I have described before that the power in the golf swing not only involves a good sequence of positions in the golf swing, but also excellent core control. Core control and power can be trained but it tales persistence. Here is an excellent trunk stability exercise that all golfers should be doing, and it also helps prevent back injury.

I have posted a photo of the home version of this exercise and a video using a cable column machine. Either way is a great way to develop core control for the golf swing, which in turn helps develop power. Good Luck!

Trunk De-Rotation With Tubing

Posted under Exercise Tips, Exercise Videos, Golf Injuries

I like using the foam roller with my clients for many reasons. The one thing I know for sure is that foam rolling before your stretching, and mobility work, is awesome for improving your flexibility and overall golf swing. Watch this video for a sequence of foam rolling exercises that you should do before you stretch and/or even before you head to the golf course. Good Luck!

Posted under Exercise Tips, Exercise Videos

Here is a a new mobility exercise video that will help increase the shoulder turn in your golf swing.  As I have mentioned several times before, you want to ensure that the majority of the rotation in the golf swing is coming from your upper back.  Often times golfers will over rotate through the low back which can lead to low back pain.

The shoulder turn is not only dependent upon the golf set up posture, but also the actual mobility of the upper back (thoracic spine) region.  This exercise takes advantage of the natural biomechanics of the thoracic spine and the relationship of the movements rotation and side bend.  These 2 movements occur in the spine together especially in the golf swing.

So give this a try and watch that shoulder turn improve.  Good Luck!

Posted under Exercise Tips, Exercise Videos

This exercise is great for anyone that can’t touch their toes. Touching your toes is a basic forward bending pattern and gives you information regarding your hamstring flexibility, your hip mobility and posterior weight shifting ability. Problems with toe touching may not be all about hamstring tightness. That is why having a golf fitness professional screen your movement patterns can save you valuable time in finding what works for improving flexibility.

Some key points to remember when doing this exercise are:
- keep your feet together
- start with the arms extended high and return to the extended position
- crush the object between your knees
- if you can’t keep the knees straight then let them bend because it will help re-train the motor pattern

Watch this video several times to make sure you have the correct technique. Also perform 10 reps in each foot position and do it every day. Good luck!

Posted under Exercise Tips, Exercise Videos

Here is another flexibility exercise that will help improve those tight hamstrings. This is an active or dynamic type of movement that calls upon trunk stability for correct execution. This is also more advanced than the previous one, so make sure you are able to keep the knee straight and foot pulled back. If you can’t then stay with the wall assisted stretch a little longer. Good Luck!

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I have been busy working on and implementing a functional movement screen into my assessment of golfers. This functional movement screen was created by Gray Cook, a Physical Therapist and Strength Coach that has made a huge difference in athletes performance. More about this later.

What I want to do today is share the first of 3 exercises that I am using to help improve the flexibility and mobility of the hamstrings and hip. Gray has found much success with these as I have. Hamstring flexibility is important in all kinds of activities and often times can be difficult to improve. I pride myself in using various approaches in improving flexibility and mobility in my clients but really want to share these exercises.

This video here should be utilized first, and then as your flexibility improves you can move on to the next ones I will be sharing. So here you go!

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Core training for golfers is topic that is discussed quite frequently. I believe it is essential to have a good understanding of the core and how you should approach exercise selection and training. The core is the muscular area that makes up the pelvic and abdominal region of the body. There are essentially hundreds of different exercises that focus in on the core area. You can do anything from muscle specific training we taught back pain patients, to medicine ball training, to Pilates. The bottom line is, we all need a core that functions correctly and has strength, and endurance.

The importance of a correctly functioning core is, that we need it for all other movements our body goes through. It helps direct functional movement patterns by controlling and transferring forces through the body.

Now when it comes to the golf swing this is the key point. A golfer needs to have control of their core and the ability to stabilize in the correct sequence of the swing. What this does, is allow the energy develop in the backswing (coil) to be transferred through the body during the downswing and follow-through (uncoil). The golf swing is essentially the loading and unloading of energy to be imparted to the golf ball.

Here are 2 exercises that first must be mastered before you do more complex or dynamic core training. good luck!

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I was talking with one of my golf clients a few days ago and she explained that her teaching professional asked if she was tight through her upper back. She told him no and explained that I found that she had good flexibility with her shoulder turn. So the teaching professional simply asked if she could turn a little farther while staying in a good position. She tried it and of course she could, because she has the flexibility/mobility. What then happened was she hit balls while turning more and they were going much farther. Simply put she was able to hit farther with that greater shoulder turn.

Now I know that many people lack this flexibility/mobility in the upper back, as well as the stability through the pelvis that is needed in the backswing. So here is an exercise that helps work on both mobility and stability specific to the backswing. Give it a try!

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Warming up before every round of golf or practice session is important.  A warm up routine helps prepare the body for the work it is about to do.  It should also be dynamic, that is, consist of movement patterns that mimic the movements of the activities about to be performed.  Here is a short video of my warm up that I do before hitting balls.  Remember you should do this warm up first and then hit balls, chip, putt and go play.

Posted under Exercise Tips, Exercise Videos