With temperature gauges rising, golfers across America are starting to come out of hibernation. While getting your gear ready to go is a top priority, equally important is prepping your body.
Many teachers will tell you the golf swing actually starts well before you get to the course. Swinging a golf club is a very physical and violent action. To get your body firing properly you have to produce powerful movements, rotate strenuously around your spine, and put amazing amounts of pressure on joints, ligaments and tendons.
Don’t believe us, watch this Sports Science video on Tiger Woods and the extraordinary amount of stress he places on his body just to hit a tiny, white ball.
Stretching is vital to keeping your scores low and doctor bills lower. Developing a consistent routine before and after you tee off can greatly benefit your golf game and reduce muscle stiffness. What’s more, properly performing a handful of dynamic and static stretches on a daily basis will help increase your range of motion, boost power (honestly, who doesn’t want that?!) and ultimately reduce your handicap.So, with spring tee times right around the corner, here’s a great warm-up routine from Sports Fitness Advisor to help you get limbered up and ready to play your best, pain-free golf.
Brisk Walk: Starting off nice and easy to get the juices flowing, take a brisk, three- to five-minute walk around the clubhouse, along the driving range, or to-and-from the 19th hole.
Supported Squats: Holding a short-iron over your head with your arms fully extended, squat down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground. Rise up and repeat 10 times.
Arm Swings: Standing tall with your arms at your side, slowly swing them back and forth across your body, repeating the motion for 30 seconds.
Trunk Rotation: Standing with your feet apart, place a club on your shoulders, bend your knees and waist slightly forward, and turn side-to-side. Bring the club directly in front of you each time for 15 to 20 rotations.
Side Bends: Holding a club on your shoulders, bend over to the left and right while keeping your torso straight. Hold for two seconds on each side and repeat the process eight to 10 times.
Standing Shoulder Stretch: Standing with your legs shoulder-width apart, bend from the waist and place both hands on the grip of your golf club. Lean forward, keeping your back flat, until you feel the stretch in your shoulders. Hold for 10 seconds repeating the motion three times.
(Last, but not least) Wrist Extensions: Extending your arm straight out, pull back your fingers until you feel a solid stretch in your lower forearm. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat twice for each wrist.
Regularly stretching will go a long way toward improving your skills and overall enjoyment of the game. What’s your favorite pre-round exercise? Toe touches? Leg swings? 12-ounce curls at the bar? The LostGolfBalls team would love to hear from you; share your best warm-up routine in the comments below.
