Golf players have long underestimated the athleticism necessary for golf. But from the past few years, the training perspective on golf for professional golfers like Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott is shifting.
There’s a particular emphasis on the functional movement required to execute the perfect swing, that is why yoga is increasingly appealing to golf players.
Do you remember Tiger Woods’ low-back problem? Tiger blamed a lack of glute (primary buttock muscle) firing for locking up his back, but rotating his lower back instead of moving functionally from his mid back or hips likely exacerbated the issue.
So, when golfers have mobility limitations in their mid back or hips, they use to compensate with their low back and knees that not only hampers play but often leads to pain and injury.
So, do you want the mobility to swing like Jordan Spieth and avoid the back and knee issues that commonly plague golfers? If yes, then try out these these two yoga moves to improve your golf game on your next golf tuition holidays.
Yoga moves to improve your Golf Game
1. Sphinx
This yoga move promotes a proper mid-back extension, strengthens your shoulder girdle and lengthens low back. To try this move, you have to follow the given instructions:
- Lie with your belly down on your forearms and elbows under your shoulders.
- When you press down through your forearms, exhale as you are trying to slide your belly through your arms to create length in your low back.
- Side by side, move your shoulder blades down toward your waist. This is going to activate the mid-back muscles essential for thoracic spine extension while inhibiting the muscles of your upper neck and chest that limit mobility.
- Now, hold the posture for three long and deep breaths.
2. Twisting chair:
This yoga move promotes the thoracic spine rotation and shoulder girdle function. Also, it stabilizes low back, encourages ankle mobility, activates glutes, strengthens adductors (groins), legs and core. How to try this move:
- First, stand with your feet together. Although your big toes should touch, but must allow space between your heels to avoid externally rotating your hips.
- Now, exhale as you sit back into a squat with your hands and forearms together in front of your chest.
- When you hold the position, inhale while ensuring that your lower back doesn’t arch and your glutes and core are activated for support.
- Exhale when you rotate from your mid back to place your inside elbow on the top or outside of one leg.
- Always keep your hips and low back stable. Don’t separate your knees or letting one drop forward.
- Inhale when you use your bottom elbow for leverage to reach your top elbow upward while pulling your hands toward the center of your chest.
- Exhale while focusing on dropping your shoulder blades down your back and rotating from your mid back.
- Just hold the twist for two more breaths and then, repeat on the opposite side.
There are many American golf trainers who focus on body mechanics with skill training. So practicing these two yoga moves, you will be able to develop the mobility for an optimal swing.
