Tension in the swing makes for slower-moving muscles—and that makes for slower clubhead speed! Too much tension, especially in the upper body, also adversely affects your balance and flexibility, limiting the amount of turn and torque you can create in the backswing. Here are some tricks to help you remove that tension and add more clubhead speed and distance to your drives.
STEP 1: RELAX YOUR JAW
Move your jaw forward and open your mouth slightly so that your upper and lower teeth aren’t touching each other. Then press your tongue lightly against the roof of your mouth. This will effectively pull your chin away from your chest and relax your jaw and upper body, which frees your shoulders to make a deeper, more powerful backswing.
STEP 2: TAKE A BIG YAWN
Recent studies have shown that yawning releases neurotransmitters, including dopamine, into your body. This helps reduce stress and anxiety and can make you more alert. So before you step up to the ball, open your mouth wide and let your body do the relaxing for you.
STEP 3: WAGGLE, THEN GO
Another way to remove tension in your arms and chest is to hover the clubhead behind the ball and waggle it several times before pulling the trigger. Adding some movement to the club— such as rehearsing the speed or correct plane of the backswing—makes you less likely to tense up during the early part of the swing.[image:13856302]
