Golfer’s Hibernation is Over!
by Executive Fitness Leaders Staff
Some may think that hitting a golf ball is like riding a bicycle. Once you learn how to do it, you never forget. The truth is that hitting a golf ball with accuracy, consistency and efficiency is one of the most complex athletic movements of any sport.
To produce a golf swing that resembles the Tiger’s, Ernie’s and Phil’s of the world, the body must synchronize hundreds of muscles in a perfectly timed sequence that few of us will ever truly master.
However, the beauty of the game is that although we may not completely conquer the course that lies before us with a tidy 59, that one shot that we feel hit the grooves, track directly for the pin and check up to within tap-in distance gives us the hope that we can tame the beast from time to time. The question we all ask though is, “How can I do this again?” The answer lies in our preparation for the battle.
There are an endless number of styles of swings used to hit a golf ball, yet one set of truths applies to us all - without some degree of flexibility, balance, strength and co-ordination, the golf swing and therefore the game itself can be an awfully ugly and frustrating sight to behold. Yet, quite a large set of our population is more than willing to pay their hard earned money to struggle through five hours of the day without giving themselves a fighting chance.
So, now that we have wiped the sleep from our golfing eyes we can focus on the task at hand. It is time to assess what we need to work on in order to make those long awaited golfing outings truly memorable. Before we take to the battleground we will identify what our weaknesses are and what we need to do to correct them.
Muscle balance is extremely important when performing an efficient golf swing. My simple bit of advice is to stand in front of a mirror and take note of your body’s natural posture from various angles. Do your shoulders and hips sit at the same level on both sides? Are your shoulders rounded towards the front of your body? Are you standing tall or are you slumping slightly forward? These are some of the things that may need to be corrected through consistent stretching that can be done in the comfort of your home, at the office or before the round. We all can find five minutes a day to loosen up a little. Trust me, you will thank yourself later.
The most common muscles that restrict the average golfer are the large hip flexors, hamstrings, pectorals and core muscle group. Just try to touch your toes, make a full upper body turn or perform a squat without tipping forward and you’ll see what I mean. Hopefully I now have you convinced that something needs to be done, so here we go.
Before beginning this stretching routine remember to get the body moving first. Don’t perform stretches when the body is cold. Walk, jog, or do some jumping jacks to get the blood flowing and then take five minutes out of your day to limber up. This year we are not going to wait until we are ten over par on the fifth hole to feel “loosened up”. This is the summer of change!
While standing, extend one leg onto an elevated surface. Lean the torso forward toward the toe while maintaining a neutral spine. Hold without bouncing. Tight hamstrings are a major reason for low back discomfort in many athletes.
Stand facing a wall or beside a post. Place one arm at a 90-degree angle, making sure the elbow stays in contact with the wall. Rotate the hips away from the stretching arm until a stretch is felt across the chest and front of the shoulder.
Stretch #3 Spinal Rotation (with flexion and extension)
On all fours, place one hand behind your head. Rotate the elbow gradually toward the floor. Reverse the direction until the elbow is aiming upwards towards the ceiling. The head and shoulder may move but keep the hips still. This is a great dynamic flexibility exercise to improve spinal rotation. Repeat the sequence for 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Place your right leg behind your left. While holding a support, bend the left knee while sliding the right leg out and away from the body. Lean the upper body toward the right foot. A stretch should be felt on the outside of the right hip.
Quick Fact: Stretches should always be held for 2-30 seconds or longer because of the body’s natural stretch reflex. When a muscle is stretched rapidly, the brain will automatically trigger the lengthening muscle to contract to help avoid injury. This is why our heads snap up quickly when our head falls forward as we doze off.