With the golf season around the corner now is the perfect time to start preparing your body for the upcoming season. Here are four exercises demonstrated by COAST Chiropractor Dr. Aidan Genik to reinforce proper movement patterns, while also building strength for a solid backswing.
Any good golf swing is built from the ground up. Here’s an exercise that helps to groove good patterns and strengthen positions for a solid backswing. This exercise is demonstrated for Righty (swing right to left) golfers. If you are a Lefty please just reverse the exercise.
Grab a light to moderate weight and set up as though you are performing a Goblet Squat.
Hinge and rotate through hips sending your glutes back whilst turning over the right (trail) foot. Keep your chest tall and resist the weight from dragging you forwards.
"Feel" as though you are getting your chest over your right (trail) knee.
About 80% of your weight should be on the right foot at the bottom of the "squat". Once you hit the bottom of the position, drive pressure through your heel and return back to the start position.
In preparation for the golf season perform this exercise 3 sets x 8-12 reps 3-4 x / week with a slowly graded increase in weight.
In the last exercise we looked at how to load the lower body to “feel” what it should be doing in the Back Swing. This second exercise is a great one to simulate the transition to follow through positions that allow for a balanced Downswing and finish. Again, if you are a lefty please just reverse the exercise.
Grab a light to moderate weight and set up as though you are performing a Goblet Squat.
Slowly perform a regular squat into the bottom position at around 90 degrees.
Keep your chest tall while dropping the right knee in and flaring the left knee out. This should turn your chest “towards the target”.
From this position feel as though you are “spreading the ground apart” by pressing your feet in opposite directions while simultaneously standing up. (chest should remain pointing towards the target)
return to the start position and repeat.
In preparation for the golf season, perform this exercise 3 sets x 8-12 reps 3-4 x / week with a slowly graded increase in weight.
The first two exercises focused from the ground up, where the golf swing creates a foundation for success. This third exercise incorporates a solid arm and shoulder positioning in the downswing to marry up with our good foundation. Once again if you’re a lefty perform this exercise on the opposite side.
With a band or a cable machine, pull out some tension and stand in line with the band, or cable in the left (lead) hand.
Allow the shoulders to turn towards the attachment of the band or cable.
Bend the left wrist slightly and use the hips to squat down and pull the band down to waist height while squaring your shoulders to your feet.
Slowly allow tension to turn your back while keeping your arm straight and allowing your shoulders to turn, whilst standing back up.
In preparation for the golf season, perform this exercise 3 sets x 8-12 reps 3-4x/week with a very light amount of weight or tension.
The fourth and final exercise is built around injury prevention in the follow through. This is the phase of the swing in which the body needs to decelerate the speed of the club while staying balanced in the finish. This is where the most injury occurs, so this is an essential exercise to stay healthy. Once again, if you are a Lefty make sure you perform this on the other side than in the video.
With a band or cable pull out some tension and start in a squat that mimics the “impact” position.
Allow the cable to slowly pull you towards the left while keeping your arms straight.
Control the speed of the cable while allowing your shoulders to turn towards the “target”.
Your lower body should be mimicking the move we learned in exercise #2.
While keeping your arms straight, reverse the move back to the starting position and repeat.
In preparation for the golf season, perform this exercise 3 sets x 8-12 reps with a very light amount of weight or tension.
Remember to use all 4 exercises to not only groove good patterns for your golf swing but allow you to mitigate your risk for injury by preparing your body for the upcoming season.