Flexibility for Golf
Brian Sutton MA, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, CSCS
Brian Sutton MA, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, CSCS
Introduction
Today’s typical golfer has many challenges to face. Not only are golf courses becoming longer and more challenging, but today’s golfer is actually less prepared to play them. In today’s automated society of long commutes, computers and television, many golfers are not properly conditioned because of lack of movement in their everyday lives. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (1983 vs. 1998), more people today are spending time in office-related jobs and more hours at work.1 Due to this, individuals are sitting for longer periods of time (less daily activity), increasing the chances of poor posture, muscle imbalances, poor cardiovascular conditioning which increases the chance of injury on or off the golf course. All these factors lead to inactivity, sedentary and more dysfunctional people unprepared to play 18 holes of golf. The combination of a dynamic movement like the golf swing and a 3-4 mile walk can be very challenging for most people leading to poor performance or injury. This article will discuss a biomechanical analysis of the golf swing to help design a flexibility program.
The Backswing
The purpose of the backswing is to help the golfer generate power in order to hit their desired shot. A proper backswing helps the golfer perform an accurate more powerful downswing and decreases the chances of a miss hit. The average duration of the backswing for elite players performing the drive has been found to be <1>
Today’s typical golfer has many challenges to face. Not only are golf courses becoming longer and more challenging, but today’s golfer is actually less prepared to play them. In today’s automated society of long commutes, computers and television, many golfers are not properly conditioned because of lack of movement in their everyday lives. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (1983 vs. 1998), more people today are spending time in office-related jobs and more hours at work.1 Due to this, individuals are sitting for longer periods of time (less daily activity), increasing the chances of poor posture, muscle imbalances, poor cardiovascular conditioning which increases the chance of injury on or off the golf course. All these factors lead to inactivity, sedentary and more dysfunctional people unprepared to play 18 holes of golf. The combination of a dynamic movement like the golf swing and a 3-4 mile walk can be very challenging for most people leading to poor performance or injury. This article will discuss a biomechanical analysis of the golf swing to help design a flexibility program.
The Backswing
The purpose of the backswing is to help the golfer generate power in order to hit their desired shot. A proper backswing helps the golfer perform an accurate more powerful downswing and decreases the chances of a miss hit. The average duration of the backswing for elite players performing the drive has been found to be <1>
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