Produce Power & Prevent Injury
Modern Golfers’ Approach To A Better, Healthier Game
By Yaron Peters, MS
Illustrations by Ron Severson
Golf is a sport, period. So why do so many golfers throw everything they know about preparing for physical activity out the window when they step onto the green? Whether you are gearing up for a 50-mile bike ride or going on a 30-minute walk with the family, proper preparation is imperative, especially as we age. Golf, even though it’s a social and seemingly leisurely sport, is no exception to the rule.
Sore muscles and joints are no stranger to any golfer and it’s no surprise. Even if you are in optimal physical condition, the extreme rotational movements that make up your swing cause a great deal of stress on your muscles and torque on your joints -- and you may be doing each movement hundreds of times in a round, depending on your handicap.
Conventional wisdom (and your phys ed teacher) told you that going into a deep stretch and holding it is the best way to prepare for exertion. This is not true (with apologies to Jack Lalanne), and here is why: Imagine your muscle to be like a rubber band. Pull the band tight and suddenly it is full of potential energy; release it and it flies across the room. Now, imagine holding that rubber band for a long time. As any of us know who have pulled on a worn out pair of socks or had to replace a stretched out drive belt on a Harley, eventually stretched materials lose some of their elasticity. Release it and it won’t fly as far. That is the same thing that happens to your muscles which causes them to lose integrity. Muscle strains, muscle weakness, joint instability, and thus wear and tear on our joints all can be traced back to loss of muscle integrity. But the good news is all of this can be mitigated if not avoided completely.
Here are some simple tips for warming up prior to playing golf that will increase your range of motion, maintain muscle integrity, and promote muscle elasticity:
Trunk Rotation Holds
Stand up tall with your feet shoulder width apart and the back of your feet five inches from a wall, cross your arms into an X, and sit into the same squat you use during a golf shot. Hold the squat so your butt is slightly touching the wall and slowly rotate your trunk into a back swing until your back shoulder/arm makes light contact with the wall. Push your shoulder/arm into the wall with light pressure and hold for six seconds, then return to neutral, rest for five seconds, and repeat six times. Then perform the same exercise but now in the opposite direction into a forward swing. Muscles you are firing up: internal/external obliques, lattisimus dorsi, spinal rotators, and stabilizers.
Glute Bridge Holds
Lay on your back with your knees bent at 90º and feet flat on the ground. Drive your heals down and your hips up to the sky and hold for six seconds, then back down for five seconds; rest and repeat six times. Muscles you are firing up: gluteus maximus, hamstrings, sacroiliac joint, and lumbar spine stabilizers.
Shoulder External Rotator Holds
Stand tall six inches from and perpendicular to a wall, bending the elbow to 90º while maintaining elbow contact at your side. Then externally rotate your shoulder and arm away from the midline of your body so the top of your wrist/hand is touching the wall with light pressure. Hold for six seconds, then return to neutral, rest for five seconds and repeat six times. Perform the same exercise to the opposite shoulder. Muscles you are firing up: infraspinatus, teres minor, and posterior fibers of deltoid.
After you have performed the above isometrics begin an active warm-up by swinging your golf club at 50% speed for five reps, 75% speed for five reps, and then 90% speed for five reps. The key is to reach your full golf-swing range of motion in a gradual manner. Taking just a few minutes prior to every round you play will help you recover more quickly, avoid injury and, who knows, maybe even improve your game.
