Brendon Devore interviews Jon Sinclair regarding lead wrist motions

 

Watch this BBG "live interview" video. 

 

 

 

In this video, Brendon Devore interviews Jon Sinclair about lead wrist motions during the downswing action.


Jon Sinclair gets many facts wrong and both he and Brendon are misinformed about what is really happening to the lead wrist during the downswing.


I will only use one example from that video by analysing their discussion of Henrik Stenson's downswing action.


Brendon asked Jon Sinclair when does Henrik Stenson's lead wrist reach its maximum degree of flexion in the downswing. Jon Sinclair stated that it happens when the clubshaft is at about 30 degrees angled back, which is roughly at the P6.6 position. 


However, that not true!

Here is Henrik Stenson's lead wrist HackMotion graph.




The green graph represents his lead wrist flexion (-)/ extension (+) graph.


Note that Henrik Stenson's lead wrist is continuously moving towards being anatomically flexed throughout the entire late downswing between P6 => P7 and it only reaches its maximum degree of anatomical flexion immediately after impact.

Jon Sinclair also believes that a golfer should close the clubface early in the transition to the downswing so that he does not have to close it later (via a lead forearm supinatory motion)-  by performing a lead wrist flexion (bowing) move. Jon Sinclair states that Henrik Stenson is performing the reverse motorcycle move (which is based on a lead wrist flexion [bowing] move that happens when the lead wrist is radially deviated) at the start of his early downswing and that it will close his clubface slightly.

That's not true!

Note that Henrik Stenson's lead wrist HackMotion graph shows that his lead wrist is moving in the direction of becoming more anatomically flexed during his downswing, but that it is still very extended throughout the early downswing. There is also ZERO evidence that Henrik Stenson is using the reverse motorcycle move.

Here is a capture image of Henrik Stenson's early downswing.




Image 1 is at the P4 position, image 2 is at his P5 position, image 3 is at his P5.5 position and image 4 is at his P6.2 position.


Here are other capture images from a different viewing angle.




Image 3 is at P4, image 4 is at P5, image 5 is at P5.8 and image 6 is at P6.2.


Henrik Stenson (HS) uses a neutral lead hand grip, which means that his clubface will be ~5-10 degrees closed relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm if he has an intact LFFW/GFLW alignment. Note that HS has an intact LFFW/GFLW alignment at his P4 position and that the clubshaft is straight-in-line with his lead forearm's lower radial bone at P4. Note that HS's lead wrist is extended about 45 degrees at P4, but that does not mean that his lead wrist is bent - they are not synonymous terms. Note that his clubface is very slightly closed relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm at P4.


Then, note that HS still has an extended lead wrist at P5 (image 2 of capture image number 1) but it may have lost about 10 degrees of anatomical extension between P4 => P5. That means that his lead wrist is moving in the direction of being anatomically more flexed (being anatomically less extended), but that is not synonymous with a lead wrist flexion (bowing) move. Note that HS's clubshaft is still straight-in-line with his lead lower forearm's radial bone, which means that he still has an intact LFFW/GFLW alignment. Note that his clubface has the same relationship to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm at P5 and it not closing more.


In fact, look at his clubshaft  and clubface at his P5.5. P6 and P6.2 positions. Note that his clubshaft is still straight-in-line with his lead forearm's lower radial bone, which means that he still has an intact LFFW/GFLW alignment. Note that his clubface is still only 5-10 degrees closed relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm at P5.5 and P6.2, and there is no evidence of any clubface closing phenomenon due to a lead wrist bowing maneuver (reverse motorcycle move). Note that HS's lead wrist is far less extended at P5.5 and P6 (compared to P4) but that does not mean that HS is using an active lead wrist bowing maneuver of his lead wrist. They are not synonymous phenomena.


Both Jon Sinclair and Brendon Devore do not clearly understand the difference between lead wrist bowing and the lead wrist becoming anatomically more flexed, and they will never understand the biomechanics of lead wrist motion in a pro golfer's downswing until they understand the difference between those two two statements. 


I will now explain the difference between a "lead wrist bowing move" and a "lead wrist becoming anatomically more flexed" phenomenon.


