Instructors Forum

Swing time Generating power within the offside fore shot

by Rege Ludwig

Relative to the mechanics of hitting the offside fore shot with power, I share with you an experience from which I gained tremendously while conducting a penalty lesson with Carlos Gracida.

Before starting the lesson, I explained to Carlos my theory that there are two forms of upper body rotation to be used when developing power to hit an offside fore shot.

I started out explaining how the torso should lean right and rotate clockwise to put the player out and over the ball. Then, the player should rotate their shoulders vertically around the spine to create torsion, or twisting, within the torso.

Because the player’s shoulders are rotating vertically and parallel to the horse’s spine during the downswing, that torsion, or twisting, creates the potential of tremendous power that can be used within the downswing.

Before I could get much further into that explanation, Carlos says, “When I want to hit an offside fore shot with power, I concentrate on pointing my left shoulder down toward the ball.

Immediately, my mind started processing that thought. Wow, that is so simple; why did I not think of that? If you want to rotate your right shoulder back and up for the purpose of generating power; then, rotate your left shoulder forward and down toward the ball within the process of moving the mallet to the top of the downswing position.

I remember telling Carlos, Wow, this is great; I know what to tell students who want to hit the offside fore shot harder—do like Carlos Gracida, point your left shoulder down toward the ball, so you can pull your right shoulder back, lift it up and rotate it within the shoulder socket. Doing so helps to generate the power needed to hit the offside fore shot harder.

The fact of the matter is, the more power you want to generate, the more you should rotate your left shoulder down toward the ball to facilitate pulling your right shoulder back, lifting it up, and rotating it within your shoulder socket to create that power.

That pulling back of your right shoulder, lifting it up and rotating it within the shoulder socket is not so different to throwing a baseball forward.

As the mechanics of the polo swing process would have it, pointing your left shoulder down toward the ball facilitates engaging your right shoulder in a manner that is similar to throwing a baseball. When your right arm and shoulder are positioned to throw a baseball right-handed, your left shoulder moves forward and down toward the batter. Coincidentally, your arm and right shoulder are positioned to initiate the downswing of the polo swing.

The difference between the two being that when swinging the polo mallet, your torso is rotated laterally and is bending down and over the ball, which will have you swinging the mallet down; as compared to the more vertical and facing-forward throwing position of a baseball player. The arm and shoulder mechanics, however, are quite similar.

As the mechanics of the polo swing process would have it, the farther down you point your left shoulder toward the ball, the greater the degree to which you can pull your right shoulder back, lift it up and rotate it within the shoulder socket. The greater the degree you can do each, the greater the power you will be generating for use within the downswing.

A reasonable degree of vertical shoulder rotation for the offside fore shot is when your left shoulder is pointing down to between 4 o’clock and 4:30, while your right shoulder is pointing up to between 10 o’clock and 10:30.

If you want greater power, get to where you can point your left shoulder down to 5 o’clock, while your right shoulder and mallet hand are pointing up to 11 o’clock. Both necessitate a reasonable degree of flexibility. And, both necessitate maintaining the stability of your hitting platform with a strong, constant and consistent upper leg gripping effort.

Ideally, at the top of the offside fore shot downswing, you should be able to draw a line from your mallet hand to the front side of your left shoulder, with that line touching the back side of your right shoulder when your left shoulder is pointing to either 4 or 5 o’clock.

I am compelled to tell you that maintaining a strong upper leg grip into your horse’s shoulders is essential to the purpose of generating power within the swing. That strong upper leg grip is equally

important to maintaining stability and control of the hitting platform from which that power is generated.

Another factor to keep in mind when rotating your torso laterally and your shoulders vertically around your spine is that your mallet arm should not become straight within the process of moving the mallet back and up to the top of the downswing position.

Causing your mallet arm to straighten before reaching the top of the downswing position produces the effect of restricting the movement of your right shoulder back, lifting it up and rotating it within the shoulder socket. That restriction, in turn, reduces the power that can be created for use within the downswing.

At the beginning of the downswing, with your mallet hand at approximately the 10 o’clock position, your elbow should be bent slightly to where there is an approximate 160-degree angle between your upper arm and lower arm (see illustration). With your right shoulder and mallet hand pointing toward the 11 o’clock position, there should be an approximate 150degree angle between your upper and lower arm.

Your arm should not become straight, until it reaches the 9 o’clock position within the downswing, With your arm continuing to straighten up to the 9 o’clock position, you are generating even more power with which to hit the offside fore shot just a little harder. •

You are getting a reasonable degree of vertical shoulder rotation when your left shoulder is pointing down to 4 o’clock and your right shoulder and hand are pointing to 10 o’clock.