A good golf swing , Apparel - It's All About Good Etiquette starts with a strong base of support (hips, pelvis and lumbar spine). A highly conditioned base of support will provide stability throughout the swing , Your Only Connection to the Club and allow forces to be effectively transferred from the legs through the hips , New Rules for Forming an Online USGA Club to the upper body to produce optimal power and control. A strong base helps protect the joints and other supporting tissues against the strong compression, shear and torsion forces that occur during the golf swing. , Eliminate The Backswing Dip! Unfortunately, there are a number of factors that predispose the golfer , How To Optimally Prepare For The Season With Fitness Exercises to developing poor postural patterns and muscle imbalance that result in a weak base of support. For much of our young lives we were stuck sitting in school hunched over our desk. We finish school and begin our careers. Many of us now find ourselves spending excessive time in our cars or sitting in poorly designed chairs hunched in front of a computer. Over time we are conditioned to have tight hip , Womens Performance Is Directly Related To Strength flexors and a lazy posture. Poor posture and muscle imbalance decrease musculoskeletal efficiency and disrupt communication within the neuromuscular system. Short tight muscles display a lower activation threshold, meaning they fire at times when they should be less active or inactive. Over activation of dominant muscles leads to decreased neural control to their opposing muscles. Simply stated, 'when one muscle becomes tight and overactive its opposing muscle becomes loose and lazy.'? Tight dominant hip , - Courses of the Ageless Game flexors create weak and lazy hip , Your Only Connection to the Club extensors (gluteals)and set off a chain reaction of dysfunction. Tight hip , Basics of Tee Off flexors pull the pelvis into a forward tilt leading to an excess curvature of the lumbar spine. As a result the muscles of the abdominal wall lengthen and weaken while the muscles of the lumbar spine get short and tight. This pattern also causes disruption in our body's lateral stabilization system. The hip , Effortless Power Swing abductors (muscles that move the legs away from the center of the body) along with their opposing adductors (muscles that move the legs toward the center of the body) work to stabilize the pelvis during lateral movement. Inefficiency in this lateral stabilization system inhibits coordination and hinders proper weight , The Reason Why Clone Clubs Are Worth It shift through the golf swing. , Fitness For Isn't Just For The Pros So what we are left with are weak hip , Right Leg & Knee extensors (gluteal muscles) that can't drive the hips , Low Loft - Lower Your Score through the swing, , Fitness For Isn't Just For The Pros dominant hip , Play Better - Strengthen Your Rotator Cuff flexors that won't allow the hips , Low Loft - Lower Your Score to open to allow a full turn, tight spinal flexors that are forced to do the work of the weak hip , Baggin' It Right...Raises Your Game extensors, but are to tight to make a full rotation, and a lack of coordination needed to make consistently good ball , Apparel - It's All About Good Etiquette contact. To make matters worse most golfers , Women s Have The Drive For Success spending hours at the driving range reinforcing and strengthening this dysfunctional pattern. Is it any wonder the average golf score , Improve Your Swing Plane and Improve Your Swing hasn't dropped in decades? To break this pattern of dysfunction and build a strong base of support we must first establish coordinated muscle firing among the deep stabilizing abdominal musculature, the hip , Eliminate The Backswing Dip! flexors and extensors, hip , Ball Position For Different Clubs abductors and adductors, and spinal flexors, extensors and rotators. This is accomplished through the activation and strengthening of weak and inhibited muscles, and stretching the tight and dominant muscles. Once these muscles are re-educated and coordinated muscle firing is established we can then work to build optimal strength and power. The first step in this process is the development of the deep abdominal and pelvic musculature. This is done by mastering the abdominal brace. The abdominal brace differs from the traditional abdominal training , The Most Valuable Swing Secret that encourages 'abdominal hollowing'? a.k.a. the 