Golf stretching exercises to improve your golf game

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Golf stretching and flexibility exercises within a golf fitness program are very beneficial for your golf swing. PGA TOUR professionals, golf fitness trainers, and teaching professionals all agree that players need to implement such exercises within a golf swing improvement program. Research and biomechanical studies of the golf swing provide further support for the inclusion of golf stretching exercises within such a program.

90/90 Hamstring Stretch

In the most basic of terms, the golf swing requires you to draw the club through a large range of motion. In order to achieve this requirement of the golf swing, certain levels of flexibility and mobility are needed within the body. The amateur golfer does not often have the needed flexibility and mobility to execute the mechanics of the swing correctly. The result of limited levels of flexibility and mobility is the development of compensations within the golf swing to overcome these physical deficiencies.

To counteract the development of compensations within the mechanics of the swing, and provide the golfer with the opportunity to draw the club through the required ranges of motion within the golf swing, golf stretching exercises can be very beneficial to the golfer.

As stated in previous articles, certain joints and muscles of the body must be mobile and flexible to execute the golf swing. A quick review of the Mobility-Stability Pattern of Human Movement indicates in order to execute a biomechanically efficient golf swing, the ankle, hip, thoracic spine (upper back), shoulder, and wrist are joints that must be mobile. In order for these joints to be mobile, the surrounding musculature must be flexible. As result, the focus of our golf stretching exercises will be centered upon the musculature surrounding the aforementioned joints.

This information provides the golfer, golf fitness trainer, or golf professional with the needed information on what parts of the body and muscles to address with golf stretching and golf flexibility exercises. At this point it is also important to understand when to perform flexibility exercises for the golf swing.

Ideally, it is best to perform golf stretching exercises pre-round, post-round, and on days when not participating in golfing activities. Each program is no longer than approximately 10-15 minutes in terms of time frames, thus allowing this to be a reasonable stretching program for any golfer. The goal of a pre-round flexibility program is to prepare the body to swing a golf club, post-round is to stretch muscles that become "tight" from playing, and a maintenance program (non-playing days) is to continue the process of improving the flexibility within the body for the golf swing.

Over the past few articles we have been developing a post-round golf flexibility program. As stated previously, the goal of these exercises is to elongate (i.e. stretch) muscles that have become "tight" from playing. This week we will add an additional golf flexibility exercise to your post-round stretching program. Remember it is not necessary to perform these golf stretching exercises immediately after the completion of your round of golf, but rather complete the exercises prior to bedtime.

The next exercise we will incorporate into your post-round golf stretching program is the 90/90 Hamstring Stretch. Many golfers, especially if they are walking a course, will develop tightness in the hamstrings after a round of golf. To alleviate this tightness it is very beneficial to address the hamstrings with a flexibility exercise.

To perform the 90/90 Hamstring Stretch, lay flat on the floor, knees bent, and lower back pressed to the floor. Grasp behind the left leg with both hands just above the knee. Pull the knee into your chest. Straighten the left leg to a position where a stretch is felt in the left hamstring. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat the exercise sequence with your right leg. Do not "bounce" during the stretch and gradually straighten the leg in a controlled manner.

Golf stretches, and golf flexibility exercises within a golf fitness programs, are an integral part in the execution of an efficient golf swing. Remember, if the body is not mobile or flexible, execution of the golf swing can be hampered. To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com