BACK 9 STRENGTH BLOG

Plenty has been said, written and published on the benefits of flexibility training for the sport of golf. If you’re not stretching than your game is simply not going to improve, and eventually over time you will get injured. These three stretches are considered dynamic stretches not static stretches.

The difference between static and dynamic stretching is a static stretch is when the muscle is lengthened slowly and held in a comfortable range for 15 to 60 seconds. Dynamic stretching refers to actively bring a limb through its full range of motion. These following stretches are dynamic focused.

These following stretches will help increase range of motion in the backswing and follow through and in turn create more club head speed. In addition a few reps of these dynamic stretches will help loosen up any tight muscles and helps warm up the body for the dynamic nature of golf. Try each exercise; you can perform these stretches on a daily basis.

First is Hip Crossovers, this exercise helps loosen up the hips, low back, and also increases ROM in the torso.

• Begin by lying face up on ground with arms to the side, knees bent, and feet flat.
• Let knees fall to left, then reverse the motion to right.
• Be sure to keep your shoulders on the ground, navel drawn inwards. Do not let your knees touch the ground

Forward Lunge Elbow to Instep, this is probably one of the best overall pre-warm-up stretches you can do. It loosens up all the major lower body muscles from the hip flexors to hamstrings. Give it shot and you’ll understand why.

• Begin by standing with feet hip width apart, take a big step forward into lunge with right foot.
• Place left hand on the ground and right elbow to the inside of the right foot, and hold stretch for1-2 seconds. Place right hand outside of foot and push hips to sky.
• Drop hips and step into next repetition with the other leg. Be sure to keep back knee off ground when stepping into the lunge.

Reverse Lunge with a Twist; if your hips are still tight then this will unlock everything you missed

• Begin by standing feet hip width apart. Take a large step backwards with right leg into a lunge. Rotate your trunk to the left, placing right elbow on the outside of the left knee.
• Relax torso and step into next lunge with the right leg and repeat rotation

These are fantastic pre-game warm-up stretches that take less than five minutes to perform in total and will help improve your flexibility and your golf game. Go to www.back9strength.com

During the golf swing the most important multi-function muscle is the butt. There I said it. It may be crude to some. But the butt is one of the most under utilized, under rated, muscle groups. Let me explain, most people, unless there out on the PGA tour, there at a desk sitting, working Monday through Friday. Sitting for prolong periods of time tends to be the biggest culprit of dis-function in human performance both in the gym and on the course. Most recreational players (and some pros for that matter) will have weak hip flexors, weak hamstrings, weak buttocks, weak para-spinals, and a weak protracted shoulder complex from sitting too long.

So where does this leave us, well lets start with the butt. This entire muscle group is vital in helping the player to maintain lower body stability throughout the swing. It is also plays a large role in maintaining core stability throughout the swing.

It is this one muscle group that helps to blend the lower body movement into the upper body movements, via the central portion of the body. So if your butt is weak you will tend to over compensate in the shoulder complex, or your lower back, or knee and so on.  In a nut shell it is of utmost importance to have this muscle group functioning at its optimal levels in order to attain a repeatable and consistent swing, and to play injury free.

The buttocks are primary made up of two main components; Gluteus Maximus and the Gluteus Medius. Both of these muscle groups play a major role at both developing power and consistency in the swing. Both of these muscle groups need to work in unison to develop optimal swing mechanics.

The following exercises are some of best exercises at developing strength and power in the glute’s and surrounding musculature.

The Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift

Take a wide stance. Squat down and grip the kettlebell.

Grip the handle inside your knees, 12-18” apart.

Drop your hips lower than your shoulders. Start with the bell in between your legs. Focus straight ahead, draw your bellybutton in. Keep your back arched and tight.

Remember to squeeze your glute’s.

Lift with your legs – squat the weight up.

Stand to full upright; thrust the hips squeezing your butt. Don’t rush the reps, this is a slow exercise, focus on full body tension - regroup and establish a good starting position for each rep.

Glute Ham Raise

For this exercise you will need a Glute Ham Developer, it looks similar to a roman chair or back extension.

Begin by adjusting the distance between the thigh pad and the heel pad.

You will want to position the heel pad so that the thigh pad is in the middle of your thigh or slightly closer to your knee when your heels are in the heel pads.

The Kettlebell Swing

Stance should be shoulder width apart. Squat down and grab the handle with both hands. As you reach down remember to hinge at the hips keeping your shins relatively vertical, you should feel a mild stretch in the hamstrings.

Swing the kettlebell between your legs forcefully like your going to hike a football. Explosively snap your hips forward straightening your legs

Stability Ball Bridging

Start by lying on your back with shoulders and head on top of a stability ball; feet on the ground, hip- width apart for stability

Squeezing up from the gluteus, lift hips until there is a straight line running through knees, hips and shoulders. Do not lift hips too high or flare ribs so that your back hyper extends. Hold for 30 seconds and lower.

Try out these drills in hopes of developing some rock solid glutes! These exercises are sure to create a more stable lower platform as well as improve the function of the core. Be sure to check out www.back9strength.com and sign up for our free newsletter, or better yet pick up a copy of Back 9 Strength: The Ultimate Golf Fitness Rolodex on sale now, for tons of info on strength, flexibility, and power exercises for golf.

If your golf game is lacking or your current workout routine is short of achieving your goals than it is time for change. I have a passion for kettlebell training, golf, and martial arts.

Recently I decided to make a change to spice things up. I resurrected an old routine, one that I laid to rest when I discovered kettle bells. I went back to basics, the big compound movements, the barbell dead lift, kettle bell clean and press, pull ups, and squats. I used the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principal. I kept the weights heavy, focused on technique; I used a circuit style workout. Here’s the routine:

Routine 1 Move from one exercise to another taking short rests between each.

1A) Kettlebell Clean & Press    4-5sets   4-6reps

1B) Pull-ups     (Weighted)                   4-5sets   4-6reps

1C) Cable Wood chops                       4-5sets   8-12reps

1D) Plank                                             Hold 1 minute

Routine 2

1A) Barbell Squats       4-5sets   4-6reps

1B) Cable Rotations     4-5sets   10-12reps

2A) Sumo Dead lifts     4-5sets   4-6reps

2B) Push-ups (weighted)          4-5sets   6-10reps

Core

Stability Ball Crunch     3-4 sets 8-15reps

Stability Ball Hip Extensions                  3-4 sets 8-15reps

Stability Ball Russian Twists                  3-4 sets 8-15reps

I performed this basic routine in a circuit style fashion twice weekly for 6 weeks. It was simple but intense. I adhered to my main goals which were increased strength, and power, with an emphasis on all the physical elements a good golfer, or athlete for that matter, would want. The great energy and fast pace this routine required caused a considerable amount of fat loss. Not a bad win-win situation.

So try out something new; think outside of the box of conventional wisdom. If you’re bored of the same routine try learning some new lifts. Everyone wants to play better golf, everyone wants to loose weight, burn fat and be strong. It’s usually change that becomes the hardest obstacle, not the workout.

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