'draw in'? maneuver. With the 'draw in'? maneuver we are told to pull or draw our belly buttons towards our spines. Research has shown that drawing in actually lessens abdominal activation and decreases lumbar - pelvic- hip , Las Vegas Courses, and the 'Losers' Who Play Them stability. The abdominal brace is an isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles meaning the abs are neither pulled in nor pushed out. This maneuver should be the first step of every exercise as it is the foundation of lumbar, pelvic, and hip , Increasing Your Swing Clubhead Speed Isn't Everything stabilization. The following exercise will allow you to master this movement and re-educate the lower abdominal wall and allow the deep pelvic stabilizers to fire efficiently. Abdominal Brace '? Lay in a supine position (on your back) with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. '? Brace your abdominals by tightening abdominals as if you were going to take a punch in the gut. '? Return to a relaxed position and repeat. Tips '? Control Movement is the key. While performing these exercises pay strict attention to NOT allow the use of the legs (hip flexors and /or gluteals) while contracting the abdominals. The only muscles contracting are the abdominal wall; place your hands on the belly button to feel this isolated contraction '? There should be no tension in your neck or shoulders. , 3 Sure Fire Ways to Generate More Power off the Tee Don't limit the abdominal brace to exercise. Practicing the brace with all activity (sitting, walking, driving, golfing, , '? The Fastest Growing Sport etc) will help you develop the endurance your abdominals need to maintain a strong base of support as well as a healthy back. A study presented by researchers at the American College of Sports , The Most Valuable Swing Secret Medicine's 51st annual meeting showed that golfers , Carts, Not Just For the Course Anymore! who possess strong hip , Better Through Knowledge muscles have lower handicaps , Basics Of Swing Instruction'?Go With Exercises and longer driving distances than those with weak hip , Women Golfers Set New Standards For The LPGA muscles. This makes sense since muscles of the hip , Eliminate Strokes By Putting Better and pelvis play , Right Leg & Knee a major role in stabilizing the trunk and transferring forces from the lower body through the upper body and arms , How To Enjoy Without Hurting Your Lower Back during the golf swing. , The Swing Will Become Automatic The ability of the hip , Women Golfers Have The Drive For Success extensors (gluteals and hamstrings) and lumbar extensors to fire in concert also allows the body to react to and counteract the rapid rotational forces of the golf swing. , Baggin' It Right...Raises Your Game The problem here, as we have already discussed, is many golfers , Basics Of Swing Instruction'?Go With Exercises have inhibited hip , Warming Up To Improve Your Game extensors and tight and dominant lumbar flexors. Under the best of circumstances our spines were not designed to swing , Addressing the Ball a golf club. , Hypnosis Can Put You in the Zone Now we compound the issue repeatedly forcing our spinal muscles to do the job of our hip , Why Fitness Should Be A Priority extensors to power through the swing. , Tips for Choosing a Good Used Club Spinal extensor muscles don't have the size or strength to do this, hence the tremendous incidence of over use injury and lower back pain among golfers. , Increasing Your Swing Clubhead Speed Isn't Everything So, what we need to do is quite down our lumbar extensors to allow the hip , Training dust - What is it? extensors to do their job. The Bird Dog exercise progression effectively helps develop stabilization, coordination and strength of the spine. The key to this type of exercise is learning and then maintaining 'neutral'? spine. Neutral does not mean straight, it means allowing the natural curves to be present. This is imperative to allow the spine to function properly and movement to occur in a stress free manner. The golf club , Eliminate The Backswing Dip! placed the length of the spine is an excellent cue that allows the golfer , Core Flexibility Training Improves Swing Power And Distance to feel the proper spinal positions and make necessary corrections. The club , Tips for Choosing a Good Used shaft should be in contact with only three points; the base of the head, the center of the back and the middle of the pelvis. Concave spaces