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Body Performance: Hip Flexibility
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Fit for Winter 2006 - Week 4
Hip Flexibility
by Katherine Roberts
At the moment I am writing to you from Hawaii as we prepare for the Mercedes Championships. There is an excitement in the air as the 2006 season gets underway. Professional golfers have been training during the off season and many will start the season in top physical condition. Even if you did not start getting serious about your golf fitness winter series, do not despair. Take a deep breath, re-focus, and evaluate your goals. Being realistic with your time and objectives sets you up for success. Today is a new day!
The fourth week of our program adds yoga based flexibility conditioning for the hips and glutes. The golf swing requires proper hip rotation to generate power, speed, and balance from the hips. Additionally your low back health and endurance on the course are correlated to hip flex and strength.
The following yoga poses incorporate use of the balance ball and a wall. You will feel a stretch in the hip flexors, glutes, piriformis, psoas, adductors, and abductors. As always, deep breathing is the most important function of the practice of yoga and is a powerful tool for keeping the body free from tension
Recommended equipment for these exercises: Yoga Matt and Balance Ball
Are you ready? Let's begin...
Dynamic Window Washers
Par Level
Bend the knees and place the feet wider then your yoga mat. Allow your knees to fall to the left on the inhalation, return the legs to the starting position on the exhalation. Switch sides and repeat moving dynamically five times on each side.
Static Window Washers
Par / Birdie Level
Allow the legs to fall to the left and place the left foot on top of the right knee. Engage the right glut and press the right hip towards the ceiling. Hold for five breaths and switch sides.
Dynamic Pigeon Pose with the ball
Par Level
Place your left leg on the ball and the right foot on the outside of the left knee. Press the naval towards the spine as you engage the core stabilizer abdominal muscles. Inhale as you roll the ball towards yourself, focusing on the stretch in the right hip. Repeat ten times and switch sides.
 
 
Bound Angle Pose at the wall
Par / Birdie Level
Sit on a towel (this places the hips higher than the knees) and bring your entire spine against the wall. Inhale, draw the navel towards the spine, lift the ribcage up and roll the shoulders back. Exhale as you gently press the hands down on the knees. Relax and repeat five to ten times, increasing the intensity of the stretch.
I look forward to seeing you on the Golf Channel, live from the PGA Merchandise Show. I will be sharing with you all the latest innovations in products related to health, fitness and wellness.
Hip Power and Posture
by Katherine Roberts
These yoga poses will increase strength in the muscles supporting the hips and will also challenge your ability to maintain proper posture while executing the exercises. When we work with amateur and professional golfers I perform a twenty-two point assessment program. During the assessment process we uncover mobility, stability, posture and coordination issues. The quality of the movement, the ability to maintain proper posture and core stability is often an indicator of the golfer’s ability to maintain posture during the dynamic phase of the golf swing.
While you practice this series of hip strengthening poses, focus on your core stabilization and maintaining proper posture. Regarding posture, the shoulder blades should be moving together and “down the back”, shoulders are moving down and away from the ears and the mid-back (thoracic spine) is not rounded.
Standing crescent lunges with arms over the head:
Begin by standing tall and engaging the navel towards the spine and lifting the ribcage off the waist. Lift the arms over the head but do not “scrunch” the shoulders towards the ears. Inhale and lunge the right leg forward (maintain a 90 degree angle in the right knee). Hold this position and pulse the right leg up and down for a count of ten. Return to the starting position and switch sides. Repeat three times on each side.
Power chair pose:
 
I demonstrate this pose using a balance ball but feel free to incorporate a chair. The purpose of this pose is to activate the gluts, core and maintain your posture. Inhale and engage the core as you move the gluts towards the ball, as if you were sitting in a chair. Do not allow the gluts to touch the ball. Hold for a count of five and repeat five to ten times.
Locust pose on the ball or on the floor:
 
Place the ball under your hips or place your body on the floor. Draw the navel towards your spine and squeeze the gluts as tight as possible. On the exhalation slowly lift the legs off the floor. Hold for a count of three and repeat five times.
If you want to increase the intensity continue to lift the legs higher. Focus on the glutes and the lumbar spine. Practice these poses three days a week.
 Side Note: Last summer I had the honor of teaching Yoga for Golfers in Scotland and London for six weeks. As a dog lover, (we donate a portion of our product proceeds to Best Friends Animal sanctuary in Utah) I was thrilled to discover that I was able to bring my dogs on the course with me. Playing golf with my dogs is my idea of pure happiness!!
Here is a photo of my dogs after the round.
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