Stretch Your Game

KarenEssentials for Your GameLeave a Comment

Flexibility promotes a more consistent, efficient and powerful swing by helping you:

1. Reduce unwanted compensations. This is when one part of your body has to stretch further as there is a restriction in another. By doing this there is a large amount of stress on certain areas and can result in injury. For example: restricted hip motion causes excessive spinal rotation and or shoulder movement and vice versa. And if the hips back and shoulders are tight, excessive head, arm and/or wrist movement occurs, all of which can alter the swing plane, posture and cause injury in those areas.

2. Maintaine posture. Flexibility can help with your posture throughout the swing. Miss hits are more likely when you are unable to maintain your spine angles. By this happening other postures will be lost at the ankles, knees, hips and trunk.

3. Creating a full unrestricted shoulder turn: By being more flexible you are able to have a bigger and more controlled shoulder turn. Having a bigger shoulder turn you can generate more power and distance

4. Making you body aware. Body awareness is very important when looking at a golf swing. There are sensors in muscles, tendons and joints that communicate body position, direction and rate of movement to our brain which then provides immediate feedback to alter a movement if necessary. When a movement is restricted this communication is less than optimal and performance can be compromised.

So the main question is: How do we become more flexible? 

The simple answer is stretch! No matter what sport you play stretching and warming up is essential. For the body to move more efficiently a warm up is essential and stretching is part of this.

As athletes get older stretching becomes even more important for reducing injury. A golf swing is very dynamic and stretching techniques help with the efficiency. Stretching must be an important part of you pre golf routine. It’s easy to do and doesn’t cost anything! So before hitting balls on the range or teeing off it is important to stretch. Old or current injuries, especially those involving the spine need to be taken into consideration so it is worth speaking to a sports specialist or PGA Professional to design the right flexibility program for you.

Click here to download the FREE Cardiogolf E-Book to learn how to warm up before your round of golf. 

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