3.24.2008

Spring 2008 ~ Golf "Get Fit" TIPS!

Found some great fitness tips at PinkGolfTees.com! Let's work it out ladies!! Fore!

"Women golfers typically need more work in the area of upper body, wrist, ankles and hip area strength than their male counterparts.Here are a few simple exercises that will greatly improve your game and don’t require a gym or trainer.

1) One of the best exercises for overall strength for golf is the typical pushup. A counter-top – incline – pushup works well also. You can do them with your elbows out for chest strength; then do them with your elbows rubbing your sides to work the triceps. Work up to 20 pushups. Golf benefit: Good for upper body strength and shoulder and spinal stability -- two of the most important factors for insuring proper swing plane control during the entire swing.

2) For more upper body strength, perform a Lat Press Down using your club. Get in address position on one leg. Drop 10 degrees more with a straight back. Extend out your opposite arm with your club on the floor for support. Press down on the club with your arm to raise your body to an erect position. Work up to 20 times with each arm while standing on the opposite leg. Golf benefit: This strengthens your lats which are the main upper body muscles that bring your arm around for your swing. The single leg address position stance builds spinal stability and strengthens the major muscles of your ankle, knees and hips.

3) For wrist strength, hold your club in one hand while standing on the opposite leg. Rotate your wrist to move your club left and right and back and forth like you are painting with it. Repeat 20 times each direction. Golf benefit: The stance works your spinal stability and ankles, knees and hips like the previous exercise. The wrist movements strengthen your wrists for better club face control at impact. It also strengthens your wrists in the event you hit a hard object (the ground, rock, root, etc.)

4) Finally, perform a Hip Flexor Stretch. Tight hip flexors are the root cause of a number of muscle imbalances, swing faults and back pain issues. To stretch, place your right foot on the first step of any stairway. Place your left foot three stairs up. Hold onto the railings if you need help to balance, drop your pelvis toward the steps between your feet with your back straight up or even extend it backwards if you can. Switch feet and repeat on the other side. (You can also switch sides as you attempt to walk up the stairs to get a good strengthening workout for your legs.) Perform 3 times on each side, once every day.Always follow any back extension (bending backwards like in the hip flexor stretch) with a forward bend or flexion. Stand and roll down so that your palms are on the floor with your knees bent, much like you would bend over to tie your shoes while standing. Keeping your palms on the floor, try to straighten your legs. This will stretch your back and hamstrings. Golf benefit: Improves posture, reduces back pressure, allows abdominals to tighten, allows back and gluts (your buttocks) to strengthen and hamstrings to release. This also improves your setup, golf posture, back endurance, range of motion for your legs and hips during backswing and your ability to stay in the proper swing plane throughout your entire swing."
(Tips taken from Article By: Alan Smith)

OK Golf Girls ~ Go get fit!

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