out of the balance over the center of your arches. Now, purposely move your weight over the balls of your feet and rotate through to finish. Notice how your hips "stall" at impact and you rise. That is the difference between being a Wright Balance® Anterior Zone and Posterior Zone player.

The following are Tour Player's who play from the Posterior Zone. Notice the position of their lead knee and center of mass at the top of the swing. The lead knee is flexed and points in front of the ball, their center of mass is on the trail side. Also, if you notice the "depth" of their hip turn, it is the most shallow of the 3 Zones.

Dustin Johnson

Brooke Henderson

Paula Creamer

Hideki Matsumoto

Billy Horschel

Tommy Fleetwood

Jordan Spieth

This video shows "real time" research data gathering with an audio explanation of the use of Ground Reaction Force in a LOWER (Posterior) CORE Subject, a club professional measured as Lower Core. You can see in this video why the LOWER CORE Players attempt to "Launch" is futile & working against their "Natural Power".

The Wright Balance Posterior Zone player uses the ground rotationally and linearly with very little vertical motion.
Ground reaction force is natural and a function of balance. I have heard instructors tell students to "jump" at impact in an effort to use more vertical ground force. You will never retrieve ground force that you don't apply at address and during your motion. All ground force is natural. It is the application of force to the ground that results in the subsequent measured ground reaction force. Again, measured FORCE is a reaction of force being applied to the ground.

This image shows Ben Hogan practicing his delivery from a Posterior Zone. Note the clearance of his hips, his under delivery as shown in his trail hand and his trail elbow position, all characteristics of the Lower Core (Posterior Zone) player.

Ground Reaction Force in the Posterior Zone

This matrix summarizes the ground reaction force by Core Zone.

The concepts of "Glide" (Linear/ Horizontal Forces) "Spin" (Rotational / Torque Forces) and "Launch" (Vertical Forces) were developed by Dr. Scott Lynn to make it easier to recall the terms depicting the 3 ground reaction forces.

Motion Doesn't Match Your Core Zone?

If the player sets up and putts or swings outside their Wright Balance® Core Zone, their hips will open or close, the club will get behind them and the path with the putter will be outside in or inside out and their ability to use the ground for power in the full swing will be compromised.

AND

  1. Sequencing of Motion is Compromised

  2. Center of Mass no longer will match Core Region Swing at the top of the swing.

  3. Impact, distance and ball flight will also be compromised.

  4. The club will move "behind" the player as the swing progresses to the top.

  5. The club face will open or close.

  6. In many players we see that the trail hip is higher at address when observed from behind, often when the hips are open. When the trail hip is higher than the target side hip at address as shown here in LPGA Tour Player, Laurie Rinker's address position, this hip position impacts rotation and increases the chance of muscle strain and injury.

This higher trail hip will be present in over half of your students if they choose not **Following the Wright Balance® 4 Way Express Exercise, note how Laurie's trail hip is lower.

This exercise requires body measurements and a handle size that fits the Zone being recruited. This process is covered in a later EBook.

RESEARCH ON THE ORIGINS OF PROPAGATION OF FORCE

NOTE: For a detailed summary of the Propagation of Force, this EBook link will take you through models of possible explanations. https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/how-power-spots-create-propagation-of-force/

In 2005, in the referenced article below, researchers demonstrated "Action at a Distance" where the long-distance propagation of force was demonstrated at the cellular level when pressure was applied to a focal point of the cell. This propagation of force was observed and measured at points throughout the cytoskeleton. "Action at a distance" is well understood in biophysics and quantum mechanics. However, the precise mechanisms of “Action at a Distance” at the cellular level or total body is a still a mystery to scientist in all disciplines.

Long-distance Propagation of Forces in a Cell Ning Wanga,*, Zhigang Suob Physiology Program, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 2115, USA b Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 328 (2005) 1133–1138 This article is available online at www.sciencedirect.com In 2014

The same Harvard research group wrote following article summarizing a discipline of Cellular Biophysics as related to tensegrity and a process of propagation of force via what is referred to as “Mechanotransduction”.

Tensegrity, Cellular Biophysics, and the Mechanics of Living Systems: Donald E. Ingber, Ning Wang, and Dimitrije Stamenović

HTML link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4112545/

ABSTRACT
The recent convergence between physics and biology has led many physicists to enter the fields of cell and developmental biology. One of the most exciting areas of interest has been the emerging field of mechanobiology that centers on how cells control their mechanical properties, and how physical forces regulate cellular biochemical responses, a process that is known as mechanotransduction. In this article, we review the central role that tensegrity (tensional integrity) architecture, which depends on tensile prestress for its mechanical stability, plays in biology. We describe how tensional prestress is a critical governor of cell mechanics and function, and how use of tensegrity by cells contributes to mechanotransduction. Theoretical tensegrity models are also described that predict both quantitative and qualitative behaviors of living cells, and these theoretical descriptions are placed in context of other physical models of the cell. In addition, we describe how tensegrity is used at multiple size scales in the hierarchy of life — from individual molecules to whole living organisms — to both stabilize three-dimensional form and to channel forces from the macroscale to the nanoscale, thereby facilitating mechanochemical conversion at the molecular level.