Golf Fitness Chicago » Mark's Blog

		773.965.4959



		WELCOME

•

•
› Golf Posture
› Golf Flexibility
› Golf Strength
› Golf Injuries

•

• Blog

Golf Exercises to Correct That C-Posture
Friday, November 30, 2007

As a follow up to my last post I want to show you two golf exercises that are helpful in correcting a C-posture in your set up. Often times you will already know that you have a slumped position in your golf setup position. Either your friends have told you or your teaching professional is trying to get you to improve it. If you are unsure, here is a simple test you can do at home to help identify this set up fault.

Stand with your back all the way up against the wall as shown. Make sure your heels touch the wall, as well as your butt, shoulders, and head. Now if you are able to have everything touch the wall with minimal effort then you have pretty good posture. If you relax and your shoulders slump and your head or upper back comes off the wall you have some muscle imbalances. However if you are unable to put your head straight back against the wall you have significant muscular imbalances.

Correct your C-posture with exercises

If you failed this test, or your golf professional has told you to work on your posture, then try these two exercises right now to start improving your set up position and swing.

Lie down on the floor on your stomach. Place your elbows up under your chest, so that you are propping yourself up. With your shoulders propped up and the rest of your body flat on the floor your spine should be curved into extension. Just relax in this position letting gravity do the work. You should feel like your shoulder blades are pinching together in this position. Then while keeping your elbows stationary rotate the forearms out at 45° angles. Stay in this position for one minute.

Sit down on the floor with your back up against a wall. Then bring in your feet toward you so your knees point out and the soles of your feet are touching. Keep your feet as close to your body as possible. Then make sure your butt, low back, shoulders and head are touching the wall. This may be difficult but what is most important is that your butt and low back are touching the wall. Then take one arm and slowly slide it up the wall away from you body. You can hold a golf club in the opposite hand to help slide it up if you wish. When you slide the arm along the wall make sure your lower back does not come away from the wall. Hold it for three seconds and repeat five times. Then perform the arm slide on the opposite side. You may notice one arm is harder than the other.

Give these two exercises a try and start improving that golf posture now. Best of luck!

Posted by Mark @ 9:23 PM

Correct Your Golf Posture For Longer Drives
Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Golf posture and your set up position is one of the first things that golf professionals look at when assessing your golf swing. They know that when you are in good posture, your potential to hit straighter and longer golf shots is much improved. However, maintaining a good set up is often times not a simple task. The first step in developing a golf conditioning program is implementing exercises to ensure a good golf posture.

The most common postural fault in the set up position is the C-posture. The C-posture is seen when your shoulders and upper back are hunched forward when addressing the ball (see photo). There can be many causes to this position but it is generally the result of a lack of mobility in the upper back (thoracic spine), tightness through the chest and shoulders, and weak or inhibited muscles. A physical assessment from a golf fitness professional will help identify the specific problem.

In terms of your golf swing the problem with this type of posture is that it makes it difficult for you to rotate the shoulders fully, as well as maintain correct positions during the swing. A C-posture will never allow you to get the distance in you shots that you really desire.

Stay tuned for more information about this dysfunction and exercises to increase your upper back mobility.

Posted by Mark @ 5:21 PM

Off Season Training
Saturday, November 3, 2007

November is here and many golfers are heading indoors for the winter or putting away their clubs entirely. The question on many players mind is; what do I need to do to make next year a better year? Part of the answer to that question is to clearly understand that the off season is an important time of improving your golf performance, and it is a time that should be taken advantage of.

The off season is best utilized by first resting and reflecting on your past season. Take a few weeks off and think about how your golf game went over the summer. How did you play? Do you need more lessons? Do you need to hit the ball farther? Do you need to get rid of the back pain?

Once you have thought about it, make an off season plan. Making a plan is very important. If you fail to plan you essentially plan to fail. Consult with your teaching pro or coach and discuss a plan for lessons and practice that will be implemented over the coming months. Your goal is to be refreshed and ready to hit the course in the spring.

From a fitness standpoint you should also develop a plan. Consult with your golf fitness professional to discuss your swing faults, and physical limitations. The off season is a good time to refocus on fundamental movement patterns, as well as correcting physical limitations. From a strength perspective it is typically also a time when athletes build greater strength. Increasing your overall strength during the winter should be a key component to your workouts.

It is also a great time to really work hard on improving your flexibility if that seems to be an issue. It just all depends on your specific needs. Your fitness plan may include some or all of this, but it needs to be planned out with your fitness coach and teaching professional so you can achieve your goals.

So don’t lie around all winter, take advantage of this time to elevate your game. Work hard and good luck!

Posted by Mark @ 5:51 PM