SWING your swing. Literally.

My daughter LOVES the swings at the playground. She is 5 and can really pump herself up pretty high as you can see on this video. As I watched her the other day I started thinking about the pumping action, how she had mastered it and noticed a few things:

Timing & Rhythm, (not effort) was the key! Kicking harder doesn't matter its all about kicking in the right direction at the right time for a better, more powerful momentum shift ( change of direction). Notice how she kicks her legs just BEFORE she actually peaks out on one side yet its not too soon or too rushed (which would slow her down). Also- just imagine if she kicked at the right TIME but wrong DIRECTION- that would negate her momentum (great if you're trying to SLOW down I guess).

Counterbalancing is a must. As she pumps her legs she leans her upper body in the opposite direction, counterbalancing the momentum shift and magnifying its effect. This also gives her balance so she doesn't fall off the swing.

Weightlessness at the "top". In both directions at her peak height she feels a g-force a weightlessness that makes her hair get air and flop around:) she reacts to this feeling and waits for it to know when to pump and lean her body in rhythm!

Hmmm.... Very Interesting.....

So being that the golf swing is much like a pendulum swinging action what can we learn from little miss Kiera? We have all swung on a swing and have learned to "pump" so go back to your school yard days, close your eyes and remember the rhythm of it. Feel a good swinging rhythm that is not rushed. At the top of your golf swing "wait" for the right moment to shift your momentum and change direction. Based on your playground swing model- shift your weight in your legs to your lead side JUST before your reach peak height of your arm swing back... when you feel the "weightless" feeling of the club at the top, its time to counterbalance (tilt your upper body slightly back) and ride that sensation through impact as you turn to your target and the momentum you've generated carries you to a balanced finish.

Have some fun with this and SWING your SWING.