Anyone who takes part in any kind of sport or exercise knows how important it is to warm up beforehand. Stretching your muscles reduces the risk of muscle fibres tearing, and it encourages fresh oxygen to flow through the body, which helps reduce pain. It also eases your muscles into exercise so they can perform more efficiently and boost your energy.
While golf may not be a sport commonly associated with being in peak physical fitness, it can be physically demanding; the golf swing is a full body movement and you want to be able to move easily, without causing injury or pain. Warming up also mentally prepares you for the game ahead.
STATIC VS DYNAMIC
There are two main types of stretching, static and dynamic. Dynamic stretching involves continuous movement; things like circling your arms or squats, and they often mimic the movement you’re about to do. They get your heart pumping and your blood flowing.
Static stretching holds a position for about 30 seconds so that your muscles are fully stretched; the kind of movement you picture when someone mentions stretching; things like bending over to touch your toes or holding a lunge.
The general rule is you do dynamic stretching before exercise, and static stretches after. Research has shown that dancers who do static stretches before a dance class don’t perform as well as dancers who do dynamic stretches.
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU WARM UP FOR?
Pro-golfers tend to spend between 30 – 90 minutes warming up; top-level players such as Tiger Woods or Jordan Spieth warm up for about 90 minutes, while a mid-level pro like Brooks Koepka will spend around 45 – 60 minutes.
For the average player, 10 – 15 minutes is probably enough but ultimately you need to do what works for you, and what you have time for.
We’ve put together some warm-up exercises for the whole body for you to do before you hit the green.
STRETCHES
- Arms across the chest – stand with your arms horizontally out to the side and then cross them over your chest about 15 – 20 times.
- Arm circles – again, start with your arms horizontally out to the side then move them in a circular motion, then switch direction. Do about 10 – 15 each direction.
- Glute bridges –
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, then lift your hips while squeezing your glutes before lowering them again. Once you have the hang of the movement you can try pausing at the top. This is great for your glutes and core, which both play a major role in your swing.
- Hip rotations – stand with your feet hip distance apart and put your hands on your hips, then rotate your hips about 10 – 15 times in one direction before swapping and doing the same in the other direction.
- Body weight squats – stand with your feet shoulder width apart, then lower your hips as though you’re about to sit on a chair. To engage your core, do this while holding a golf club above your head, keeping your arms extended all the way down.
- Lunges – start with a straight back and legs then lunge forward with your right leg so that your right knee is over your right foot and your knee is bent at a right angle, then step back into the original position. Do 8 – 10 lunges then switch legs.
- Thread the needle –
Start on your hands and knees, the ‘tabletop’ position with your knees under your hips, your wrists under your shoulders. Then reach up to the ceiling with your right arm, twisting your upper body (it helps to look up at the ceiling while you do this), then bring your right arm down and through the gap between your left arm and your left thigh so that your right shoulder and cheek are on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds. This is great for shoulder and back tension.
- Hip stretch – sit on a chair or bench and place your right ankle on your left thigh. Press your right knee down gently with your right forearm and lean forward at the waist until you feel a light stretch. Then repeat on the other side.
- Wrist stretch – hold your right arm out in front of you, palm down. Keep your arm straight then gently use your left hand to grab the tips of your fingers and pull them up so your wrist bends. Repeat on the other side then do the stretch again, but this time bend your wrist down.
There’s no need to push yourself when warming up; there’s no point injuring/tiring yourself before you’ve even made it on to the green. After a game, reflect on how you feel; think about your performance and anything you think you need to work on. Make a mental note of any tightness or discomfort you might feel as these could be areas you work on in the future. Exercise is key if you want to improve your game, whether you want to work on hitting your ball further, or just build up your stamina, there is plenty to be doing while you’re off the green.
However skilled you are on the course, warming up will help protect your body and avoid injury, but you might want to think about protecting your equipment with speciality golf insurance. With three levels of cover to choose from that include Loss, Theft or Accidental Damage, Public Liability and Personal Accident as standard, with a range of optional benefits, you’re sure to find one that fits you to a tee. Give us a call, or visit the website for a free, no-strings quote.
The Insurance Emporium always recommends consulting your GP before undertaking any new exercise.
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