Here are capture images of me demonstrating the effect of a lead wrist bowing/bending move.






I have taped a short piece of black electrical tape over my lead forearm's lower radial bone.


Image 2 shows that the clubshaft is straight-in-line with that piece of black tape, which means that I have an intact LFFW/GFLW alignment. Note that my lead wrist is anatomically extended, but that is merely due to the fact that I have adopted a neutral lead hand grip.


Image 3 shows me performing a lead wrist bowing maneuver, which causes the clubshaft to move away from the target and out-of-alignment relative to that black piece of tape. Note that my lead wrist is anatomically flexed in image 2 as a result of my lead wrist bowing maneuver.


Image 4 shows me performing a lead wrist bending maneuver, which causes the clubshaft to move towards the target and out-of-alignment relative to the black piece of tape. Note that my lead wrist is more extended (compared to image 3) as a result of my lead wrist bending maneuver.


Both of those biomechanical motions - lead wrist bowing and lead wrist bending - disrupt the intact LFFW alignment and produce a non-intact LFFW alignment because they cause the clubshaft to angle away from a straight-in-line relationship with that black tape, which is situated over my lead forearm's lower radial bone. 


Now, consider this capture image showing how my lead wrist becomes either more anatomically extended (or anatomically more flexed) when I either radially-deviate (or ulnar-deviate) my lead wrist while maintaining an intact LFFW alignment.





Image 1 shows that I have an intact LFFW alignment where the clubshaft is straight-in-line with the black tape, which is situated over my lead forearm's lower radial bone. My lead wrist is about 10-15 degrees anatomically extended because I have adopted a weak lead hand grip.


Image 2 shows me radially deviating my lead wrist while maintaining an intact LFFW alignment. Note that my lead wrist becomes more anatomically extended (~30 degrees extended) but that does not mean that I am bending my lead wrist.


Image 3 shows me ulnarly deviating my lead wrist while maintaining an intact LFFW alignment. Note that my lead wrist becomes anatomically flexed (~5 degrees flexed), but that does not mean that I am bowing my lead wrist.


If a golfer adopts a weak-or-neutral lead hand grip and maintains an intact LFFW/GFLW alignment all the way between P4 => P7, then his lead wrist will naturally/automatically become increasingly more anatomically flexed during the downswing - but that does not mean that he is performing an active lead wrist bowing maneuver of his lead wrist during his downswing action.


Here is a capture image of Brendon Devore at his P4 position.




Note that he has an intact LFFW alignment and a GFLW (geometrically flat left wrist) and he does not have a bent lead wrist even though his HackMotion graph shows that his lead wrist is anatomically 47 degrees extended.


Note (from the HackMotion graph) that Brendon's lead wrist becomes steadily more anatomically flexed during his P4 => P7.2+ time period, but that does not mean that Brendon is ever bowing his lead wrist during that time period.


Here is a capture image of Brendon at his P7.4 position.




Note that Brendon still has an intact LFFW alignment even though his lead wrist is far less extended in this image (compared to P4). Between P4 => P7.4 Brendon maintains an intact LFFW alignment and he never bends/bows his lead wrist during that time period and his lead wrist simply becomes far less anatomically extended during that time period because his lead wrist moves from being radially-deviated at P4 to becoming ulnar-deviated at P7.4 while he continuously maintains an intact LFFW alignment. 

A forum member asked the following question-: "Can I ask: Stenson’s Hackmotion graph shows that he only goes into ulnar deviation at the very end of his downswing (release of PA2). However, his wrist moves towards flexion (still extended of course) from the top (P4). Is this an active wrist motion in this case, as it can’t be an effect of moving from radial to ulnar as you demonstrate with the electrical tape. Or, is it simply an effect of the change in the club’s momentum during the transition?"

Good question!

Between P4 => P5.5 the lead wrist is still radially-deviated, but it does become less extended between P4 => P5.5. I strongly suspect that there is another biomechanical factor that affects the degree of lead wrist extension between P4 => P5.5 and that is the clubshaft shallowing action involving an active trail upper arm adduction maneuver that is combined with a pitch elbow motion of the trail elbow + an increased degree of trail forerarm supination. If performed actively, it creates a force that will pull the lead wrist into a lesser degree of lead wrist extension.

