Discover what Motor Preferences Experts, LLC , the premier performance company in the USA specializing in the revolutionary motor preferences approach, has to offer. As the exclusive representative of Volodalen , a scientific laboratory sports leader in Motor Preferences based in Switzerland, we provide unparalleled expertise in motor preferences—backed by science.
Unique Model?
Our perception of the world often leads us to believe that there is only one rational approach to everything. Unfortunately, sports performance professionals are frequently misinformed by unfounded information circulated on social media platforms. This often leads to a binary evaluation of things as either "all good" or "all bad," devoid of nuance. Consequently, our body movements and sensations are considered insignificant, unintelligent, or even deceptive.
We tend to adhere to certain "conformed beliefs," relying on them to shape our thoughts, decisions, and actions. At Motor Preferences Experts, our approach emphasizes a systemic understanding over analytical methods. Understanding the system and its influence on player behavior is crucial.
Is everything we learned in the past wrong?
Absolutely not. In fact, there's a wealth of valuable information available to golfers. However, it's scattered across various sources and can present conflicting information. Learning from renowned coaches on social media platforms can lead to success for some golfers. Why? Well, because some golfers are more adaptable. Will their methods still optimize the golfing experience for them? That's another question entirely, and it often depends on whether their teachings align with the golfer's natural movement. However, many golfers find themselves struggling to make progress using those methods. They spend countless hours on the range, only to see minimal results, experience mounting frustration, and sometimes lead to injuries.
Personally, I've spent countless hours absorbing insights from the world's top coaches through online videos or certifications. While I've learned much from them, the challenge lies in ensuring their teachings resonate with golfers' natural movement patterns. While they may offer fantastic tips, they're often rooted in strong beliefs and personal sensations, which is understandable.
As a coach, the pivotal question becomes: How can we provide the most effective training for the individual standing before me? It's our role as coaches to comprehend the complexity of each person and treat them as the unique individual they are. Each golfer is a unique individual with their own invisible internal process, guided by their central nervous system.
What is a natural motor preference?
A motor preference is a movement that occurs instinctively, without conscious effort or regulation. It's performed effortlessly and efficiently, yielding effective results rapidly. There are various types of natural preferences and one of the most common ones you can observe "in every sport" is the preference for flexion and extension. This preference sets the foundation for your journey into the realm of Golf in motor preferences, guiding you towards either terrestrial or aerial golfing styles. This initial step is pivotal for establishing the posture and enhancing a golfer's natural balance and coordination, as illustrated in the poster below.
Understanding whether you lean towards terrestrial or aerial preferences is pivotal for optimizing your golfing performance. This preference significantly impacts coordination, as both systems operate distinctively. Terrestrial players activate their nervous system when the center of mass is positioned behind the ground contact, while aerial players activate theirs when the center of mass is ahead of ground contact. This discrepancy influences muscle engagement: terrestrial players predominantly activate anterior muscle chains, resulting in flexion, adduction, and pushing motions for power generation. Conversely, aerial players rely on posterior muscle chains, leading to extension, abduction, and rebound for power generation.
Motor Preferences Spectrum
As we've discussed previously in this article, we advocate for a systemic approach rather than a binary viewpoint. This is where the motor preferences spectrum becomes integral. While individuals may lean towards one system over another, we each gravitate toward these profiles in our unique ways. Some exhibit pronounced preferences for flexion or extension, positioning themselves at the spectrum's extremes. These individuals may encounter challenges with traditional teachings, as they will be less adaptable. However, many golfers fall somewhere along the spectrum, exhibiting less distinct patterns yet still favoring one side over the other.
A motor preferences Expert or Specialist will help golfers identify their swing style based on others' natural motor preferences, shedding light on where they fall along the spectrum. We'll explore this aspect in more detail in swing individualization below.
Swing Individualization
Once we've determined whether you lean towards the terrestrial or aerial side through observations and a unique interactive core test, we'll delve deeper into your motor preferences, layering them to align your inner strength and unleash your natural movement.
We'll start by assessing your pivot leg, which can be either right or left, your trail or lead leg (independent of handedness). This reveals your leg extension, crucial for stability throughout the swing, indicating your dominant side. Next, we'll move to the Move Dial, gauging how you shift your center of gravity in three dimensions. Indeed, there isn't a singular method for shifting our body during the swing motion.
Then, we'll examine your natural rotation, which can be dissociated (known as X-Factor) or associated, each generating power efficiently as shoulders and hips can work separately or more together. Link with your respiratory system, breath-in or breath-out preferences. Depending on whether you lean towards a terrestrial or aerial inclination and based on your natural rotation, we'll optimize your posture and perfect your body alignment for your intended target line.
We'll also check if you're large or axial, observing how you move mass and movements away or closer to the body axis. This aspect influences your takeaway, wrist setting, and orientation of your right elbow at the top of the backswing.
We will explore additional preferences like vertical and horizontal, motor shoulder, or motor eye preference.
The world of preferences continually evolves, offering a fresh approach to high-performance coaching through individualizing movement. It's truly a game-changer in sports performance.
Perform with Preferences
The objective is to honor your motor skills, align them with the demands of golf, and reflect your game intention. This harmony is evident in your relaxed body, serene facial expression, and fluid, efficient movements. Every training intervention is designed to enhance the qualities that define you as a "PIMP" golfer (Preference IMProvement, as published in the scientific journal via Volodalen in 2022, link here)
PIMP embodies the essence of excellence and sophistication. It encapsulates the harmony between bodily sensations, mental focus, and outward expression.
Ready to revolutionize golf teaching?
If you've followed this article along this far, you might be intrigued to learn about what we have to offer. We're excited to announce that after Europe we'll provide Level 1 certification in Motor Preferences specific to golf in the USA soon. If you're interested, please contact me to discuss the possibilities of hosting a clinic at your golf course, private country club, or for NCAA teams coaches looking to unlock the full potential of their players. Let's explore the exciting opportunities together!
I invite you to follow David Genest and Matthew Swope and witness their remarkable work with Motor Preferences Experts in Baseball and Softball and the transformative results they achieve with their athletes and teams.
Professional Golfer?
For competitors of all ages across various tours, if you feel you haven't maximized your potential and seek guidance from a Motor Preferences Experts to uncover the missing elements, I'm here to assist you in reaching your goals. Let's work together to unlock your full potential and elevate your performance to new heights.
Oscar Wilde's timeless wisdom, "Be yourself because everyone else is taken!".
Please note that the golfers involved in this article have not been tested and have been analyzed solely through videos.