Fore the Love of Your Game

Unfortunately for you golf enthusiasts, our Canadian climate around this time of year typically signals the beginning of the end of yet another golf season. With it, leaves what for many turns out to be another frustrating campaign. Whether you are a scratch golfer or a weekend warrior, everyone can relate to the same frustrations one may experience on the course (poor shot distance, accuracy, consistency, back pain, overpriced cart beverages etc.) The thing is, you can have the best golf professional teaching all the little intricacies of the game, the best bag of clubs and top notch balls to hit, but if you do not take care of the most important piece of equipment you own, you might as well save your money for something that will get you a better return on your investment. That piece of equipment is your body.

Teeing Off: Stability vs. Mobility in the Spine

The question begs to be answered: Is your spine stable and strong where it needs to be? Consequently, is it also mobile and flexible where it needs to be? A powerful tee-off puts a very high stress demand on various joints in your body such as your knees, hips, back, shoulders, elbows and wrists. Has there ever been a time when you have finished a game only to find yourself writhing in pain at the clubhouse or at home? Lower back pain is typically the most common site of acute and chronic pain from the recreational golfer to the professional alike. One way to combat this for the upcoming season is to get a jump-start in understanding how your body should be performing.

In terms of needs, your body “needs” to be stable throughout the lumbar region (lower) of your spine and mobile throughout its surroundings: the hips and thoracic spine (middle). If a golfer’s hips and thoracic spine are too stiff, what happens is the body naturally forces the lumbar to become mobile, contributing to the lower back pain one may feel after a round. As such, golfers “need” to develop the surrounding muscles of the core, which is the power center of your swing, and also the key to performance and longevity. Thus, another “need” becomes to improve the rotational ability of the body to enable the transference and production of power from the ground, up through the core, down the arms, through the club and onto the ball.

Birdie or Bogey?: Strengthening and Conditioning Your Core

Working on core development off the course is the fastest way to improve your next round. Your swing largely depends on balance, posture and having a neutral spine (one that does not round out). If you are a novice in the gym, the simplest form of strengthening your core is by eliciting the benefits of the pronated plank position.

Starting on your forearms and elbows, keep your back as straight as you can by lifting up your hips at the same time that you bring your midsection in as tightly as possible. Beginners will shake at first as the brain works with the body to understand which muscles are being stressed and for what purpose. A good way to challenge yourself once you have been able to hold the position for at least ninety seconds is to increase the demand of the exercise by introducing a piece of equipment, such as a stability ball or the TRX. At the same time you strengthen your midsection and lower back, you should also use the side plank variation, targeting your obliques and developing 360 degrees of core strength. Strengthening your abdominals will immediately increase your posture when you step up to the tee and help transfer the above mentioned rotational force.

Closest to Pin: Back and Legs

Equally as important as strengthening your core is strengthening your back and legs. A golfer’s back is so incredibly important to their game. If a golfer has weak muscles between the shoulder blades (rhomboids), this will cause shoulders to be more mobile than wanted, thus creating a rounded back, poor posture, and an uncontrolled swing. A pull exercise such as a variation of a row will immediately strengthen the muscles of the back in order to control any unwanted motion. Also, developing the muscles of the rear deltoid through Y’s, T’s, and I’s will ensure that muscles do not become tight after the game and are available for a great range of motion.

As pull exercises are essential in developing power and maintaining posture in the golf swing, another target area to focus on is the latissimus dorsi, which are connected to your arm and is used when lifting your arms to initiate your swing. The strength throughout your lats must be thorough in order to be able to produce a smooth, controlled movement. Exercises such as a lat pull down or chin-up/pull-up (with assistance if necessary) works to promote the strength needed to help with the swing.

In order to truly reap the benefits of greatly conditioned body, the golfer needs to learn how to do a proper squat. The inability to perform a proper squat on one’s heels will see the golfer rise from their stance before they connect with the ball, forcing the club to be released early, affecting the shot in the process. Learning how to squat on one’s heels not only promotes great leg strength and balance, but also helps to strengthen the stability of the lumbar spine, increasing posture as the outcome.

Often Left Behind in the Clubhouse: Flexibility Training

Finally, a word on flexibility training. As a fitness professional, time and time again I see people finishing an intense workout, only to pack up their things and leave without going through a proper cool down. Stretching after a workout not only makes your muscles feel good by releasing tension, but it also helps to improve flexibility, posture and range of motion in many of your joints. There must be a revolution in the fitness industry to help the common gym-goer understand that our bodies are interconnected entities, and as such, are not simply isolated masses of soft tissue. When one muscle aches, it is not an isolated area of concern, for the surrounding muscles now have to work twice as hard to make up for the lack of action.

Muscles and joints work as chains in unison to create movement. As a trainer, I get my clients to do various multi-joint exercises to severely increase the demand of the body but also, to help the body develop these chains. As such, stretching, or not stretching embodies the same principle. There is a state of interdependency between muscles from our heads right down to our toes. Like the progression of a golf swing, we too are connected throughout are entirety and as such, need to stretch in a manner which promotes functional ability.

Conclusion

Implementing the philosophy written here of creating a stable lumbar spine and mobile thoracic spine and hips, along with strengthening the muscles of the core, back and legs with a proper flexibility routine will do wonders for your game. Whether your play for fun or have a competitive nature, the benefit of having a finely tuned body will instantly shave strokes off your next round and impress friends and business partners alike so get ready to tee up to a higher caliber of sport! And while you now have the ability to use your body to the utmost of your ability, unfortunately the prices of beverages on the course are out of your control.