Golf Exercises Improve Your Game

Golf Exercises

Golf ExercisesThere are over 20 million golfers in the United States alone. And those who play frequently, including the pros, are often plagued by over-use injuries.

It’s the repetitive motion of the golf swing that’s the culprit. And if your form is less than perfect you can hurt yourself on a single swing.

It uses the same muscles every time: mainly shoulder (rotator cuff) core (side of the waist, abdominals), and arms (elbow, forearm and wrist)

Also, like any other physical activity, it’s good to warm-up your body at least 5-10 minutes before starting to play. A brisk walk, a few arm circles and practice swings with a towel will help to elevate your body temperature, lubricate joints and increase blood flow to your working muscles.

As for the current aches and pains, you probably have to rest those muscles until they heal.

Golf Exercises

The good news is, there are Prehab golf exercises to help you play injury-free in the future and they will also help improve your game.

Here are some essential exercises.

 

 

 

Essential Golf Exercises:

Towel warm-up

Roll up a towel lengthwise and take a few practice swings to warm-up the muscles you’ll use when you add the weight of the club.

Golf ExercisesGolf Exercises: Side Bend
If you have hand weights, great. Otherwise, grab some cans from your pantry.

Stand feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, arms at your sides. Without bending forward or back, bend directly to one side, while sliding the weight in your opposite hand up the side of your body to your armpit. Do the same on the other side. 8-12 reps on each side, alternating side to side. Areas Worked: Side of the Waist

Golf Exercises: Core Strength & Stretch

Golf Exercise

Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.

Gently stretch your right arm out in front of you till it’s level with your torso. At the same time raise your left leg and straighten it behind you. Hold for 10-20 counts and slowly return to starting position. Switch sides and repeat. Areas Worked: Abdominals, shoulder, hip and back of leg


Golf Exercises: Oblique Twist

Golf Exercises

Lie down, knees bent, feet hip width apart. Place your hands behind your head.

Lift and turn your torso to point your right elbow towards your left knee (keep your elbow back in line with your shoulder) and return to start. Do 8 reps. Switch sides and repeat. Areas Worked: Abdominals, particularly the side abs.

Golf ExercisesGolf Exercises: Rotator Cuff

Holding cans or hand weights bend arms at the elbows to 90 degrees in front of you. Keep your elbows bent and bring your arms out to your sides.

Repeat 8-12 reps.

Areas Worked: Shoulders

 

Golf Exercises: Wrist Curls
Golf ExercisesHold hand weights at your sides, elbows at 90-degree angles, palms down. Keep arms stationary, and using only your wrists, slowly curl the weights towards you until your knuckles are facing the ceiling. Repeat 8-15 reps

Flip weights palms up. Do 8-15 reps in this position.

Areas Worked: Forearms and wrists.

Golf ExercisesGolf Exercises: Diamond Stretch

Raise arms over-head, linking hands together. Slightly bend elbows and gently move them back.

Hold for 10-20 counts.

Areas worked: Shoulders, chest and upper back.

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For more info on health and wellness programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

 

Follow Mirabai Holland, Certified Health Coach & Certified Exercise Physiologist:

 

Send your Moving Free® with Mirabai questions to askmirabai@movingfree.com

 

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The Pleasure Principle © 2013

 

Fall is upon us and we’re scrambling to get those last outdoor activities in. So I thought I would talk about one of the most important aspects of any fitness program, pleasure.
If you like it, you’ll do it. If you don’t, you won’t.

The popular trend right now in the fitness industry is boot camp style workouts that basically whip you into shape.
This type of exercise may be some people’s idea of fun, but for many of us who have had trouble getting or staying on an exercise program it’s just not sustainable.
Exercise should be a pleasure not a chore.
That thought played over and over in my head as I watched two distinct sets of bicyclists on their daily rides.
Near where I live there is a road that has two bike paths on it. There is one for serious touring bikers and one for slower traffic.

The serious group is just that, SERIOUS! – Featherweight bikes with drop handle bars, tiny seats and pedals that require clip-on shoes. They wear flaming color form fitting hi-tech clothes that slip the air, wick the sweat and have hidden pockets for keys and snacks.
They stream along at high speed, and with their bodies bent over for aerodynamic position, helmeted heads lurched forward, they look like a flock of supersonic tropical birds. There is a grimace on every face, but this is the type of exercise they enjoy.
They’re working hard and wouldn’t have it any other way. Young or old, these athletes are in top condition.
However, just a few feet away, an endless parade of more leisurely exercisers ambles along, peddling merrily, sitting up right, zinging their bells, smiling and chatting. They wouldn’t have it any other way either. Are the amblers as fit as the racers? – Probably not. But is their daily moderate exercise enough to reap most of the health benefits exercise has to offer? – Probably so.
Research clearly shows that you don’t have to be an athlete to be fit enough to be healthy and live longer.
Then there’s burnout. If you don’t enjoy it you’ll quit.  So many of us try to do too much and end up doing nothing.  Pleasure is the key to success.
Find a physical activity you like or at least don’t hate and pursue it with pleasure. Stay in your comfort zone and if you do, exercise will become something you look forward to instead of dread.
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