Right here’s find out how to carry out stretches that golfers of all ages and ability ranges must be doing.
1. Kneeling/lunging hip flexor stretch
This stretch will give your hips some TLC.
To do a kneeling/lunging hip flexor stretch:
- Place your proper knee on the ground.
- Place left foot flat in entrance of you, with leg bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Place proper hand on proper hip for assist.
- Squeeze your glutes.
- Shift your body weight barely ahead.
- Maintain for as much as 30 seconds.
- Repeat on the opposite facet.
Professional tip: Preserve your backbone aligned the entire time.
2. Standing hip flexion
This one is nice to your quads and iliopsoas (thigh muscle tissue). It will probably additionally assist cut back stress in your hip flexors.
To do a standing hip flexion:
- Stand with ft shoulder-width aside.
- Maintain a steady desk or chair for steadiness assist.
- Raise one leg up, bending knee, till knee is parallel along with your waist.
- Return to the beginning place.
- Repeat 12–15 instances.
- Repeat on the opposite facet.
Professional tip: Use ankle weights or resistance bands to really feel the burn.
3. Standing hip circles
Hip circles can enhance hip flexibility and stability.
To do standing hip circles:
- Stand in your proper leg.
- Raise left leg off the ground, however preserve it prolonged.
- Transfer left leg in small round motions whereas it’s lifted.
- Do 20 circles clockwise after which 20 circles counterclockwise.
- Repeat on the opposite facet.
Professional tip: Maintain on to a chair or the wall for assist.
4. Knee-to-chest
This transfer is nice to your decrease again and hip muscle tissue. It may additionally assist relieve stress in your spinal nerves and relieve stress.
To do a knee-to-chest stretch:
- Lie in your again.
- Gently pull proper knee in towards your chest.
- Maintain for as much as 30 seconds.
- Decrease proper leg again down.
- Repeat with left leg.
You can even alternate legs or stretch each directly.
Professional tip: If you happen to can’t deliver your knee all the way in which towards your chest, that’s OK! Don’t push issues into the ache zone.
5. Standing again extension
This train is an effective way to stop tightness in your again that might come from enjoying golf.
To do a standing again extension:
- Stand tall with ft shoulder-width aside.
- Place your fingers in your decrease again.
- Slowly arch your again and pull your chest up.
- Maintain for 10 seconds.
- Repeat 5–10 instances.
Professional tip: This can be a nice stretch for people who do quite a lot of sitting at desks too.
6. Press-up
This old-school train has stood the check of time — and for good cause! It’s nice for growing energy in your higher physique and core.
To do press-ups:
- Begin on fingers and knees.
- Place your hands flat on the ground, a bit wider than shoulder width.
- Straighten your legs and arms.
- Decrease your physique down whereas conserving toes tucked and legs straight.
- Push your self up.
- Repeat.
Professional tip: Be happy to drop your knees if that’s simpler for you.
7. Seated flexion
The seated flexion has it happening. It will probably work your lats, quads, and decrease again. We additionally like that it could possibly enhance your knees’ vary of movement.
To do a seated flexion:
- Sit in a sturdy chair with ft flat on the ground.
- Scoot to the sting of the chair so your knees are at a 90-degree angle earlier than the stretch.
- Protecting knee bent, elevate proper leg and maintain for five–10 seconds. You can even use your fingers to tug your knee towards your chest and maintain if that’s simpler.
- Repeat on the opposite facet.
Professional tip: To keep away from pressure, ensure your again is supported in the course of the stretch, both with a straight chair again or with an additional pillow behind you.
8. Core twist
The core twist (aka the Russian twist) is a top-notch ab toner.
To do a core twist:
- Sit on the ground with knees bent and ft flat. Protecting your again straight, lean again and elevate your ft off the ground.
- Cross legs on the ankles and cross arms over your chest, making an X.
- Twist your core to the left, then again to heart, after which to the fitting.
- Do 2–3 units of 10–16 reps.
You can even do a standing model of this stretch by moving into your golf stance, crossing your arms over your chest, and doing the identical twisting movement.
Professional tip: Keep away from slouching and preserve your head locked in movement along with your shoulders.
9. Hamstring stretch (with golf membership)
Put your golf membership to good use with this leg stretch.
To do a hamstring stretch with a golf membership:
- Place a golf membership behind your shoulders, greedy one finish in every hand.
- Set your left heel on a step (a chair works too) along with your leg straight.
- Lean ahead on the waist.
- Rotate your physique to the left.
- Maintain for 30 seconds.
- Swap sides.
- Repeat 2–3 instances on both sides.
Professional tip: Be sure the golf membership is resting in your higher again, slightly below your shoulders, and never in your neck.
10. Prayer stretch (again or wrist)
Both model of this stretch is useful if you wish to lengthen your lats (latissimus dorsi) or ease ache in your wrists earlier than 18 holes.
To do a kneeling prayer stretch:
- Begin on hands and knees.
- Place your brow on the ground in entrance of you and relaxation your butt in your heels.
- Attain fingers out in entrance of you.
- Maintain for no less than 30 seconds.
To do a wrist prayer stretch:
- Put your palms collectively in entrance of your chest, with fingers pointing up (you realize, praying fingers 🙏🏻).
- Flatten your forearms so elbows are pointing outward.
- Pull fingers down a number of inches, till you’ll be able to really feel the stretch in your wrists.
- Maintain for five–7 seconds.
11. Golfer’s elbow stretch
Golfers know the elbow battle is actual. This stretch can override the repetitive stroke motions.
To do a golfer’s elbow stretch:
- Lengthen left arm in entrance of you with palm going through up.
- Use proper hand to tug again on the fingers of your left hand and press left elbow up till you’re feeling the stretch.
- Maintain for 30 seconds.
- Repeat on the opposite facet.
Professional tip: Pull slowly when doing this stretch. Shanking this one positively wouldn’t be good to your arm.
12. Arm circles
This one will get your blood pumping. It will probably additionally enhance muscle tone in your triceps, biceps, and shoulders.
To do arm circles:
- Stand tall with ft shoulder-width aside.
- Lengthen arms to the edges so that they’re parallel to the ground.
- Begin making small circles in a clockwise movement.
- Regularly make the circles greater.
- Reverse the route each 20–30 seconds.
Professional tip: Add some small dumbbells to this one if you happen to actually need to get a ways on the green.
13. Cross-body shoulder stretch
This traditional stretch targets your deltoids and rotator cuff, which might improve your swing.
To do a cross-body shoulder stretch:
- Stand tall with ft hip-width aside.
- Deliver left arm throughout your physique.
- Bend proper arm and hook it over your left elbow.
- Use proper arm to push left arm into your physique.
- Maintain for 20 seconds.
- Repeat on the opposite facet.
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