Pre-round golf fitness exercises

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Golf fitness exercises can be very beneficial prior to a round of golf. At this time of year, when the golf season is just beginning, it offers the ideal time to discuss the hows, whys and whats of a pre-round warm-up. The goal of a pre-round warm-up is to prepare the body, mind and swing for the upcoming round.

Standing calf stretch

Part of a pre-round warm-up is physical, as the golfer is focused upon preparing the body to swing a golf club. All too often the amateur player will ignore this facet, which goes against the grain of what the PGA TOUR player does prior to a competitive round. In addition, not preparing the body opens the door to possible injury and poor performance on the course. To prevent such situations from occurring, and to follow the playbook of the PGA TOUR player, we are going to introduce a series of pre-round golf fitness exercises to prepare your body to play.

The goal of golf fitness exercises prior to a round of golf is to elongate, activate and integrate the neuromuscular system of the body. This process can be completed in a short amount of time and at the course with a specific set of golf fitness exercises.

The first step in a pre-round warm-up is to elongate (i.e. stretch) muscles that are "tight". The amateur player will typically initiate swinging a club without taking time to stretch areas of the body that require mobility for the golf swing. The end result of such a situation is an increase in the possibility of injury and an inability to draw the club through the required ranges of motion in the swing.

Once the musculature of the body has been elongated, the second step is activation. Activation is the process of getting the nervous system to fire at a high rate. The nervous system is required to fire at a high and efficient rate in order to execute the golf swing correctly. If the nervous system is not prepared, the ability to time and sequence the swing can be hampered. Activation of the nervous system allows for the body to be prepared to actively perform the phases of the golf swing in the correct sequence and timing.

The final step of a pre-round warm-up is integration. Once the body is "stretched out" and the nervous system activated, it is time to integrate the entire neuromuscular system. The purpose behind this final step is as follows: The golf swing is a "feet-to-fingertips" total body activity. As a result, it utilizes the entire neuromuscular system. In order to transition the body into the integrated movement pattern of the golf swing, it is ideal to implement a cross-specific movement pattern to the swing prior to hitting your first shots.

At this point we can see the importance of a pre-round warm-up and the actual steps to take when implementing it. A warm-up for a round is a 3-step process that entails differing modalities to prepare the body for the golf swing. The first step in a pre-round warm-up as note above is elongation.

The modality we utilize for elongation with the goal of stretching "tight" muscles is a series of flexibility exercises. If we refer back to the Mobility/Stability Pattern of Human Movement from previous articles, we know certain joints within the body require mobility to execute the golf swing. The joints requiring large ranges of motion for the swing are the ankle, hips, thoracic spine (upper back between shoulder the blades), and wrist. The case often times is these joints lack the ranges of motion required of the golf swing as a result of muscles associated with these joints being "tight".

Prior to playing we want to perform some stretching exercises to create mobility in the joints needing it to execute the golf swing. Common areas of tightness for many golfers are the calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back. If as a golfer you know the exact musculature that is limiting your mobility, it is best to address these during your pre-round warm-up. Otherwise, a general pre-round warm-up program will hit the common areas of tightness affecting most golfers.

Knowing the ankle requires mobility for the golf swing and it is very common for golfers to have "tightness" in the calves. The first elongation exercise we will implement into this sample pre-round warm-up program is the Standing Calf Stretch. This exercise can be performed at the range or in the locker room and requires absolutely zero equipment.

To perform the Standing Calf Stretch, place your hands on your hips, elbows bent, and body leaning forward. Extend your left leg backwards until it is straight, point your left heel forward, and bend the right leg.

Press your body weight forward while keeping your left foot on the floor. Allow your right leg to bend. Continue to press your body weight forward and bend the right knee until tension is felt in your left calf. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat with your calf.

A pre-round warm-up consisting of a series of golf fitness exercises can be very beneficial to the amateur player. Such a program prepares the body to play, reduces the possibility of injury, and potentially increases the amount of success on the course.

To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness programs go to www.seancochran.com