Golf Fitness Stretching and Exercises to Improve Your Golf Swing

[Maxine Donnell]

Golf fitness stretching and corollary golf exercises are an easy way
to improve your golf swing. The utilization of golf exercises within a
golf fitness program can enhance many aspects of the golf swing and
your golf game.The amateur golfer can improve their ability to execute
the golf swing, complete a full shoulder turn, generate more clubhead
speed, and hit more accurate shots with improved flexibility. The
process an amateur golfer can improve their flexibility is through
golf stretches.
Before providing information on what are the best stretches for golfer
let us define flexibility. Flexibility refers to range of motion. It
is defined as the optimal extensibility of all soft tissues in the
body (Michael Clark, Director, National Academy of Sports Medicine).
The biomechanics of the swing require the golfer to swing the club on
the correct plane. In order for the biomechanics of the swing to be
executed correctly every muscle, ligament, and tendon in the body must
allow for optimal joint range of motion.
Increased flexibility is the benefit of stretching. These benefits
occur through the elongation (i.e. stretching) of soft tissues
(muscles, tendons, ligaments). Typically certain muscles in your body
are in a shortened position (i.e. "tight"), causing restrictions in
the golf swing. Golf stretches (i.e. elongating) these muscles
alleviates these muscles alleviates these restrictions allowing for
the ranges of motion required of the golf swing to develop.
Because the golf swing requires a large range of motion from multiple
joints (ankle, hip, thoracic spine, and shoulder), I suggest
performing a series of flexibility exercises for the entire body. Many
golfers will find "tightness" in the hamstrings, hips, lower, and
upper back causing restrictions in their joint range of motions as
well as golf swing. This may require additional golf stretches to
assist in the restrictions caused by these muscles.
Guidelines to golf stretches are quite simple. A comprehensive series
of stretches for golf should be completed a minimum of four times per
week. If an individual desires these exercises can be performed daily.
In addition to performing golf stretches multiple times per week each
exercise should be take each target muscle passively to the point of
"tension" and holding the stretch for 30 seconds. Do not attempt to
"bounce" or "push" the stretch for this can result in injury. Pay
strict attention to technique with each of your stretches. It also
recommended to perform a warm-up prior to your golf stretches to get
more out of each exercise. The following are the stretches I often
recommend to the amateur player; Rotators, 90/90 Hamstrings, Cats
Down, Cats Up, Piriformis, Kneeling Hip Flexor, Openers, Standing
Calf, and Standing Quadriceps.
Remember how golf fitness stretches and other types of golf exercises
can improve many aspects of your golf swing. The placement of golf
fitness stretches in a golf training program is one step to
improvement in your golf swing. Keep in mind what is required from the
body in regards to the golf swing, and that one of these requirements
is drawing the club through a long range of motion. If your body lacks
the flexibility to perform this requirement of the golf swing, the
ability to execute and efficient golf swing will be compromised.