Warm
Up For Golf To Avoid First Hole Blowups
By Mike Pedersen, CPT, Golf Fitness Expert
Have you ever arrived at the golf course
with only a few minutes until tee time and no time for a
warm up? You rush to the range and hack a few driver's swings
then head to the first tee. Does this sound familiar?
What was your result? If it was par or
better, I would be shocked. The most common result is a
bogey, at best, but typically double or triple bogey --
not the way you want to start your round.
So what should you do if you are short
on time, or if you just want to prepare properly to play
your best? The answer is a warm up for golf that consists
of dynamic movements to specifically warm up your golf muscles.
Just doing a few simple golf stretches
before you play will give you a much better chance at shooting
par or even birdie on the first hole. Of course, swinging
a club and putting is also very important. But if your body
isn't warmed up, you're minimizing your chance for desired
results.
The phrase I've used for years is "prepare
your BODY to perform©". Every other athlete warms their
body up to perform, so why wouldn't a golfer do the same?
A body that is not properly warmed up will have less of
a chance at the proper swing sequence without tension.
I have inserted four key warm ups for golf
stretches to get your body moving like a well-oiled machine
right from the first hole. These golf stretches can and
should be done before practice as well.
Partial Squat w/Club
Instructions:
• Feet shoulder width apart
• Place club in front of you and hold with both
hands for balance
• Lower body by bending at the knees not hips
and raise club at same time
• Raise back up and repeat 10 times
• Keep upper body erect
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Toe Touch w/ Club
Instructions:
• Slightly flexed knees
• Grab club and bend at hips
• Let arms hang relaxed in front of legs
• Stretch hamstrings and lower back by lowering
club down legs
• Come back up and repeat with moderate speed
• Repeat 10 times. |
Overhead Arm Extensions w/ Club
Instructions:
• Grab club just outside shoulder width
• Hold club over head with arms extended
• Feet shoulder width apart
• Bring club down to legs and raise again
• Repeat movement for 15 seconds
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Standing Rotation/Twist
w/ Club
Instructions:
• Hold club chest high with grip shoulder width
apart
• While keeping feet and hips fairly stable,
rotate club to the right then left
• Try to breathe out on every turn to relieve
tension
• Repeat each side 10 times |
These four simple warm ups will make a dramatic difference
in your body’s ability to make a mechanically sound
and repeatable golf swing. This golf warm up routine takes
less than 5 minutes, so there shouldn’t be any reason
(excuse) for you not to do it before you start hitting balls
or rushing to the first tee.
About The Author:
Mike Pedersen is an internationally known golf performance
fitness expert. He has been featured in the top golf
magazines in the world, and a guest on over a dozen
golf talk radio shows. He is the founder of the number
one golf training site, as well as producing his best-selling
Golf Fitness System at www.PerformBetterGolf.com |
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