FLEXIBILITY FOR OPTIMAL GOLF PERFORMANCE 

Flexibility specific to golf is vitally important to be able to execute the proper swing mechanics. The combination of strength training and flexibility is important for optimal golf performance. Without a doubt they go hand in hand. Strength training without stretching develops tight and restricted muscles for the golf swing.

The only way to get the best of both worlds is to strength train and stretch. Doing them both will get you driving the ball further and straighter.

Let’s start with the Take Away: in the address position with proper spine angle, your hamstrings are under tension and your lower back is susceptible to undue pressure and strain. If your hamstrings are loose enough, you will be able to maintain the proper position with little or no tension on your lower back. If you have tight hamstrings like the majority of golfers,

you will have a very hard time staying in your posture and keeping pressure off your lower back. This is a major reason for lower back injuries in golf.

As you continue to take the club back, your trunk and lower back are coiling with minimal hip rotation. To be able to do this it takes tremendous amount of flexibility in your lower back and mid section. This is an area that most golfers have major restrictions. If you cannot rotate your upper body over a fixed lower body, you will not create any torque. The only way to avoid this is by stretching your lower back and trunk daily.

The Down Swing: is started from the ground up – which requires a great amount of strength and flexibility in the torso. Also if your upper shoulders are tight, you will release the club and your swing prematurely and loose any stored power you had up to that point. Stretching these muscles will allow you to really come into impact with better club head speed.

 Standing Hamstring Stretch 

Many golfers ask, "What's the most important area of the body for a golfer?” It is said to be, the "core," or the center of your body.

Your "core" includes your abdominals, lower back and hamstrings. These 3 areas protect your lower back from injury. They're also responsible for creating enough torque to unwind your body so you can produce maximum club head speed.

There's another little-known benefit of "core" flexibility training that is ‘increased neuromuscular coordination’. Studies have shown that nerve-impulse velocity, (the time it takes an impulse to travel to the brain and back), is improved with stretching.

80% of all beginners have extremely tight hamstrings. As a result, they can't get into their ideal golf posture. Here's a golf stretch to help you maintain a better golf posture while relieving pressure on your lower back. It is called "Standing Hamstring Stretch":

• Find something that's about the height of your groin area - a counter or the back of a couch.

• Gently pick up one leg and put your foot on the counter or couch. Bend your knee slightly, and then lean over that leg with your upper body.

• Hold that position for a count of 10, and then repeat.

Do this stretch every day, and your golf posture and performance will greatly improve.

 The Seated Rotation 

An interesting poll from a national golf magazine, states that over 43% of golfers say that they are in their best form at the END of the season.

How would it feel to never have to use the same old line, "it's my first round of the season".

Do This Simple Exercise (stretch) On Your Couch While Watching TV !!!

The exercise (stretch) is called The Seated Rotation.

• Sit upright on the couch.

• Put your hands together as if you were praying.

• Extend them all the way out chest high.

• You now have a triangle between your shoulders and hands.

• Rotate this triangle to the right and to the left as far as you go.

• Repeat this 10 times each side.

Improve Your Putting
With This Simple Golf Exercise

- Anwar Wahhab

Does your back ever hurt after a putting session or on the course when you're putting?

If so, do you know why?

Just take a look at the position of the body during a putting stroke with a conventional putter. Way bent over at the hips is the first thing that comes to mind.

So where does this put all the stress? On your lower back, right?

So it only makes sense to strengthen your lower back, specific to this position to withstand 18 holes, or a long putting session on the practice green.

Here's a simple, golf-specific exercise that will quickly improve this situation:

• Start in standing position, holding dumbbells in front of legs palms facing toward thighs.

• Assume golf posture with slightly bent knees and a slight bend at hips.

• Keep abdominals tight and back very straight.

• Head and chest stay up through whole movement.

• Lower weights by bending at hips to just below normal golf posture.

• Raise upper body back to original golf posture.

You may feel slight tension in lower back due to movement through that area; but the long-term benefit far outweighs the short-term discomfort.

Ignite Your Drives With This "Core" Exercise

Exercises that combine more than one movement to benefit your swing will not only save you time, but dramatically improve the power (and ultimate distance) in your swing.

One GREAT exercise is the Lunge with a Twist (see tips on the right hand side).

This can be a depleting exercise, but one you will notice improves your power output quickly.

The beauty of this exercise is minimal (a dumbbell) equipment and can be done in your home or even office.

