Why Stretching Exercises Can Improve Your Golf Game
All golfers know that the most important physical aspect to playing better golf is flexibility. The less flexibility you have, the worse your game will be and vice versa. This is because limited flexibility limits your range of motion and interferes with the golf dynamics keeping the games of many golfers from ever reaching their full potential which the players can be capable of.
Thus the easier and further your body is able to turn, the better and more powerful your swing can be as moving the clubhead over a greater distance allows for the generation of more clubhead speed and as such you can get more distance with much lesser effort.
Professional players include good flexibility training in their golf fitness training programs. They do this not only to play better golf but also to avoid golf related injuries. This is because if they are hurt and injured, they can’t play for a living anymore and even if they do, their performances will be gravely hampered.
These are the reasons why stretching and warming up before a game has become a major factor in peak performances and prevention of injuries. So if you are not stretching during your warming up prior playing and somebody else is, then that player will probably have a clear advantage over you.
Your stretching should include compound stretches. That is stretches that elongate several muscles and joint areas simultaneously and mimicking the natural movements of playing golf. This will allow the player to be more accurate through better body awareness and control. By doing this you can achieve a much smoother swing.
Then you must also do a series of single or double joint stretches. These type of stretches can increase flexibility for specific body movement requiring several joints to move in coordination with each other such as in a powerful swing. In this way you can get more power without more effort.
Proper stretching and warm up before a game is also very important to prevent chronic and acute injuries and thus allow you to enjoy your game. Why do people ignore stretching and warm ups and take the risks of playing sub-par games and risking injuries is something that I have always been wondering about as these workouts do not take up much time and effort to do and do not need any cumbersome equipment either. Is it through ignorance or simply laziness? If it is the latter, is it worth the risks?
No doubt that there are many technical advances in golf equipment and there are certainly more to come. However, having the best equipment the world will not help you to improve your body flexibility and prevent debilitating injuries.
Furthermore, if you want to maximize the potential of any new golf equipment, your body has to be able to move properly so as to be able to reach for peak performances. Therefore every decent golfer should place priority on the flexibility of his/her body and a carefully structured stretching workout should be the basis of the player’s golf fitness training program.
So do you want to play better golf and stay free of pain? Then include a thorough stretching exercise routine during your pre-game warm up.
Author Bio: Chris Chew is a sought after fitness and consultant who counts models, actors and other celebrities as his clients. Read how golf fitness can vastly improve your game and how to take care of your skin after sun exposure at skin care tips for men.
Category: Sports
Keywords: golf fitness, golf game, clubhead speed, swing, stretching, warm up