With proper exercise, you can improve your golf ability and greatly reduce the risk of injury'increasing your time on the course!
1.) Overhead Deep Squat
The overhead deep squat test is a very informative test you can perform which can identify many aspects related to the golf swing with one test. The deep squat is used to assess bilateral, symmetrical, mobility of the hips, knees and ankles. When you hold a golf club overhead and do your squats, the test assesses bilateral and symmetrical mobility of the shoulders as well as the thoracic spine.
To perform this test, begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing forward. Next grasp a club about 6 inches wider than the width of your shoulders and extend the arms directly overhead, keeping the shaft in-line with your head and over your foot print.
Next, simply squat down as far as you can go, while keeping the club as high above your head as possible. You must keep the heels on the ground at all times. After you have gone down as far as you can go, keep the club high above your head and stand back up.
2.) Open Books Arm Bent Test.
The Open Books test checks the flexibility of your pectoral (chest) muscles, upper spine/rib cage and overall shoulder joints in a simulated golf rotational movement.
Turning to the top of the swing requires rotation through many joints with the overlying muscles and tissue having to stretch. Without these coupled movements joint separation is difficult.
To perform this exercise, lie on your side with your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees and use the bottom hand to hold the knees together. Take your top arm and bend the elbow to 90 degrees.
Keeping your knees in contact with the ground, try to rotate your top arm all the way back toward the floor. Try to touch your forearm to the ground, keeping your elbow bent and at eye level. Return and repeat on both sides.
3.) The Single Leg Bridge Extension
The Single Leg Bridge Extension is a superb exercise for assessing the strength of the glutes, and core
stability. If the pelvis can remain high and level throughout this test then the hip to core control is fairly good. Since we look at pelvis and abdominal cage for power generation, energy transfer, spine protection and posture control, this ability is important.
Lying flat on your back with your hips and knees bent, feet flat on the ground, and knees and feet together. Lift your hips up off the ground then extend one leg straight out so its parallel to the other leg.
Try to maintain a high and level pelvis and focus on firing the glute and minimizing the hamstring
involvement. Hold for up to 10 seconds. Then repeat on the other leg.
Being able to do all three of these basic assessments with relative ease should give you piece of mind that you are improving your ability to make a correct golf swing without certain limitations. If you had trouble doing any of these, it would be in your best interest to seek out a golf physical therapist or a golf Certified trainer to find out exactly where your limitations lie before spending time and money on new equipment and additional lessons.
To find a golf fitness professional in your area to help with your assessment, please log on to www.golffitnessmagazine.com and click on Golf Fitness Directory to find a pro in your area.
EDITORS NOTE: Golf Fitness Magazine is the only national consumer publication dedicated to golf-specific fitness, mental focus, and improving ability, performance and health among all golfers. Our priority is to maximize your potential, lower your scores, reduce your risk of injury, and extend your golfing years. Each issue has departments dedicated to men, women, seniors, and juniors along with tips, advice and simple exercise routines from GFMs team of experts. If you want to improve your golf game, and hit the ball farther, click here for special offers on a subscription so you can have all this and more in-depth advice delivered right to you! Get cutting edge fitness & mental tips sent to your inbox each month with our FREE golf performance eNewsletter, Shape Your Game. To contact our Senior Editor, Publisher or Online Editor with questions or comments, please visit our web site golffitnessmagazine.com for more information.