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Do Some Sit To Stands

For Better Stability On and Off The Golf Course

Good Golf DEMANDS a Strong Lower Body and a Flexible Upper Torso!

However, legions of golfers (especially seniors), have weak lower bodies and Inflexible Upper Torsos.

Being able to Rotate your Upper Trunk against a Solid and Strong Lower Body in your golf swing will create superb separation between the Upper and Lower Bodies and allow the Lower Body to initiate the downswing in a balanced and powerful motion.

Although there’s no better exercise for the Lower Body than walking, making sure you have Strong Glutes and Legs go a long long way in your golf performance.

A simple exercise you can do at Home or at the Office (or Anywhere for that matter), are Sit to Stands – performed right from your chair. Because our culture promotes a sedentary lifestyle (mainly from sitting down to much), I highly recommend that my clients do a few Sit to Stands throughout the day to maintain Powerful Legs and Hips.

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Do You Want Better Side Bend?

Then Put Some "Windmills" into Your Stretching Routine

There is more and more awareness being given today on the importance of Side Bend in the golf swing.

No Doubt…Side Bend occurs the more a golfer ROTATES through the shot. Side bend is a challenge for a high percentage of golfers especially seniors, when they have tight Chests – Obliques, QLO’s –and, Hip Flexors.

When those muscle groups get tight and lose Range of Motion, a golfer will tend to ‘Stand Up’ and Hyperextend rather than to ‘Get Down Into the Shot’. Without ample Rotation, a golfer will lose Centrifugal Force (Speed), and Power in their shots.

An exercise I do nearly every day are Standing Windmills (ideally against a wall), which keeps my torso limber and functional In my swing. If you’re not already doing Windmills (or Triangle Poses), I highly suggest you put them into your Stretch Routine! (And don’t be surprised that – when your finished, you’ll feel Lighter and Taller ON and OFF the course!

 
 
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Increase Your Side Bend With Windmills

Not much is mentioned in Golf Instruction Circles regarding Side bend – particularly in the downswing.

A look at Tour Players clearly show that when they start down, their Right Shoulders actually go down and angled towards the ball.  This is also in conjunction with their left hip and Left Shoulder turn out of the way.  Ie, the left shoulder will be turning Left and Out of the Way; thus allowing the left side to open up and create Centrifugal Force and Power from the Right Side.

In order to have ample Side Bend in the swing, the muscle chains on the Sides of the Torso need to be limber.  If they’re tight, the torso will definitely restricted and prevent the turning of the torso And, also diminish Centrifugal Force (Speed.)

The Windmill stretches will definitely help loosen up your Sides (Obliques), QLO’s, etc.

I personally do Windmills everyday (sometimes mixed in with Triangle Poses).

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Standing Quad Stretch

In my opinion, THE #1 problem in our culture- is that we sit down too much!

Remember, we’re Hunters & Gatherers and were designed to be out in nature–walking, bending over – Ie,  MOVING !!!

Because the majority of us don’t’ move enough, our legs don’t get enough motion that they were designed for, and consequently not only weaken, but begin to tighten up – especially as we age.  Our legs  also help support our upper torso, and when they tighten up, the upper torso begins to compensate and bends over Forward!  This in turn, forces our hips to do the work and we lose our vertical relationship with gravity.  In addition, our bodies begin ‘Fighting Gravity’ rather than to harmonize with it and our circulation, oxygenation, gets stifled.

What I HIGHLY recommend for my clients to do, is periodically during the day, simply stand up and put a foot on a chair, bed, short table, etc., and stretch out the quads.  During the stretch, make sure you’re ‘gently’, pushing your pelvis forward and you’ll feel a good stretch in your quads.

You only have to hold the pose for around 10 seconds, but I assure you…it’s well worth it!!

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For More Stability In Your Body and Golf Swing

Do Some "Sit To Stands" Periodically Throughout the Day

Lack of stability in your lower body– and being unable to stay in your spine angle, is often the result of having weak Glutes and Tight Hip Flexors.  Because the entire body is a UNIT where all the muscle chains work in unison with one another, there are other reasons, but weak glutes are usually a major part of the problem.  

WHY you ask?  Because we live in a culture where we SIT DOWN TOO MUCH, and consequently don’t walk and MOVE enough!  Therefore, the old adage of ‘If you don’t use it – you’ll Lose it’ applies here. 

I’ve never seen a tour player who had weak glutes, BUT, I’ve seen plenty of high handicappers and senior citizens that do.  

In the video above, I explain a simple exercise called SIT TO STANDS  that will absolutely strengthen your glutes – as well as improve your leg and hip strength.  Just doing these a few times a day will definitely help strengthen your glutes and posture, and get your golf game – and Health

– HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!

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Is Your Posture Getting “Slouchy”?

If So, Begin Implementing Sit To Stands In Your Excersises

As you’ve heard me say Many Times, Sitting Down too much plays havoc on the human body in a multitude of ways. From Weakening our Legs and Core, too tightening our Hip Flexors, and especially Rounding our bodies and creating The C-Curve ‘UNDER’ POSTURE, – Which, is a sure sign of weakness and stifles our circulation!

As far as the golf swing goes, we NEED strong legs and a strong upright back to allow a natural shifting and rotating of the hips – not to mention maintain a stable spine angle.

A simple exercise to maintain your strength and posture is the SIT TO STAND exercise which will help your body and golf swing in virtually every area.

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Kneeling Psoas Stretch

In my ‘not so humble’ opinion, THE #1 Problem – that’s the genesis of all musculoskeletal problems is” THE CHAIR!!

In fact, many people (including me) have called the Chair…’THE NEW SMOKING’.

In short, we sit down too much in our culture, and nature didn’t give us feet, legs, and hips to sit down as much as we do. We were given these limbs to MOVE and have MOTION, and when the body is moving – all of the systems in our body begin to function.Things like: Circulation, Breathing, Clearer Thinking, Digestive, Stronger joints, etc.

Since we don’t live outdoors and move like the Hunters/Gatherers that we truly are, and we consequently sit down too much, I highly suggest that during the day, people get up from their desks, and do a few Kneeling Psoas Stretches (as shown in the video above). A few of these periodically throughout the day will do wonders for your well being……..ON and OFF the Course!

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