Use of Levers in the Swing Motion

How do levers play a role in golf? Do they matter? Is it relavent to the swing motion and club. I offer this view.

Source from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/levers.htm

Levers
For your arm, leg or any body part to move the appropriate muscles and bones must work together as a series of levers. A lever comprises of three components -

•Fulcrum or pivot - the point about which the lever rotates
•Load - the force applied by the lever system
•Effort - the force applied by the user of the lever system
The way in which a lever will operate is dependent on the type of lever


Classification of Levers
•Class 1 - The fulcrum lies between the effort and the load
•Class 2 - The fulcrum is at one end, the effort at the other end and the load lies between the effort and the fulcrum
•Class 3 - The fulcrum is at one end, the load at the other end and the effort lies between the load and the fulcrum


Class 3 is the most common class of lever to be found in the human body.

The shaft can also act as the lever in at least 2 of the classes to move the club head.

What might be one scenario, or explanation of kinetic linking and how levers play a role to transfer energy. If you don't mind, I would like to offer my humble view  and scenario.

Before I begin, I must state that both the explanation and execution of the swing motion, are equally difficult tasks.  However, if we understand first the how and observe possibilities, we can better manage the datails of  execution, in my opinion. What I am attempting to explain is actually a natural occurance in a swing motion, IMO.

The following explanation is an attempt to describe how we move or accelerate the load, weight or club head.

We will focus on the shaft as the lever.  

The back swing will be excluded and we will begin at the topp, however, in a one piece takaway we can leverage the club to the topp. The arms swing, but the hands leverage the club up.

 The first  lever used in a possible swing motion sequence is described as follows.

Load,(club head) fulcrum,(right palm) effort(left hand bottom 3 fingers, pinkey first)

This use of levers stops the club at the top and can, as Mr. Snead says, initiate the down swing.

This  next motion could simply involve dropping the elbows using gravity to assist this motion. One might also look to Hogan’s method of using the left leg ,(knee)to start the motion left in rotation causing the hands to drop naturally.

Now  if you use only the right hand to power the swing and apply any torque or pressure to the shaft, you are using one of the 3 classes of levers.

Example,  the pinky as the (fulcrum).  The effort or torque, or force applied by the thumb and forefinger area on the shaft.  The result being, the   load  or club head is accelerated. This would fall into the category of a class  (3) lever.   You may wish to switch the scenario or position of the effort and fulcrum.  The effort or force applied would come from the pinky, ring and middle finger  of the right hand. The fulcrum would now be the thumb and forefinger. This would accelerate the club head. This lever would be classified  as a class(1) lever. This action would require a great deal or wrist action, such as what one might use at release.  The left hand will aim the bottom of the shaft and determine the ultimate directionand path of the club head. ie top to bottom or from back to forward. I like to think that the arc and swing path set by the left and right hand, as a unit, preceeds the exact arc and path the clubhead will travel trough. Now the release and acceleration of the club head before impact and shaft has past, or or entering the horizontal position.

Being that this is the most important motion and last chance to control the club head and accelerate it to transfer energy, the scenarios and combination are many and are a matter of preference.

I will give a few possibilities as best I can describe them. This is just what I feel as I swing any implement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK0lVrcsBLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRsv2kytgeQ&feature=related
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOQ94Q4LPdI

Using a class(3) lever. 

Left hand stopped forward  motion of the butt of shaft and acts as the fulcrum.  The Right hand (palm area, is the) effort or force applied on shaft towards ball and target direction.  And again, the load is the club head being accelerated. this is a class(3)lever. Mostly the wrists as a unit(palmar flexion and extention)and  execute this motion and the right arm will begin to straighten.

Now this is the kicker. The right hand can, if absolutely timed perfect, act simultaniously and autonomously, before and  through  impact  as the final lever.(Slap hinge release)  Again this is either a class( 3), if mostly wrist or class( 1) if flexion or effort is applied by the pinkey first,of the right hand, then ring finger and lastly the middle finger and the fulcrum is in the palm of the right hand, and of course the load is the club head that should be on fire by now. To be honest, this last lever( release) is both class1 and 3 in motion, because the torque or effort on the shaft is being directed in two directions simutaniously. The left hand(palm) one way(backwards) and the right hand(palm) forward(along with the above description)  or performed with the hand also. Both classes used at the same time , using both hands  together and as seperate hand units. Genius. Wish I had invinted it, but nature has the ultimate patent on that.

 
 This is my story as to how I view the swing motion and it's intent to transfer energy to the ball, and I'm stikin to it. For now.

Mark, 1lovegolf

PS  . Left side and hand dominant to shaft horizontal position and right handand body dominant through impact using above mentions lever to accelerate the load.