Better Golf Fitness
Warm-Up before Teeing-Off is Essential to a Great Round
All too often, golfers step out of their cars and onto the tee without warming-up. They risk injury, a bad round of golf, and the resulting poor world-view.
Hitting the first tee without a proper warm-up has always been a golf epidemic. Although not an excuse, today’s fast-paced world has everyone’s time stretched so thinly, it is difficult to play a round of golf. Finding 10 extra minutes for a golf warm-up before a playing a round further complicates matters; however, a basic warm-up consisting of five minutes of golf-specific stretches and five minutes on the practice range will reap benefits such as:
- Keeping muscles loose
- Reducing risk of back injury
- Increased endurance
- Increased consistency of the golf swing
- Greater range of motion
- Greater swing speed
Frequent host on The Golf Channel, and author of Yoga for Golfers (McGraw-Hill, April 2004), Katherine Roberts, has a five-minute program in which she recommends four simple exercises that will improve your enjoyment of the game.
First, Ms. Roberts recommends the Side Stretch. In this exercise, take a longer iron and grip with one hand near the clubhead and another near the grip, keeping hands about shoulder-width apart on the club, then lift the club over the head. Then, "place the feet wider that hip-width apart, bend the knees and pull the navel toward the spine. Feel as though you are lifting the ribcage up and off the waist." Exhale and stretch to the left, inhale stretching to the other side. Repeat the stretch five times.
In the Ms. Roberts’ second exercise, you twist with the club. You can go directly from the Side Stretch into this exercise without letting go of the club. Bring the club down in front of the body, at about chest height, while maintaining a solid body foundation. Then, "inhale, draw the navel toward the spine and twist to the left. Exhale and twist to the right. Allow the eyes to follow the hands." Begin slowly and then increase the intensity and speed. Make sure to maintain controlled movement and a stable core. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Roberts calls the third golf exercise Down Dog with the Club, which stretches the shoulders, lower back, hamstring and Achilles Tendon. Here, you "place the feet four feet apart and the club approximately three feet in front of you. Walk the feet backwards, bringing the body to a 90-degree angle to the legs. Relax the neck. Inhale, draw the navel toward the spine and return to the starting position. Exhale, move into the pose." Repeat the stretch five times and end the exercise by holding the pose for 20 seconds.
The last exercise is the Standing Forward Fold with the Club. It targets the core abdominals, hamstring, and Achilles. Begin by placing the right foot approximately four feet in front of the left. "Turn the left foot inward at a 45-degree angle. "Pull" the right hip back so the hips face forward. Inhale, draw the navel toward the spine and flex the quads. Exhale and hinge at the hips." Repeat the exercise five times and then end by holding the pose for 20 seconds.
These four stretches warm-up the muscles and muscle groups that the golf swing relies on heavily. They should result in significant benefits to golfers who practice them. Doing them at home, work, or wherever possible will also increase general flexibility.
Following the five-minutes of stretching, a short trip to the practice range will help prepare a golfer mentally for the round. It will also further aid in preparing the body for 18 holes of golf. Resist the urge to yank out the driver. Start small, with the wedges and work up to larger clubs. Five minutes on the range won’t allow for progression through many clubs, but it help synchronize the mind and body to the golf swing.
Golfers who make stretching and range-time a part of their pre-golf round routine will have a big advantage over the competition.
Vist the Suite101.com Golf homepage for more information and articles.
Source: GolfGalaxy.com