• Grab a single dumbbell and hold it in from of your stomach, with your elbows bent at 90 degrees.

• Step out with right foot and lower.

• As you lower your bodyweight, rotate your upper body to the right, with the dumbbell turning with you.

• Come back up to starting position and repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps.

• Complete one set of each leg then repeat to complete both sets.

The Seven Super Necessities for Great Golf

Last time we covered three necessities .. here are the remaining ...

Supple
Flexibility is the single most important physical characteristic likely to influence your golf swing. A tight body creates restricted motion in the swing and produces injuries. Keep your body "supple" so it doesn't become a limiting factor in your performance.

Spirit
Attitude is everything! Many experts believe it is careful and premeditated preparation that allows a golfer to experience a mental edge in recreational or tournament play. What you say, what you think and how you act all contribute to your state of mind, and therefore contribute to the outcome of your game. Keep a positive and hopeful spirit when you play. This is where the mental aspect of gold becomes very important.

Sequence
The golf swing can be separated into five phases that work in sequence.

• Set-up
• Backswing
• Transition
• Downswing
• Follow-through

A true understanding of proper body motion at each sequence will ensure consistency in your swing. It is the goal of every golfer to have a fluid and repeatable swing. Consistency is created through proper sequencing and solid mechanics. 

Skill
Good swing mechanics is an absolute necessity in any sport and certainly, golf. The idea behind the golf swing is to create a simple and flowing athletic swing free of wasted motion and unnecessary compensations. To accomplish this, one must have the basis of some degree of skill.

We shall cover the seven super necessities that one needs for a great game of golf in two updates. 

The most important aspects of the golf swing and the game, in general, all revolve around the building of a strong and solid foundation for the body, the mind and the basics of an athletic swing. Each of the following concepts plays a critical role in your understanding of what creates a great round of golf as well as helps you enjoy the game for a lifetime.

Stamina
This is clearly the most underestimated portion of the game. Golfers tend to ignore the cardiovascular component of golf. However, walkers cover an approximate walking distance of 4-5 miles each round. Even cart riders put in their fair share of walking depending on local cart rules, weather conditions and following errant shots. Poor cardiovascular conditioning can certainly have a negative impact on your game. According to Tiger Woods "fatigue can affect your focus and cause you to make a bad decision. I never want to lose a tournament because of a bad decision precipitated by my being out of shape. " Hence it is very important to build up your stamina with a good fitness routine.

Stability
The most important rule in a golf conditioning program is to work and develop strength from the core region of the body outward. A strong trunk allows forces to be transferred effectively from the legs to the upper body. It also enables the body to withstand those forces without breakdown. Stabilization comes in many forms for the golfer including postural stabilization, trunk stabilization and joint stabilization. A strong and stable body allows the golfer to maintain the spine angle throughout the entire swing. A sense of balance is very important and one needs to work on a good fitness routine for improving one's core strength.

Strength
Strength comes in many forms with regard to the golf swing. Strong back muscles allow the golfer to endure the explosive movements in the swing. Strength in the trunk region or "core" area of the body produces stability and helps to generate power. Combined muscle strength produces balance and coordination. Strong ligaments and tendons also prevent the joints from going beyond their range of motion. Consult your fitness trainer on the best way to develop strength in various parts of your body.

More next time !!!

Change Your Fitness Programme to a Golf Oriented Programme

You would already know the strong role that fitness plays in improving your golf game. When you engage in a regular fitness routine, you're preparing your body for improved performance by building a lean, strong, fit physique capable of more control and consistency with your clubs. Being fit enables your golf skills to shine through, and is generally reflected in a lower handicap.

Give up your old gym routine.

Change is often difficult to come by, but necessary as times change and we learn new information. Make sure that the exercises you are concentrating on now will help you out on the course. Adding bulk to your frame is being replaced with a more sculpted look which focuses on athletic performance. New routines include more emphasis on cable systems, fitness balls, dumbbells, and medicine balls. When it comes to golf training, it's time to think outside the box! Check with your gym instructor or a qualified golf trainer on what are the best exercises to do.

Improve your muscle strength.

You want your muscle strength to be the same on both sides of your body to create a fluid, powerful swing. You should particularly focus on back and shoulder strength where strength discrepancies can come into play. A lot of golfers have lower back problems . focus on methods to eliminate the same.

Focus on core stability.

