Experience Better Golf

“Internal and External Hip Rotation”

The Gatekeeper of the Downswing

The Biomechanics: Why Your Lead Hip Must Clear During the downswing, your body is moving toward the target at high speed. To decelerate that forward momentum and convert it into rotational speed, you must "post up" on your lead leg (the left leg for right-handed golfers).

To do this successfully, your pelvis must rotate around your lead femur (thigh bone). This requires the ball-and-socket joint of your lead hip to have extreme Internal Rotation. If that joint is glued shut from years of sitting, the pelvis literally hits a bony roadblock and stops turning.

The Golf Connection: The Domino Effect When the lead hip locks up during the downswing, your brain enters survival mode to protect the joint from tearing. It hits the emergency brakes on your rotation, forcing you to suffer from:

  • [Link: Early Extension]: Because your left hip cannot turn deep and backward, it thrusts straight forward toward the golf ball, crowding your arms.

  • [Link: Hanging Back]: If posting up on the lead leg causes subconscious pain or restriction, your brain will force you to keep your weight trapped on your trail leg.

  • [Link: The Chicken Wing]: When your hip rotation stalls, your chest rotation stalls. Your arms crash into your body and are forced to fold up through impact to avoid hitting the ground.

The Self-Screen: The 90/90 Floor Test

Test your hip capsules' actual range of motion using the floor as your guide.

  1. The Setup: Sit on the floor. Bend your lead leg to 90 degrees in front of you, and your trail leg to 90 degrees directly out to the side.

  2. The Posture: Try to sit up perfectly straight without supporting yourself with your hands.

  3. The Test: Look at your trail hip (the leg out to the side).

  • ✅ PASS: You can sit up reasonably straight, and your trail thigh, knee, and ankle all sit flush against the floor.

  • ❌ FAIL: You have to lean heavily away from the trail leg to avoid falling over, or your trail ankle/knee physically cannot touch the ground at the same time.

The Protocol: Unlocking the Lead Hip

If you failed the screen, you are physically incapable of clearing your hips through impact. Use these active drills to grease the joint capsule.

1. Seated Windshield Wipers This drill uses active breathing to gently coax the hip capsule into releasing its tension.

  • Setup: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on the floor behind you for support.

  • The Action: Keeping your feet where they are, slowly drop both knees down to the right side so they touch (or get close to) the floor. Your left hip is now in deep internal rotation.

  • The Breathing Protocol: As you drop the knees, exhale completely. When the left knee hits its restriction point, hold it there and take a deep breath in. On the next heavy exhale, actively try to press that left knee one inch closer to the floor.

  • Reps: Slowly alternate sides, spending 3 full breath cycles on the restricted side.