Hey everyone and thanks for stopping by! SirPutts and I are pleased to welcome Mike Pedersen to the site. Mike is one of the most well respected golf trainers in the world and will be lending some of his expertise to our site. Watch for a weekly post from Mike and be sure to check out his golf fitness website .
You see…during the season is when you are putting all this stress on your muscles, tendons and ligaments. If they are weak or inflexible they give. That means “golf injury” in layman terms. That also means not playing golf even if you want to.
Every golfer deals with low back pain or at least stiffness throughout his/her golfing days. This is inevitable due to the stress your golf swing puts on your back, due to lack of both golf-specific flexibility AND strength. The most important time to implement a golf-specific conditioning program IS during the season. Don’t fall out of your seat yet…just listen!
Therefore, the solution is simple golf exercises and stretches during the season to prevent injuries and keep your power and driving distance up, and a more stringent golf training program in the “off-season” when you have more time, since you’re not playing much, if any golf.
Here is one simple golf stretch for your lower back that’s a must! You can do this in your office, in your home and even on the road while you’re traveling. As seen in the picture I’m doing a very simple golf stretch over an exercise ball. If you don’t have one of these balls, get one today! Don’t put it off! You need this ball!
When you first do this stretch, sit on the ball, and slowly walk it out until you are lying on the ball. Now ever-so-slightly raise your arms above your head. You’ll feel a slight arch in your back, you want this. That’s the stretch you need to release the tension in your lower back. Don’t go very far the first few times you do it. Once you get the hang of it, go further to really feel a stretch.
In a very short period of time, you’ll notice a dramatic improvement in stress and pain in your lower back, as well as an improved golf posture during your round. Give it a try!
This is one of dozens of stretches in Mike Pedersen’s Golf Fitness Manual at Perform Better Golf.