Your core is your torso, and it is the part of your body that is actively involved in your swing. You want to perform exercises that will strengthen your core or trunk region. This will provide you with needed stability during your swing.

Focus on balance.

If you have good balance, you will be able to transfer your weight during your swing maintaining stability throughout the motion. Good balance also improves your reaction times and movement speed.

Build flexibility.

Range of motion is important to the game of golf because it allows you to execute an exceptional swing without limitations or restrictions. Along the lines of balance, make sure that your flexibility is equal on both sides of your body. As with any game , always take a few minutes to stretch and warm-up before you begin a round of golf, so you begin in a flexible state.

Add yards to your drive with simple golf stretches

To quickly improve your golf game, stretch your golf muscles regularly! The key is to do them daily without fail, and they are so simple that all it takes is a few minutes of your entire day - but the improvement in your game can be quick and dramatic, and is well worth the time spent.

The question now is which are the right stretches to do? This depends on golfer to golfer - each one of us have our own problems with some part of the game, it could be the backswing for some, follow through issues or even maintaining your golf posture.

Try the couple of golf stretches given below that will help you prevent back pain and increase your backswing range of motion for longer drives.

The first golf stretch is the Lying Leg Crossover:

. Lie on your back with both legs extended.
. Raise one leg and bend at the knee to 90 degrees in knee and hip.
. Cross that leg over your extended leg, while the opposite shoulder stays on the ground.
. Go until you feel a slight pull in the butt and lower back.
. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat once more.
. Switch legs and do the same on the opposite side.

This simple golf stretch will not only make your back feel better, but it will improve your ability to make a bigger turn, with less hip movement, creating torque and energy.

The second golf stretch is the Backswing Stretch:

. Extend left arm (for right-handers) out in front of you.
. Take right hand and put under the left wrist.
. Pull with right hand against left wrist and make as big a turn on backswing as you can.
. Hold for at least 15 seconds, repeat once more.
. Switch to your other side, going the opposite direction, for the follow through.

This simple golf stretch will loosen up the muscles in the back of your shoulders and your upper back, for more freedom on both your backswing and follow through.

Do these two stretches daily and you'll start seeing an improvement in your game, including more yards off the tee.

Healthy eating the Yogic way

• Eat when you are really hungry.
• Eat lightly cooked natural food. Reduce fried food, hot spices and chillies. Food should be properly chewed and taken slowly. If we eat fast, it will be difficult to digest and we will be inclined to eat a larger quantity which is not required. Eat three fourth of the hunger-not full.
• Eat plenty of green vegetables and fruits. Sprouts is one of the richest source of vitamins and minerals and a good quantity should be taken along with each meal. Roughage is very necessary.
• Different food requires different enzymes to digest and, therefore, have few varieties in each meal.
• Avoid processed food, white flour bread, cakes, pastries etc. and drinks such as Coca Cola, Pepsi etc. One or two cups of tea and coffee are good enough. If you have to attend some party where you have to partake heavy food, eat much less than what you normally eat.
• You should be in a relaxed mood, free from all worries when you sit for your meals.
• Enjoy every morsel. Develop awareness.
• There should be a gap of about 2/3 hours between dinner and sleep.
• Take plenty of water during the day. Drink atleast two glasses of water before attending to nature's call. It is best if you take 1.25 litres of water first thing in the morning; it will help you evacuate bowels better. It cleanses the system of bile and phlegm. At worst, you might get little loose stools; the urination will be more frequent.
• Don't drink water with meals. Take half an hour before & one hour after.
• Stop alcohol and tobacco. Do not delude yourself by thinking that you will reduce the consumption gradually. You will have to stop in a single stroke. If you are addicted and fear withdrawal symptoms, stay in a Health Centre to enable you to deal with the problem.
• Over-weight persons need not to go on a starvation diet. Reduce intake of fatty and fried food and increase vegetables, fruits and roughage. Wheat bran would be an excellent food. It has all the goodness of wheat, but with very little starch. Bake it slightly and eat it mixed with vegetables. You may add it in wheat flour and eat the chapattis. Reduce sugar.
• Sit in Vajrasan after every meal
• Wrong food, irregular living habits and tension create toxins in our body. These toxins accumulate in the weak spots in our system and cause disease in the organs affected.
• If the toxins accumulate in the joints, one develops arthritis, gout, rheumatism; if it accumulates in heart and arteries , one develops heart trouble, blood pressure, arteriosclerosis; eyes - cataract, glaucoma; lungs-coughs, tuberculosis, pneumonia, asthma; pancreas - diabetes; stomach & liver - digestive troubles etc.
• Do not invite disease by eating wrong food. 90% of our illness is due to food habits and tension.
• It will be very good if one observes fast twice a month. Fasting on water is best but juices and/or juicy fruits could be taken. If fasting is not possible, atleast miss evening meals once or twice a week and instead, take juicy fruits.
• Exercise and relaxation are absolutely necessary.
• Let food be the medicine and not medicine be the food.
  
