Best Golf Stretches and Exercises for Increasing Flexibility
Swinging a golf club can be a difficult physical activity to complete. The physicality of golf has been underestimated for years but in recent times that isn’t the case anymore. With injuries to major golfers like Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, and Rickie Fowler, golf fitness (like this program we created) is getting taken more serious to help players prevent issues arising.
In order to swing a golf club effectively and to remain injury free while doing it, it is very important to have strong but also flexible muscles.
Doing a few stretches on the first tee box won’t suffice, if you are looking to play golf injury free for the rest of your days it is very important to take care of your ‘engine’ that swings the club.
Incorporating flexibility/mobility exercises into your golf workout routine will not only keep your body healthy but it will also definitely allow you to play better golf on a regular basis.
Lower Body Golf Flexibility Exercises
The lower body powers the golf swing, it is thus very important to have an ‘engine” that can work efficiently but that can also remain stable while firing during the golf swing.
Hip Hurdles
Get down on all fours and create a table top with your back. From this position kick your 1 leg straight back until the leg is straight and in line with your back.
For the second part of the exercise bring that leg back to the starting position but imagine that the leg has to go over a hurdle while you bring it back.
This exercise is very good for both hip and glute mobility. Do 10 repetitions of the exercise with each leg and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Lunge with Rotation
Start by standing upright with your feet next to each other. With your one leg lunge forward, it is important to keep your knee and hip in line in order to avoid injury.
Keep your arms together and straight out in front of you. Once you have reached the bottom of the lunge keep your lower body stable and rotate your arms over your forward leg as far as you can.
This exercise is good for both lower body movement and balance throughout the lower body. Do 10 repetitions of the exercise on each side and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Leg Swings
To help with balance hold onto the wall or a similar stable object. Stand upright and swing your leg across your body from side to side as far as you can while maintaining stability throughout the rest of your body.
This is a great exercise to loosen up the hips and the pelvis area. Do 10 repetitions/swings with each leg and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Upper Body Golf Flexibility Exercises
The upper body and shoulders are the contact point between the golf club and the body. In order to have a rhythmic free flowing swing a mobile/flexible upper body is very important.
Reachbacks
Start out on all fours in the tabletop position, put your one hand behind your head and proceed to rotate your elbow up towards the sky as far as possible. Once the end of motion is reached rotate the elbow back to the ground as far as possible.
Make sure to keep the rest of your body stable throughout. This exercise is very good to loosen up the t-spine area. Do 10 repetitions of the exercise on each side and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Open Books
Lie on the ground and pull your legs up towards your chest at a 90 degree angle. Spread your arms straight out in front of you, from this position rotate your top arm and shoulder towards the ground behind your back.
Make sure that the rest of the body stays stable, except for your head, let your eyes move with your arms. This exercise is very good for upper back mobility and flexibility.
Do 10 repetitions of the exercise on each side and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Child’s Pose to Cobra
Lie on the ground on your stomach, put your hands next to your chest and push your upper body off the ground while keeping your legs stable. This is the first half of the exercise, the cobra, and it is a very good lower body mobility exercise.
From the cobra position sit back with your glutes onto your heels while keeping your arms stretched out in front of you. This position is called child’s pose and it will give you a very good stretch through your lats.
Hold each position for 5 seconds, do 10 repetitions of both positions and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Lastly, don’t forget about working on your core muscles. Check out our 4 best ab exercises to build a strong core and generate more power in the golf swing!
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