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Tip #6: Functional Flexibility
Flexibility is the one component of fitness that has been appreciated
by golfers for many years. By enhancing joint flexibility you can lengthen
your golf swing and increase your club head speed. Your joint flexibility
is determined by your movement ability and dictates the safe ranges for
your swing patterns. It is important to note that excellent flexibility
alone does not guarantee a good golf swing. Inability to sequence movements
at proper times may result in reaching maximum club head speed well before
impact, with a related loss of power and reduced driving distance.
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| Flexibility and strength are two
components to a fundamentally sound golf swing. |
Golf-Specific Strength
The strengthening program for golf should include work
for the trunk, as well as for the muscles of the upper and lower body.
Because the golf swing is not a simple, linear motion, you should implement
an integrated, multijoint strengthening program. Remember that your hips
and legs produce most of the force for a powerful golf swing. This momentum
must be transferred through a stable trunk to the upper body, which simultaneously
delivers and counteracts the forceful striking action of the club. A successful
swing, therefore, requires sufficient strength and coordinated actions
among the major muscles that make up these different body segments. Of
course, strong muscles also are essential for proper posture, which assures
consistent swing deliveries and a stable head that maintains uninterrupted
eye focus on the golf ball.
Postural Balance
Postural balance is an important component of your golf
game. Unfortunately, physical activities such as golf, in which one side
of the body is used differently than the other side of the body, tend
to promote postural imbalances that can impede performance and cause injury.
It is important to determine whether the postural imbalance is a normal
response to sport mechanics, however, or whether it is due to pathological
conditions. A solid golf conditioning program strives for front-to- back
and left-to-right body balance. Although this may never be fully achieved
because of the sport mechanics, it always should remain a primary goal
of your golf conditioning program.
Balance represents a complex neuromuscular communication
system. It relies on feedback from the central nervous system, the eyes,
the inner ear, and tiny message receptors in the joints and soft tissues.
Balance is necessary in maintaining appropriate spine (trunk and torso)
positions throughout the swing. If balance is not maintained during the
swinging action, shoulder turn, weight shift, and force transfer may be
affected and the shot outcome will be compromised. As one grows older,
the sensory organs and balance systems become less sensitive. It therefore
might be advantageous to actually make better postural balance one of
the primary parts of a conditioning program.
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