Pull That Golf Swing Into Shape
By Robert Mottram, PT, ATC
Have you noticed lately the
posture of the top golfers? Their heads, chests and buttocks are tall
and straighter than many older players. There are biomechanical as well as
safety reasons for this athletic posture. To help develop this position pro
golfers use pulling exercises to promote this good posture by targeting the
back muscles.
Unfortunately,
pulling exercises are often under utilized by amateur golfers in
weight training programs compared to pushing exercises. Chest pressing,
shoulder pressing, and anterior deltoid and triceps isolation exercises often
times far outnumber pulling movements. Even worse, when pushing exercises are
coupled with poor posture (forward head, rounded shoulders, excessive upper
back forward bend) it interferes with the golf swing and increases the chance
of injury. Common golf injuries occur in the shoulder joint, shoulder girdle,
and neck. Nerve impingement syndromes and neck sprain/strains are top on the
list. Programs that have an equal or greater number of pulling versus pushing
exercises will help reduce the risk of these injuries.
Secondary
injuries occur within the low back area, particularly sprain/strains
and disc injuries. These injuries do not develop solely because of poor
muscular balance and bad exercise selection. More often than not, people do not
appropriately stabilize the spine, pelvis, and lower extremities when
performing the pulling movement or golf swing. The incidence of back injuries
could be lower if exercisers were properly instructed and trained using
functional pulling movements that integrate the core and legs. We are aware of
the need for a well-balanced exercise routines that include pulling exercises,
but it is equally important to examine the type of pulling exercises that the
golfer is practicing.
A
common pulling exercise is the seated row exercise, which
is traditionally performed on a variety of machines where the torso is
supported by a chest pad in the seated position. There is no question that
these exercises target the large back muscles and will help people look better
with their shirt off or in low cut dress from the back, but do nothing as far
as integrating the core and legs. A step in the right direction is performing the
traditional seated cable rowing exercise. At least with this exercise, the
spinal erectors and the supporting cast of core musculature are activated. The
problem still exists that individuals are sitting on their buttocks when
training this pulling movement. If these are the only type of rowing exercises
they perform, they are more likely to suffer a back injury when having to
perform a functional pulling motion on their feet.
We must
remember that most of your day spent on the golf course, and
in real life, is on your feet, bent forward, and involve the core and lower
extremities. We often have to perform the pulling motion in a semi lunge
position such as when lifting the rake out of the bunker, or in a bent over
position as when picking the golf bag out of the trunk of your car.
It is important that golfers learn to stabilize the
spine effectively prior to and during pulling exercises to avoid injury to the
spine. Realizing the importance of activating the internal corset ("inner
abdominal unit") and assume ideal posture prior to and during the pulling
motion will help protect the spine, and make the pulling exercise and golf
swing more effective.
Here
are some the key points to locking in the inner unit for your pulling exercise
and your set up position at address.
Draw the belly button up and in toward the spine (think skinny), lift the ribcage, expand the chest, keep the head/neck and lumbar spine in neutral alignment. We prefer you have more extension in the back. When you expand the chest and slightly draw in the shoulder blade(s) toward the spine, you activate many stability muscles round the shoulder blades, spine and abdominal areas.
Now you are set to pull the weight, or pull the
"trigger" on the first tee.
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Rob Mottram, a registered physical therapist
and certified athletic trainer, worked for 11 years as a rehab and fitness
specialist for the PGA TOUR, Senior PGA TOUR and the LPGA (1987-89). He
traveled with the TOUR players and the original
Recognized as a specialist in designing golf exercise programs for golf,
at the professional and amateur level, Rob is also educated in biomechanical
computer and electromagnetic motion analysis of the golf swing. He is a
certified (Paul) CHEK Golf Biomechanic and a Certified Golf Fitness
Instructor (CGFI) from Advantage Golf, specializing in biomechanical analysis
and performance training for golf.
For More Info, check out the Golf Health and Performance Center website at www.golfpt.com
The articles at GolfFitnessProducts.net are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for direct examination and exercise prescription by the appropriate health professional. It is strongly recommended that you do not perform any exercise program without the consent of your personal physician.
