Ever find yourself hitting below-average shots the first few holes and generally getting a slow start?
It may be because you’re not warmed up! Golf is a sport and while it may not seem as ‘strenuous’ as running around a soccer pitch for 90 minutes, it still requires a specific set of muscles to work well together to be your best!
Watch this week’s 2 minute tip where Dr. Rob shows you a hip warm-up that can kick-start your game!
https://youtu.be/IY3k2uvV1KY
In almost every other sport you see athletes from the beginner level to the elite level warming up before their sport without questioning why they’re doing it. Warming up is a way to get the blood flowing and prepare your body for your sport.
Oddly, it’s not as common to see this in golfers. What golf enthusiasts aren’t thinking about is; golf is an explosive sport. Just like sprinting, swinging a golf club is an explosive movement that transfers a ton of force through the body in a very short period of time.
You’d never catch a sprinter going into a race cold because they could risk a poor performance and potential injuries, so the next time you step up to the tee-box you should be warming up too!
There’s even science to say that properly warming up in golf could increase your driving distance!
A Study by Dr. Bridge and Sean Graham from the University of Birmingham showed that golfers who did dynamic stretches or used resistance bands to warm up had farther drives, faster swings, and faster ball speeds than those who just showed up and swung.
The average increase in driving distance was 37.5-44.5 yards! That could seriously improve your game!
So what should you be doing for your warm-up?
A good warm-up lasts around 15-20 minutes to ease your body into your activity.
With your shoulders still out by your sides, swing your arms in vertical circles. Do 10 forward and 10 backward. To really up the warm up hold an iron in your hand while performing the circles one hand at a time.
Your shoulders are what help accelerate and decelerate your club during your swing!
Using an iron for balance, stand on one foot and sweep the other side to side in front of your body. Do 10 swings, then switch legs. This is a great warm-up for the muscles of your thighs and hips in addition to the hi stretch Dr. Rob showed!
Balancing with an iron at your side, stand on one leg while swinging the other backward and forward as if you were kicking a ball. Keep both as straight as possible and do 10 kicks, each leg. This warms the key muscles in the legs, improving stability and power.
To really challenge the muscles used in your swing, try holding an iron in each hand with the handles about five inches apart. Then make five or six slow golf swings while making sure the clubs stay the same distance apart. This warmup move helps you to activate the muscles used to control your swing!