Golf has been a passion of mine for many years now and is something that many seek perfection at but few ever attain. The motion of a golf swing stresses many joints in order to generate power and ensure accuracy. For optimal success, the movement must be fluid throughout the body and needs to be reproduced on demand. To improve a golf swing we must first understand which muscles are engaged and put under stress during the swing. The golf swing can be split into 2 distinct phases: Execution and Follow Through.
Execution- This phase comprises of two specific motions - the backswing and downswing.
- The Backswing is primarily an upper extremity movement with the shoulders, elbow and wrist being the prime mover. The secondary movers are the trunk and hips.
- The Downswing begins with the hips and trunk rotating forward and the shoulder unwinding from the momentum of the hips. At the same time, extension occurs in the shoulder and elbow bringing the wrist to neutral at impact.
The Follow Through- This phase is the body’s attempt to decelerate and stabilize after making contact with the ball.
- Deceleration begins after contact when the shoulders and head are brought forward from the momentum of the swing. The shoulder muscles engage to protect the shoulder as it rapidly approaches end range. The abdominal and back muscles simultaneously contract to protect the spine and slow the rotation of the body.
- Stabilization happens in the lower extremities when the quadriceps and hamstrings contract together to maintain balance following the swing. Due to the rapid transfer of weight from the back foot to front foot, both legs must work in unison to prevent falling.
With all the movement occurring in the body if one joint were dysfunctional the whole body would be at risk. Injury can be minimized with sport specific movements exercises, stretches performed on a regular basis and specific strengthening to key muscle groups. Before beginning any stretching regimen here are a few tips to keep you safe and ensure max benefit.
Stretching Tips
- The key to stretching is to promote balance of the body, what may be “normal” for a gymnast may not be true for you.
- Always perform stretches on both sides unless an injury is present.
- Focus on the muscle groups used during your activity and begin with a light warm up.
- Stretches are not intended to be painful, you want to aim for tension in the muscle, and if you feel pain you have gone too far.
- Ensure proper sustained hold duration of 30 seconds and do not bounce during the stretch.
- Click on the link here to see what stretches I recommend for golf.
Golf Stretches[3281]
