3balls Golf
Your brand new TaylorMade SLDR driver may help take strokes off your game and send your ball flying yards further down the fairway than your old golf stick, but there’s a lot more you can do to improve your game. You may not know it, but stiffness in your shoulders and hips could be compromising your ability to swing smoothly and consistently. Workouts for golfers intended to improve your flexibility can be done in just a few minutes each day without a lot of special equipment. Here are just a few exercises that will help you perfect your swing:
Hip, Trunk and Lat Extension
Grab your favorite club for this one — you’ll need it to help balance yourself. Start by kneeling forward with your left leg ahead of your body. With your left arm, place your club’s head against the ground. Raise your right arm over your head in an arc and bend to the left, holding this position for three seconds before returning to a resting position. Repeat three times before switching to the right.
Front and Side Leg Swing
If you need to improve your hip mobility, start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and your club in your right hand with the head against the ground. Kick your left leg forward as far as you can, then back as far as possible. Continue swinging your leg smoothly for a total of eight sets before repeating with your right leg. When you’ve finished kicking forward and back, narrow your stance and bring your left leg in front of you with your club in your right hand and swing your leg back and forth like a pendulum. Do eight sets with the left leg before switching to the right.
Window Washers
Lie on the floor with your feet flat on the floor and drawn as close to your glutes as possible, about hip-width apart. Inhale and twist your hips and knees to the right, until they touch the ground. Bring your knees back to the center, then twist to them to the left. Repeat 10 times in each direction.
Spinal Rotation
When you’re done washing the windows, spread your arms straight out from your body and lift your legs off the floor, bending your knees at a 90 degree angle. Knees together, rotate your hips to the right until your legs touch the floor, then bring them back to the middle before rotating to the left. Repeat 10 times.
By doing simple exercises like these that are designed to improve your flexibility, you’ll soon see a huge difference in your drives. For some players, just three short workouts a week for 30 days will help them pick up the extra yards they were leaving behind despite their favorite killer clubs, like the ones we carry at 3balls.com. Check out our site when you’re ready to trade your game improvement clubs in for something a little more challenging — after all, you’re going to be smashing your ball off the tee way more consistently before you know it.
Photo credit: State Library of Queensland, Australia / Foter / No known copyright restrictions
