Golf fitness stretching exercises can improve your golf game. These types of golf fitness exercises will help you in every phase of the golf swing. The golf swing requires you to draw the club through a long range of motion. This allows the golfer to execute a full shoulder turn, perform each phase of the swing correctly, generate clubhead speed, and accurately hit shots on the course. All to often the amateur golfer lacks the flexibility to execute the golf swing correctly. Causing an inability to make a full shoulder turn or efficiently execute the phases of the swing. Resulting in lower clubhead speeds, inaccurate golf shots, and higher scores rather than lower.
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 fitness 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, thorasic 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 fitness stretches are quite simple. A comprehensive series golf exercises that incorporate stretches for golf swing should be completed a minimum of four times per week. If an individual desires these golf exercises can be performed daily. In addition to performing golf fitness stretches multiple times per week, each golf stretching exercise should 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 golf stretches. It also recommended to perform a golf fitness warm-up program prior to your golf stretches to get more out of each golf exercise. The following are the golf 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 Quadricep.
Remember what is required from the body in regards to the golf swing. One of these requirements is drawing the club through a long range of motion. Golf fitness stretches and golf exercises can help with this part of the swing. To learn more about golf fitness training, golf exercise, and golf stretches go to my website at www.seancochran.com where you will find an abundant amount of information on of these golf fitness related topics.
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly working with PGA Professionals, most notably Masters and PGA Champion Phil Mickelson.