  

Q: Where can i learn authentic yoga?

You should visit www.yogamag.net for details on Bihar school of yoga or go to www.kararashram.info for Kriya yoga. Both the forms of yoga are very powerful. 

Q: Can yoga help me increase my strength?

Yes but only to an extent, if you want to get stronger you have to either start lifting weights or get started on a free hand exercise routine with chin ups, push ups etc.

Q: What kind of yoga asanas one should do which will benefit my game?

Yoga is the best form of exercise not only for golf, but for life in general. In golf we are looking to achieve two things through yoga. Firstly, our ability to focus and concentrate, and secondly better flexibility. We should make sure we have a certified yoga instructor from a reputed school. The Bihar school of yoga and the Iyenger school are supposed to be the best in the world. There should be a mix of twisting, front and back bending asanas followed by pranayama and meditations. Normally 30 minutes a day is sufficient.

Improve Your Golf Backswing With Simple Golf Stretches and Exercises

Every golfer wants to improve their golf backswing. We know that a bigger backswing in golf results in longer drives and more power.

So how does one go about doing this ?? Taking extra lessons or hitting a hundred balls at the driving range isn't the solution. None of this has anything to do with improving your body's ability to make a full and tension-free golf backswing.

Focus On Your Golf Flexibility And Strength

The only way to accomplish this goal is to get "off the course" and focus on your flexibility and strength specific to the muscles used in your backswing with golf stretches and strength exercises.

Improving your current fitness level (strength and flexibility) specific to your golf swing will help you achieve a bigger backswing in the shortest amount of time.

  Golf Stretches

Three to four simple golf stretches targeting your backswing muscles will only take you 5 minutes a day, but will have a dramatic effect on your ability to make a full backswing with minimal hip turn, creating maximum torque and power.

The key muscles to stretch are the upper back (lat) muscles of the lead side (ie. the left side for a right handed golfer), the read deltoid (or back of shoulder) of the same lead side, and the lower back muscles on both sides.

Just keep in mind, working just this area is not going to improve other aspects of your golf swing, but will help you accomplish the goal of a bigger backswing.

Most of us have a desk job and our main excuse is that we don't find the time to exercise . well this time we have for you a simple stretching exercise which you can do right at your desk or in front of your computer eliminating the excuse - "I have no time !! "You'll be amazed how good you feel and how much better your golf game gets. The KEY is to stretch whenever you get a quick 15 seconds. Just think how many stretches you could get in during one day

  The Seated Twist (in your chair):

• Sit upright in your office chair, with chest high and back straight.
• Reach behind you with one arm, which will rotate your upper body.
• While staying very erect, twist as far as you can go and hold.
• Twist the other way and repeat.
• Go both sides 2-3 times, holding for 10 seconds.

This is a very effective golf stretch for reducing and/or eliminating back back pain and quickly improving your backswing and follow through range of motion, resulting in higher clubhead speed and more importantly distance.

Do it right now and see how much better your back feels.

Q: Is it true that doing heavy weights makes one stiff and can destroy feel on the short game?

This is absolutely false, top golfers train with heavy weights to increase strength, as golf is an explosive sport with the swing lasting less than 2 seconds its important to train with heavier weights. Please speak to a doctor and train under a certified trainer otherwise you can get a serious injury. Weight training has nothing to do with feel. Look at Tiger Woods around the green, and he trains with heavy weights. I think that answers the question. Lastly remember to stretch every time you do weights that should keep your flexibility going and reduce muscle soreness.

Q: Is it better to go for long runs or shorts sprints for my game?

It really depends on what you are looking for. If you are getting tired towards the end of a round then long runs should be a priority. If you feel you are getting tense and nervous then short sprints help your heart to recover faster, therefore improve your capability to recover faster under pressure situations. A sprint of 30 seconds followed by a slow jog of 30 seconds is ideal. One can repeat this cycle 5-10 times.