The golf swing places compression, shear and rotational forces placed on the spine during the explosive phase of the golf swing so it is not shocking that 63% of golfers will experience back pain or injury. More than 30% of Tour players play with an injured back at some point in their careers. Now consider that more than 100 times a round you will put this type of forces in your body and we can see why there is so much injury in golf. Concentrating your golf fitness program on the health of your spine is critical for your ability to play well and for longevity in the game.
We have a saying in yoga that your overall health is a direct reflection of the health of your spine and depth of your breath. An expanded version of this week’s series is available in our new DVD More Power and Distance!
This week launches a new series – developing a healthy spine. Flexibility as well as strengthening exercises offer you the opportunity to build your own back program, possibly the greatest gift you can give yourself this season (in addition to a new driver)! Let’s get started!
Standing Side stretch:
Left arm presses down and right arm lifts. This pose works on the extension of the intercostals, oblique abdominals, lats and shoulders. Focus on grounding the feet, specifically the right leg when the right arm is lifted. Hold the stretch for three breaths, switch sides, and repeat five times.
This is the “mother” of all yoga poses. In the twenty years I have been training athletes, this is one of most effective poses for developing and maintaining spinal health. Begin with the hands placed directly under the shoulders, knees directly under the hips. Inhale as you press your spine towards the floor, rolling the shoulders away from the ears.
Exhale as you pull your navel towards your spine and press you spine towards the ceiling. Tuck the chin into the chest. Repeat ten to twenty times.
TIP: Practice this pose everyday, specifically in the early morning and evening before bedtime. This pose helps you to awaken in the morning and sleep more soundly.
Cobra to Downward Facing Dog pose:
Transitions from the cat/cow poses to the cobra pose. Place the hands next to the chest, squeeze the legs together, engage the gluts and on your exhale roll the shoulder blades down the back.
Maintain a neutral cervical spine position. Move directly into the Downward facing dog pose.
TIP: Initiate the movement from cobra to down dog from the lower abdominals and not from the lumbar spine.
Continue to roll the shoulders away from the ears and feel as if you are pressing your yoga mat away from you. Try to straighten the legs feeling the stretch in your hamstrings and Achilles. Hold for five breaths and repeat this cobra to down dog transition three to five times.
I travel the world teaching the benefits of golf fitness. (I will be teaching with Hank Haney in Scottsdale this weekend and at the Golf Galaxy location in Las Vegas on Tuesday, November 14th. If you are in town come by and say hello!) The presentations are followed by a Q and A session and inevitably a golfer will inquire about help with back pain.
When we look at the issue of back pain it is important to understand that there are many factors affecting your back. Muscles of the lumbar spine, hips, gluts, psoas and hamstrings play a factor in building a healthy back. Continue to build your healthy back program by adding this week’s poses, targeting the back and hips to last week’s exercises.
Many of you have e-mailed me with your individual questions and I encourage you to keep the questions coming!
Move dynamically in the poses, unless otherwise specified, breathing deeply through the nose and holding the pose for one breath in each direction.
NOTE: This week incorporates the yoga block and some post-round conditioning yoga postures from our new Lowering Your Score DVD. This DVD also includes putting tips from Stan Utley.
Knee to chest:
During this exercise focus on the spinal rotation coming from your core abdominals and focus on pressing your sacrum towards the floor you will feel the maximum benefits of the pose.
Circular lumbar spine rotation:
PAR LEVEL:Keep the knees on the floor and rotate the legs and spine in a clockwise circular motion ten times, then counter clockwise for ten repetitions.
BIRDIE LEVEL: Lift the legs off the floor and practice the pose as directed above. Focus on stabilizing the movement by utilizing the core abdominals, specifically the obliques.
Supported bridge pose with yoga block:
Tuck the tailbone and lift the hips off the floor. Place the yoga block under the sacrum, NOT under the lumbar spine. Focus on the elongation of the quads and hips. Hold for one minute, remove the block and repeat three times.
Supine bound angle pose with yoga blocks:
Begin on your back, bringing the soles of the feet together and allow the legs to fall to the side. Use your yoga blocks or towels under the knees for support. Hold for three minutes.