Golf Conditioning in the Off-Season
Unless you are a die-hard golfer, or have a house in a southern state, it’s safe to say your golf season is coming to a close. The snow is coming, and the clubs are hitting the shelf in the garage. That doesn’t mean that you need to forget about golf completely this off-season. There are plenty of simple things that you can do without a golf club that can prepare you for next season.
Golfers need to be limber, yet strong and balanced. You can achieve this by conditioning your body in the off-season. If you have physical limitations affecting your swing efficiency, now is the time to work on them.
Here are some key elements to golf conditioning:
• Aerobic exercise- Golf requires endurance, so take a 30 min walk, try out some high intensity interval training. This will really get the heart working.
• Flexibility-Golf demands flexibility from the ground up. Stretch from the calves up to the upper traps, this will help prevent bulging discs and pinched nerves.
• Core Strength- Because of the high amount of strain on the spine, it is important to strengthen the muscles that support it. You don’t have to go to the gym to strengthen your core, at home yoga can improve strength in your abs and back.
• Balance- In the swing, weight is transferred from the trail leg to the lead leg. The better your balance is on your lead leg, the more power you will have on your release. The BOSU is an effective tool for working on your balance.
Individualized strength, control, and stability exercises will allow for improved swing mechanics and limit those common swing faults. Simple exercises done correctly, like bridges, pelvic tilts, squats, and hamstring curls can make a huge difference in your golf swing. Combining that with a great mobility/flexibility regimen will allow your body more freedom of movement on each swing.
Be Fit Physical Therapy & Pilates can provide a well-rounded assessment of your golf swing and movement patterns and can help identify areas of weakness and help prevent injury while playing the game you love. Give us a call this off season and get your body for the Spring!
Be Fit Physical Therapy & Pilates: 4934 Main St. Downers Grove, IL 60515, 630.964.4008, www.befitpt.com
