Knowledge
Playing Tips
Playing tips with Rege Ludwig The THROW and The CHOP
Looking at swing mechanics
Renowned polo coach, Rege Ludwig gives his expert advice on how to get more out of your game
Photography courtesy of Rege Ludwig
To begin this article, I reference seven goal polo player, Dr. John D. Richards as he states in his book, Observation upon the nature of the Gallop, and the Timing of the Stroke, and Form in Striking, “The arc over which this maximum arm affect is spent in striking the ball is a very small arc, and it is for this reason that the player should experience in a well-executed stroke the sensation of throwing the ball instead of striking it.” To take the throw thought further, the swing mechanics of hitting an offside fore shot, a nearside back shot, and an offside neck shot are similar to the mechanics of throwing a ball over hand, with the palm side of your hand facing in the direction the ball is to leave from your hand, which would be analogous to the ball leaving the head of the mallet. The difference being that when swinging the polo mallet, you would not be throwing forward; you would be throwing down, with the palm side of your hand, at the point of contact of the mallet head with the ball, should be facing in the direction
The Throwing Motion
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the ball is to travel from the mallet head. When hitting an offside back shot, a nearside fore shot, or a nearside neck, different mechanics are taking place. Those mechanics could be compared to chopping wood with an axe, with the back side of your hand facing the ball at point of contact, and then following the ball in the direction that it is to leave from the mallet head. Depending on the shot you want to hit, the mechanics of swinging the mallet to hit the ball can be compared to either a throw over hand, or a wood chopping motion. Throwing Motion When positioning your shoulder, your arm, your wrist and your hand to swing the polo mallet to hit an offside fore shot, a nearside back shot, or an offside neck shot, you will have created the same angles at the beginning of the swing process that are created at the beginning of throwing forward, overhand. However, for polo you would not be throwing forward; you would be throwing
down. That is true because, when executing an offside fore shot, your upper body should have leaned right, your torso should have rotated clockwise causing your right shoulder to rotate back, and your upper body bending down toward the ball. From that offside fore shot hitting position, you are positioned to throw the mallet down at the polo ball for the purpose of hitting it with the mallet head. The same is true when hitting a nearside back shot, or an offside neck shot; with the difference being upper body positioning. To further clarify the throwing theory, you will not be throwing the ball. By way of the mallet handle in your hand, you will be throwing the mallet head down at the ball. The mallet head will then hit the ball in the direction the palm side of your hand is facing at point of contact with the ball. An experience you should experiment with is that of imitating throwing over hand, and notice the positioning of your shoulder, your arm, your wrist and your hand at the very beginning of the throwing process. Then notice each as it is progressing through the throwing process to feel how your shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist, and hand are being used throughout the throwing process. Look to recognize similar mechanical maneuvers when swinging the mallet to hit an offside fore shot, a nearside back shot, or an offside neck shot. Relative to the offside fore shot, the first step is to lean your upper body right as though pointing your right shoulder to the ground. Then, rotate your torso clockwise causing your right shoulder to rotate back. As your right shoulder is rotating back, pull it back slightly further. As you are rotating your torso, begin bending your upper body down toward the ground to the point that, if there were a mallet in your hand, you could touch the ground with the mallet head). Having leaned right, rotated clockwise, and being bent down, place your right shoulder, arm, wrist and hand in an overhand throwing position. Now, imagine throwing the mallet head down to where the polo ball when hitting an offside fore shot. That same down throwing motion is what you should feel when executing a nearside back shot, or an offside neck shot. www.polotimes.co.uk
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