should be seen at the neck and lower back. Dog 1 '? Position yourelf on your hands and knees with a golf club , Right Leg & Knee placed along your spine; make sure the rod contacts 3 points only (head-middle back-pelvis). '? Brace your abdominals and slowly raise one hand and the opposite knee just off the floor ( no more than 1/4 inch). Hold for five to ten seconds. '? Return to the start position and alternate sides. Tips '? The club , Swing Series: Thinking Your Way Around the Course must remain in contact with all 3 contact points (head, mid back, pelvis). Once you have mastered the Dog 1 then you can move to the next progression. Dog 2 adds the components of hip , Eliminate The Backswing Dip! extension and shoulder , Basics of Tee Off flexion. This exercise is extremely effective in re-establishing efficiency in extensor chain (hip, lumbar, and cervical extensors). Dog II '? Position yourelf on your hands and knees with a golf club , New Rules for Forming an Online USGA Club placed along your spine; make sure the rod contacts 3 points only (head-middle back-pelvis). '? Brace your abdominals, slowly extend one arm , How To Enjoy Without Hurting Your Lower Back (thumb up) straight out in front of you and the opposite leg behind you. '? Hold for five to ten seconds and repeat with opposite side. Tips '? The club , How To Enjoy Without Hurting Your Lower Back must remain in contact with all 3 contact points (head, mid back, pelvis). '? Do not allow your hips , Women Golfers Have The Drive For Success to rotate. The key with Dog 2 is not to allow the lumbar extensors to fire during this movement. After mastering Dog 2 you can then further challenge the hip , The Most Valuable Swing Secret extensors by adding the bridge exercise. The bridge adds the resistance of body weight , Warming Up To Improve Your Game to the hip , '? The Fastest Growing Sport extension movement and further challenges (and strengthens) the deep stabilizers or the lumbar-pelvic-hip complex. The Bridge '? Lay on your back with your arms , Swing Series: Thinking Your Way Around the Course placed at your side. '? Brace your abdominals and squeeze your gluteals (buttocks) then raise your hips , The Most Valuable Swing Secret into a bridge position. Pause and return to starting position. Tips '? Your feet should remain flat. '? This movement is initiated with the hips , Swing Series: Thinking Your Way Around the Course not the spinal extensor muscle; no pressure should be felt in the lower back. '? Maintain abdominal and gluteals muscles contraction throughout the full movement. It is important to implement a good stretching program to lengthen tight muscles as you strengthen your base of support. Aside from the already mentioned hip , Swing Tips To Lower Your Score flexors and lumbar extensors other areas commonly tight among golfers , Hypnosis Can Put You in the Zone include the muscles of the hamstrings, neck, scapular elevators (upper trapezius and levator scapulae) and shoulder , The Most Valuable Swing Secret internal rotators. A qualified strength and conditioning or golf fitness , Training dust - What is it? professional can provide you with a postural and biomechanical analysis that can provide a more detailed picture of your specific areas of need. Improving your base of support will add distance and control to your game , Core Flexibility Training Improves Swing Power And Distance and help prevent, reduce, and possibly eliminate golf , 3 Sure Fire Ways to Generate More Power off the Tee related pain and injury. Bill Scibetta, RN, NSCA-CPT Bill is the founder and President of Precision Fitness , The Reason Why Clone Clubs Are Worth It '? Personal Training , Improve Your Swing Plane and Improve Your Swing Centers in the Charlotte, NC area and co-author of the book Play , Secret Sneaky Tactic To Get A Complete Used Club Sets On A Discount With Auction Sites Better Longer! '? Peak Performance and Injury Prevention for Golf. , Women's And Exercise Bill is a licensed Registered Nurse as well as a National Strength and Conditioning Association '? Certified Personal Trainer. After spending years practicing in the specialty of Orthopedics and Sports , New Rules for Forming an Online USGA Club Medicine, Bill has dedicated his career to helping individuals identify and overcome obstacles that stand in the way of optimal wellness and peak physical performance. http://www.LakeNormanFitness.com
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