When was the last time you stretched after a round of golf? No, lengthening your stride on the way to the bars doesn’t count. Incorporating good stretching habits will help your body be in tip-top shape the next time you tee it up. Luckily, you don’t have to stretch all night. Andrea Doddart, one of Golf Digest’s top 50 golf fitness trainers in America, shares five exercises that will help you recover quickly, so you’ll be ready when you tee it up again tomorrow. It should be there. ”
There are two main factors that cause your hip flexors to shorten during a round of golf. That’s when you ride the cart and the setup position. You want to stretch your hip flexors after each round so they don’t feel tight the next day.
“Releasing these at the end of the round will help you regain length and keep your hips loose,” Doddart says.
In this exercise, Doddart stretches on a bench with his left leg extended behind him and his right foot planted firmly on the ground. If you don’t have a bench, place one knee on the ground and extend your shin and leg back. Bring your other leg forward so your knee makes a 90-degree angle and your thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep your torso upright and your shoulders back into proper posture. You’ll feel this in your hip flexors and quadriceps. Hold for 1 minute, then switch legs.
“The golf swing puts a lot of stress on the internal rotator muscles of the hip joint and the muscles that make up the glute complex,” Doddart says. “Stretching these after your round will prevent stiffness from remaining in your hips, creating unnecessary stiffness and potential for injury.”
To perform this stretch, sit on the floor and extend your left leg in front of you, creating a 90-degree angle so that your shin is parallel to your hip. Extend your right leg back to an additional 90-degree angle so that your thigh is parallel to the bottom of your left leg. Next, lean forward with your torso resting on your left thigh. Stand up, stabilize your hands, rotate your right knee toward the ceiling, and lower your left knee toward the mat. Do this 15 times on each side.
“The lats are a huge component of your ability to properly extend your arm during the swing,” Doddart says. “During a round, these large muscles become fatigued. Staying flexible will ensure you make a proper turn the next time you play.”
Grab a bar or door frame with both hands, like the one Dodat has here. Place your feet next to the bar. Move your hips away from the bar (or door frame) and stretch the rest of your body as you continue to grip the bar with your hands. The body forms the shape of the letter C. Hold for 30 seconds.
“When your core becomes fatigued, your posture becomes fatigued. Taking the time to reverse the rounding in the upper spine and open the front of your chest will restore your body’s ability to stand upright, resulting in increased tension within your spine. It increases chest rotation,” says Doddart.
Lie on your back with your feet firmly planted on the floor and place a foam roller under your shoulder blades. Place your hands behind your head, arch your back, and open your shoulders. Leave it on for 1 minute.
“How many times have you had a stiff back and neck after a round of golf?” Doddart says. “As he moves his back one at a time, the long muscles that cover the spine and the larger muscles that pull and pull on the spine relax.” Part of the posterior chain. This series of stretches will definitely get him back to 100%. ”
Assume a quadrupedal position with your hands and knees on the ground and your spine neutral or flat. From that position, rotate your spine toward the ceiling one section at a time until your back is fully arched. Press down with your hand. Then reverse the motion and lengthen your spine toward the ground. Move slowly and repeat this 5 times.
