The start of golf season can happen before we know it, as winter can turn to spring sometimes seemingly overnight! As soon as those temperatures start to rise and we inch our way toward weather nice enough to go outside, it’s time to begin tuning up your body. The winter tends to lead to a lifestyle that’s more sedentary than the warmer months. As a result, you might be coming out of the winter tighter or less flexible than you are during the summer months. Not only will this affect your early scores negatively, but it will also increase the chance of injury during chilly spring golf.
Let's breakdown one of the major muscle groups that can contribute to a rocky start to the golf season if proper attention is not given in the off-season.
Hamstrings are the muscles behind the thighs which originate from the pelvis and attach below the knee. The hamstrings take part in controlling the degree to which your pelvis and spine can bend forward in the address position of your golf swing and can dictate how well you maintain your posture throughout the swing. If you are not able to touch your toes in the standing position, the chances of you maintaining posture in the golf swing significantly decrease and hence, lead to inconsistent golfing and a greater chance of injury.
If you think you suffer from tight hamstrings and they are affecting your posture throughout the golf swing, try the following hamstring exercises, which will allow you to achieve ideal posture at address and minimize swing flaws influenced by hamstring tightness
THE HAMSTRING STRETCH
Find a corner of a wall in your home where you can lay down on your back. Place your right foot up against the wall and your left leg flat on the floor. Make sure that your right knee is fully extended or “locked out” by squeezing your right thigh muscle and bending your right ankle down toward you so you feel a gentle stretch in your right calf. Choose a distance from the wall in which the stretch is challenging, yet tolerable. From here, squeeze your abdominals and make sure your low back is pressed against the floor. If you are properly positioned away from the wall, this will create a stretching sensation in the back of your knee, your upper and lower hamstring, and the calf muscles. If the stretch feels intolerable, move farther away from the wall and reposition your leg. When you have found the right distance from the wall, hold the stretch position for 3-5 minutes or until a complete release of the stretch feeling has been accomplished. Switch legs and repeat the stretch.
You can advance the stretch when ready by gradually moving closer to the wall and sliding your leg farther up the wall. Perform this exercise at least 5 days per week. You should begin to notice a big difference in your ability to maintain posture throughout the swing. Good luck!
STABILITY BALL HIP THRUST
If you try these exercises and you find them to be too challenging or uncomfortable, do not continue, until you have consulted with your physician. All exercises for golf should be customized to your needs after a proper evaluation.
Jason Rivkin
Golf Fitness Coach
FitGolf Performance Centers of the Delaware Valley
Questions? Email me at [email protected]
Come In and See Us
Want to take your golf to the next level? Our FitGolf® Trainers are experts at working one-on-one with you to tailor a training program to meet the specific needs of your body and help you achieve the results you are hoping to see in your golf.
Want More Resources?
Looking for more exercise resources, blog posts or monthly golf-specific exercise content sent straight to your inbox?
[…] Tune Up Your Body For Spring Golf […]
[…] my previous post “Tune up Your Body for Spring Golf” I discussed how a long winter can negatively affect flexibility and the way you perform at the […]