The weather is warming up and no longer are we waking up to below zero temperatures and warnings of snow fall; therefore it\u2019s time to start thinking about getting back to all the outdoor activities the winter prevents us from doing.\u00a0 A popular sport many people are very anxious to get back to is golf.\u00a0\u00a0 Although golf is not a sport requiring a great deal of strength or cardiovascular endurance, there is still a high risk of injury for those who play regularly.\u00a0 Due to the repetitive movements involved in golf, avid recreational golfers are at a potentially high risk for overuse injuries involving the low back, shoulder, hips, and elbows.\u00a0 This is why it is important to ensure a proper warm-up is still performed prior to a round of golf and also that specific strength and flexibility exercises are done in the weeks and months leading up to golf season in order to reduce the risk of potential injury and improve performance on the course.<\/p>\n
Think of it like this, an athlete who plays soccer of basketball would not just sit before a game, wait for the game to start, and then hop into the game expecting to perform at their best.\u00a0 These athletes perform sport specific warm-up prior to each game or practice in order to properly prepare their body for the loads about to be placed on it.\u00a0 Long gone are days of sitting down and performing long static (still) stretches to \u201cwarm-up\u201d before hopping right into a given activity, as athletes now perform dynamic sport-specific movements as part of their warm-up routine.\u00a0 This type of dynamic preparation more specifically replicates the actions athletes will perform in their sport and provide increased range of motion, force output, and performance as well as decrease the risk of injury. \u00a0Static stretching exercises are still proven effective for increasing joint range of motion and flexibility; however, this form of stretching is normally prescribed to be done on separate days or following exercise.\u00a0 Research suggests static stretching decreases a muscles ability to generate power which could potentially reduce the effectiveness of your golf swing and quite possibly increasing your handicap!\u00a0 Think of yourself as an athlete and use a dynamic warm-up before you hit the course this year to avoid injury and improve your game.<\/p>\n
Here are 5 great examples dynamic stretching exercises specific to golf.\u00a0 This warm-up should take no longer than 10-15 minutes, but will definitely pay off in the long run!<\/p>\n
1.) Squats<\/p>\n
2.) Arm Swings<\/p>\n
3.) Trunk Rotations<\/p>\n
4.) Side Bends<\/p>\n
5.) Wrist & Forearm<\/p>\n