Be Better Golf video on confirming the Malaska Move

 

Watch Brendon Devore's latest BBG video. 

 

 

 In this video, BD makes the irrational claim that he has confirmed that the Malaska Move is "real", and not just a "feel".

BD has for a long time stated that he has a tendency for the clubshaft to fall back during the transition - as seen in the following capture image from the BBG video.

 

 

Note how the clubshaft is falling back to an excessively shallow plane at the transition to the downswing.


BD has improved his pivot motion by generating a greater degree of torso-pelvic separation during the early downswing and he discusses this improved lower body rotation phenomenon in the BBG video (where he talks about rotating his pelvis very actively while keeping his shoulders more closed). However, that rapid pelvic shift-rotation motion during the early downswing between P4 => P5 can potentially make the "clubshaft falling-back" swing fault worse.


To combat the clubshaft falling back, BD believes that he must perform a clubshaft steepening move that will tumble the clubshaft in an over-the-plane direction - as a counteracting move. Mike Malaska called this move his "Malaska Move", and he called it a "feel" move because it is not visually seen in his "real life" downswing action between P4 => P6. BD now has another theoretical explanation for this "positive tumbling move", which he derived from Brian Manzella and he calls it applying a "positive alpha torque move".  It is interesting that he calls it an alpha torque action because BM originally referred to an alpha motion is being in the plane of lead wrist uncocking and a beta motion as being a clubshaft shallowing motion that is perpendicular to the alpha motion which was happening parallel to the swingplane - see this Golf Digest article written by BM at www.golfdigest.com/story/3-moves-to-smash-it . However, I would not be surprised to learn that BM has revised his definitions. More importantly, BD makes the controversial claim that this "positive alpha torque move" is "real", and not just a "feel". Note that BD does not provide any scientific proof that this positive alpha-tumbling torque exists, and I have never seen BM supply any proof. I think that it's just a theory based on Steven Nesbit's theoretical explanation regarding the forces/torques that are happening during a golf swing. Steve Nesbit's theory was contested by many other biomechanists (eg. Young Hoo Kwon and SashoMackenzie and David Tutelman) inciting what BD refers to as the "Alpha Wars". BD infers that BM has won this war and that this "positive alpha-tumbling torque" really exists, but I have never seen any evidence to support BD's claim.


How would a "positive alpha torque" really work from a biomechanical perspective?


Consider again this capture image of BD's "clubshaft falling back" swing fault.




How could BD biomechanically enact a positive clubshaft steeping/tumbling torque to counteract this swing fault where the clubshaft has a tendency to fall back?


It could theoretically happen if BD straightened his very extended trail wrist, but we know that this does not happen between P4 => P6 in a pro golfer's golf swing action. In fact, the degree of trail wrist extension may often reach its maximum degree of extension at ~P5.5.

Note that BD's trail forearm is very supinated in that image, so if he pronated his trail forearm so that it becomes neutral, then that would apply a positive torque in a clubshaft steepening direction. That's the only way that it can work from a biomechanical perspective in a "real life" golf swing. So, how do pro golfers actually apply that positive torque?


The answer is very simple!


Consider Ben Hogan's P4 => P5.5 downswing action.




Image 1 is at P4, image 2 is at P4.5, image 3 is at P5, image 4 is at P5.2 and image 5 is at P5.5.


The yellow colored lead forearm which is continuously straight-line-aligned with his clubshaft represents the intact LFFW (left forearm flying wedge) - ignore the fact that the lead upper arm is also colored in yellow and only think of the lead forearm. The red colored trail forearm with the bent back trail wrist represents the RFFW (right forearm flying wedge). The green colored trail upper arm attaches the RFFW to the torso at the trail shoulder socket.

Note how BH steadily shallows his clubshaft between P4 => P5.5 while keeping his clubshaft continuously on-plane (on-plane = when an extension line extended out from the butt end of the club always points at the ball-target line at every moment between P4 => P5.5).

Note how his trail palm is continuously parallel to his intact LFFW at every moment between P4 => P5.5. 


How is that possible from a biomechanical perspective?


It is possible if BH actively adducts his trial upper arm and drives his trail elbow towards its pitch location alongside his trail hip area by P5.5 using a pitch elbow motion with perfect timing. During that active trail upper arm adductory motion, which transports the RFFW downplane with perfect timing, note how he increasingly supinates his trail forearm while keeping his trail wrist fully extended. It is critical to ensure that the trail forearm is neutral at P4 and also near-neutral between P4 => P5, and that the degree of trail forearm supination only significantly increases between P5 => P5.5. If a golfer allows the trail forearm to become prematurely supinated between P4 => P5 it would cause a "clubshaft falling-back" swing fault. That is the key move that BH has mastered and that BD is also mastering in this BBG video - see the capture image below.


Capture images of BD's early downswing action - captured from the BBG video.




Image 1 is at ~P4.5, image 2 is at P5 and image 3 is at P5.5.


Note how he is steadily shallowing his clubshaft between P4 .5 => P5.5 while maintaining an intact LFFW which is continuously on-plane. 


Note how he keeps his trail palm continuously parallel to his intact LFFW at very moment between P4.5 => P5.5 - and that is only possible because he is actively adducting his trail upper arm with perfect timing and he is simultaneously keeping his trail forearm neutral between P4.5 => P5, and only allowing it to supinate more between P5 => P5.5. 


The bold-highlighted swing action prevents any possibility of a "clubshaft falling back" swing fault during the transition and BD is performing it flawlessly. BD has a superb golf swing action and he is using his trail upper arm and RFFW in a perfect/superb manner to support his intact LFFW. It is the perfected motion of his trail upper arm and RFFW that is automatically/naturally applying a positive tumbling torque that prevents any "clubshaft falling back" swing fault from happening between P4 => P5 - and there is no need to think consciously about the fact that the positive torque is automatically/naturally being applied as it happens at a subconscious level.


Jeffrey Mann.

https://newtongolfinstitute.proboards.com/thread/1152/bbg-video-confirming-malaska-move