By: Tyler F on March 13, 2020, 9:33 a.m.
Updated: here's a link to a video review I did of the board https://golfsmartacademy.com/golf-instruction/review-downunder-board/
+Mark C I have not seen it personally, but I just checked out the website and watched the overview video. It appears that it's a board to allow you to squeeze your thighs together. This motion is controlled by the adductors (inner thigh muscles). This can help activate the deep core muscles which can improve many different movements.
Timing-wise, ideally, you would activate your core without much adductor activation. But if I had to choose, it's better to have both adductors and deep core rather than neither. Many poor golfers get too much quad or low back activation, so I can see why this device would help those golfers.
By: Mark C on March 14, 2020, 8:42 p.m.
Thanks Tyler, appreciate you taking the time and having a look at it.
It is inexpensive, so have ordered one to give it a go, as I have always had problems trying to feel any ground pressure as I tend to swing with my upper body and arms too much. I also tend to sway when hitting driver, which is my weakest club, so I’ll see if this can improve my lower body activation and sequence.
Cheers, Mark.
By: Mark C on April 9, 2020, 9:19 p.m.
+Tyler F
Hi Tyler,
Having tried it out for a couple of weeks now I am finding the following benefits.
I have tended to sway back in the takeaway, particularly with longer clubs, squeezing the board makes me feel more centred and I can feel the loading in my right glut, with a slight squat feel, which felt odd at first but now getting used to it. It feels like a more body driven swing as opposed to just arms.
This seems to help me start my downswing on a more inside path. I also don’t seem to lung forward so much at impact and can really feel the rear leg pushing down and creating some ground force, a feeling I have not had much before. This combined with a feeling of hitting through the ball with a focus on a full body pivot is working well.
So, it’s early days but all in all, I am hitting with more solid contact, on a better path with a better flight.
Cheers, Mark
By: Guy K on Dec. 10, 2020, 5:15 a.m.
Tyler,
How does this board compare to using a resistance band just above the knees? Like Tony is with this student: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIbs01cFoXe/
Thanks,
Guy
By: Tyler F on Dec. 10, 2020, 7:35 a.m.
The band activates your glutes, the board helps activate your adductors. Two different ways of making you use less quads in the golf swing. One reinforces the posterior chain, one reinforces more of the anterior chain. So they are similar, but also train different solutions to getting your lower-body working properly.
By: Guy K on Dec. 10, 2020, 7:40 a.m.
Which “flaws” would each work best to improve? Things like excessive sway, lack of turn, . . Or put another way when would you pull out each for a given student?
Thanks again,
Guy
By: Tyler F on Dec. 10, 2020, 11:07 a.m.
Unfortunately, with those devices, I would think of it more in terms of muscle activation and quality of movement. So I'd use the down under board if I wanted more adductor activation or help with deep core activation. I'd use a band if I wanted more glute activation. The one key for me is that neither of those devices is perfect in that it tends to activate the muscle for too long. So at a minimum, I would make sure to use it with students who could compartmentalize the feeling to the phase. I'd say most mid-handicap and high-handicap golfers would have a tougher time with that level of feel. Put another way, if they are more concerned about hitting the ball solidly than feeling the movement I would probably use other methods.
