How It Works

Stance Width:  We all have a progression of points in our stance width where we will be in balance.  For each sport, we have only one or two stance widths where our hands hang exactly the same.  This phenomenon is shown in the following video.  This video shows how to find a stance width for your putter.  No matter what your sport, the same process applies in determining your ideal stance width.

Anything you place in your hands creates tension or relaxation in your core, your center of gravity.  If the club, bat, stick, bar does not fit, your core tightens on either the left or right side and causes a rotation of your pelvis (hips) and one knee protrudes beyond the other when you add knee flex (bend).    

Why it Works

The Short Version (a more in depth version follows this summary.  The in depth version describes swing / shot patterns and injuries that result from various balance positions)   

Fact 1:  Where weight centers in each foot is called the center of force (COF) as shown in the following photo

Fact 2:  A line connecting the COF of your right and left feet is the path the bat, club or putter will track 100% of the time.  We call this the line of force (LOF).

The above illustration shows an outside in path, an over the top swing, a putter that cuts across the ball or a pull hitter.  The illustration below shows an inside out path, a putter that cuts across the ball or an oposite field hitter  (Derek Jeter).

Fact 3:  Your ideal "Athletic Position" of balance for maximum power and rotation is just behind the balls of the feet and just forward of the center of your arches.  The following photo illustration shows this ideal line of force (LOF).  This position of balance is where your maximum power resides, your fewest injuries, the ability to perceive lines or a ball in space accurately and the player with the greatest consistency.

Fact 4:  There are 3 primary factors that create these balance positions: Stance Width, Posture and Grip Size. Every individual is different.  We are able to put you in that elusive "Athletic Position" we have all been coached in.  It is no longer just a feeling, it is "Absolute Balance."

The New Science of Balance (The Long Version)

We have conducted years of research on balance. During research trials. players had 1000 sensors under each foot to measure force.  From this research came a New Scence of Balance.  When you understand this Science a putting stroke, golf swing path, baseball or softball swing and ball flight become predictable. Read on and you will find your ball fight and understand the balance characteristics that create your putter, club or bat path and the physical complaints that accompany them.

Center of Force (COF) is a well known entity in balance research.    The COF is the average of your weight distribution in each foot.  The following screen shot is  an illustration of the COF as represented by the circled red and green boxes.   This photo comes from our current biomechanics lab where we continue to teach and research balance on a mat that has 1000 sensors under each foot.

At the heart of our research is the discovery that a line connecting the COF in the left and right feet is the path the putter will track 100% of the time, the path the club will start on in the full swing 100% of the time and whether a hitters power will be back through the middle, to the opposite field or pulled to left field.  This line connecting the COF in the left and right feet is called the Line of Force (LOF).

We additionally discovered that the position of greatest balalnce, maximum power and the lowest probability of injury is a COF /LOF combination that is centered just behind the balls of the feet and just forward of the center of the arches as illustrated in the following screen shot.  This is also the position where there is the greatest equal surface area of contact with the ground, a precursor to power.  The following is a screen shot of this ideal LOF is from the balance mat in our biomechanics lab.  We refer to this as absolute balance.  Whether you are swinging a bat or club or lifting a weight, this your position of greatest core support and power.

The following screen shot from our balance mat shows a LOF that is outside-in with a putter, a club path that starts outside and a pull hitter.  This player will struggle with a steep angle into the ball, large right to left divots on the golf course, a pull or slice and a tendency to spin out.  A baseball or softball player will be a pull hitter and they will struggle with an "outside" pitch.  Physical complaints for all of these athletes will be left low back pain. 

The following screen shot from our biomechanics lab balance mat shows a LOF that is inside-out with a putter, a club path that starts inside and an opposite field hitter.  This player will have a shallow angle as they swing. an overuse of their hands at impact and a thin shot, push or "handsy" hook.  They seldom take divots but if they do they are inside-out.  A baseball or softball player will be an opposite field hitter, they will struggle with an inside ptich.  All of these athletes, regardless of sport will have difficuty getting through the ball.  They will describe getting "stuck" or "blocked" in the through swing and they will complain of right lower back pain, shoulder, elbow or wrists pain.

Our research shows that anything you place in your hands creates either tension or relaxation in your core muscles.  If the object fits both your left and right hands, it creates relaxation.  If the object is too big or too small in either the left and / or right hand, it creates tension causing a tightness on either the left or right side of your core pulling your hips to an open or closed position creating imbalance. This imbalance is translated to an inside-out or outside-in LOF as shown in the illustrations above.

When we stand in a balanced stance width, our core is relaxed.  When we stand out of balance, our core tightens on one side and pulls our hips open (left) or closed (right).  Again this core tightening shows up in our feet as an inside-out or outside-in LOF as shown in the following illustrations.

Core imbalance that creates hip rotation and an open or closed line of force can easily be corrected through the proper stance width.  When you stand out of balance, your core tightens on one side creating a rotation of your hips.  When you stand in balance you have a straight line of force.  Stance width measurements are free on this site.  All you need to do is input your body mass measurements and you will be emailed your balanced stance widths.  Then, you can test this for yourself and note the changes of balance that occur.

The correct right and left hand grip sizes and stance width "frees" your core and allows for maximum rotation and power.   If you are interested in getting your measurements for balalnced stance widths and grip sizes, in the top right corner of the home page, provide an email address and password and follow the registration process.  When you login in the future, you will be linked directly to your profile.  If you wish to change your sport, simply click on "update" in the upper left corner of your profile page. 

You can begin your measurements any time by clicking on "My Measurements" on the left column of the navigation and following the links to complete the necessary information and hand tracings  to get your grip size and stance widths.  Once your measurements are entered, they are saved in your account profile and emailed to you when you clear the shopping cart.

You may also complete your measurements by seeing one of our certified fitters.  Our fitters use a laser hand scanner to measure  your grip size.  It takes less than 5 seconds per hand.