The forum member brought up an important point when he stated that Henrik Stenson's lead wrist is becoming less extended during his transition to the early downswing, but it cannot be due the fact that his lead wrist is moving towards ulnar deviation (in the plane of the intact LFFW) because that does not happen in the early downswing between P4 => P5. So, is it possible that HS is using an active lead wrist bowing maneuver in his transition that is producing clubface closure (via the mechanism of the reverse motorcycle move)?


In the first post, I stated that an active lead wrist bowing maneuver would disrupt the intact LFFW alignment by angling the clubshaft away from the target. However, that only happens if the lead wrist is more ulnar-deviated. What would happen if an active lead wrist bowing maneuver is performed during the transition to the downswing when the lead wrist is radially deviated?


Here is a capture image of Jon Sinclair demonstrating an active lead wrist bowing maneuver that is performed when the lead wrist is radially deviated (at or near P4).




Image 1 shows Jon Sinclair at a simulated P4 position. Note that the lead wrist is extended and note that the clubface is roughly parallel to the watchface area of the lead lower forearm.


In image 2 Jon Sinclair is actively bowing the lead wrist (and twisting the club handle via the mechanism of performing the reverse motorcycle move). Note that the lead wrist is becoming overtly bowed. Note that the clubface is closing by ~40 degrees, and it is becoming more horizontal. Most importantly, note that the clubface is closing relative to the watchface area of the lead lower forearm and that allows one to note that a clubface closing phenomenon is in effect.


Now, consider what Jon Sinclair is saying with respect to Henrik Stenson's transition time period.

Watch the BBG video between the 28:44 - 29:44 minute time period. Brendon is playing back HS's transition move and Jon Sinclair states that HS's lead wrist is definitely moving towards flexion.


Here are capture images of that time period.





Image 1 is at P4. Note that his lead wrist is extended.


Image 2 and 3 represent the transition to the downswing, and one can see that HS's lead wrist is becoming less extended (= moving towards flexion). Does that mean that HS is performing the reverse motorcycle move secondary to an active lead wrist bowing maneuver that twists the club handle around its longitudinal axis? I would assert that it is not happening because I can see no evidence that his clubface is closing relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm.


Here is an even better set of capture images from the ~32:34 - 33:25 minute time point of the video.





Image 1 is at P4. Note that his lead wrist is extended. Note that his clubface is roughly parallel to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm.


Image 2 and 3 show his transition move. Note that the lead wrist is becoming less extended (= moving towards flexion). Jon Sinclair claims that Henrik is twisting the club handle in his lead hand (= via the mechanism of the reverse motorcycle move) and that it causes the clubface to face more skywards.


I agree that HS's clubface is more horizontal in image 3 (compared to image 1). However, I don't think that it is due to the effect of a lead hand twisting action on the club handle (reverse motorcycle move) and I think that it is due to the fact that his lead arm has become much more horizontal between image 1 => image 3 due to a clubshaft shallowing maneuver. Most importantly, note that the clubface is not closing relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm, which should happen if he was really performing the reverse motorcyle move.


So, if HS is not performing the reverse motorcycle move, then what is causing his lead wrist to become less extended between image 1 => image 3? I think that it is most likely due to his active clubshaft shallowing action - note how much he is adducting his trail upper arm between image 1 => image 3, which causes his trail elbow to drop far below the level of his lead elbow. However, also note that he is not significantly changing his degree of trail wrist extension between image 1 => image 3. If the trail elbow actively drops downwards very fast due to an active trail upper arm adduction maneuver between image 1 => image 3, while the trail wrist remains very extended, it will produce a downward (groundward) pull on the club handle that will shallow the clubshaft. That will secondarily cause the lead wrist to passively become less extended while HS continues to maintain an intact LFFW alignment due to the fact that his lead lower forearm is simultaneously pronating to a small degree during the clubshaft shallowing action.


Jeffrey Mann.

https://newtongolfinstitute.proboards.com/thread/976/brendon-devore-interviews-jon-sinclair