A good golf swing starts with a solid base of support (hips, pelvis, and lower back). A highly conditioned base of support will provide stability throughout the swing and allow forces to be transferred effectively from the legs through the hips to the upper body for optimal power and control. A strong base helps protect joints and other supporting tissues from the strong compressive, shear, and torsion forces that occur during the golf swing. Unfortunately, there are a number of factors that predispose the golfer to developing poor postural patterns and muscular imbalances that result in a weak base of support.

For much of our young lives, we were stuck sitting in school hunched over our desk. We finished school and started our careers. Many of us now find ourselves spending too much time in our cars or sitting in poorly designed chairs hunched over a computer. Over time we are conditioned to have tight hip flexors and lazy posture. Poor posture and muscle imbalance decrease musculoskeletal efficiency and disrupt communication within the neuromuscular system. Short, tight muscles show a lower activation threshold, meaning they fire at times when they should be less active or inactive. Overactivation of dominant muscles leads to decreased neural control of opposing muscles. Simply put, “when one muscle becomes tense and hyperactive, the opposite muscle becomes lazy and lazy.” Tight dominant hip flexors create weak and lazy hip extensors (glutes) and set off a chain reaction of dysfunction.

Tight hip flexors pull the pelvis forward, leading to excessive curvature of the lumbar spine. As a result, the muscles of the abdominal wall lengthen and weaken, while the muscles of the lumbar spine shorten and tighten. This pattern also causes a disruption in our body’s lateral stabilization system. The hip abductors (muscles that move the legs away from the center of the body) along with their opposing adductors (muscles that move the legs in toward the center of the body) work to stabilize the pelvis during lateral movement. Inefficiency in this lateral stabilization system inhibits coordination and makes proper weight shifting difficult during the golf swing. So what we are left with are weak hip extensors (gluteal muscles) unable to drive the hips through the swing, dominant hip flexors not allowing the hips to open to allow a full turn, tight spinal flexors they are forced to do the work of the weak hip extensors, but are too tight to make a full rotation, and it takes a lack of coordination to consistently make good contact with the ball. To make matters worse, most golfers spend hours on the driving range reinforcing and strengthening this dysfunctional pattern. Is it any wonder that the average golf score hasn’t dropped in decades?

To break this pattern of dysfunction and build a solid foundation of support, we must first establish coordinated muscle activation between the deep stabilizing abdominal muscles, hip flexors and extensors, hip abductors and adductors, and hip flexors, extensors and rotators. of the column. This is accomplished by activating and strengthening weak and inhibited muscles and stretching tight and dominant muscles. Once these muscles are retrained and coordinated muscle activation is established, we can work towards developing optimal strength and power.

The first step in this process is the development of the deep abdominal and pelvic muscles. This is done by mastering the abdominal brace. The abdominal brace differs from traditional abdominal training in that it encourages a “tuck-in,” also known as the “retraction” maneuver. With the “retraction” maneuver we are told to pull or draw the navel in toward the spine. Research has shown that stretching actually decreases abdominal activation and decreases lumbar, pelvic, and hip stability. The abdominal brace is an isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles, which means that the abdominals are not contracted or pushed. This maneuver should be the first step of each exercise since it is the basis of lumbar, pelvic and hip stabilization. The following exercise will allow you to master this movement and retrain the lower abdominal wall and allow the deep pelvic stabilizers to fire efficiently.

abdominal splint

o Lie in a supine position (face up) with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

o Strengthen your abs by flexing them as if you were going to be punched in the stomach.

o Return to a relaxed position and repeat.

tips

o Controlling movement is the key. When performing these exercises, pay strict attention to NOT allowing the use of your legs (hip flexors and/or glutes) while contracting your abs. The only muscles that contract are the abdominal wall; place your hands on your belly button to feel this isolated contraction

o There should be no tension in the neck or shoulders.

Do not limit the abdominal brace to the exercise. Practicing the brace with all activities (sitting, walking, driving, golfing, etc.) will help you build the stamina your abs need to maintain a solid base of support, as well as a healthy back.

A study presented by researchers at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine showed that golfers with strong hip muscles have lower handicaps and longer driving distances than those with weak hip muscles. This makes sense since the hip and pelvic muscles play important roles in stabilizing the trunk and transferring forces from the lower body through the upper body and arms during the golf swing. The ability of the hip extensors (glutes and hamstrings) and lumbar extensors to fire in concert also allows the body to react to and counteract the rapid rotational forces of the golf swing. The problem here, as we’ve already discussed, is that many golfers have inhibited hip extensors and tight, dominant lumbar flexors. At best, our spines were not designed to swing a golf club. Now we compound the problem by repeatedly forcing our spinal muscles to do the work of our hip extensors to power the swing. The spinal extensor muscles do not have the size or strength to do this, hence the tremendous incidence of overuse injuries and low back pain among golfers. So what we need to do is lower the lumbar extensors quite a bit to allow the hip extensors to do their job.

The progression of the Bird Dog exercise effectively helps develop stabilization, coordination, and spinal strength. The key to this type of exercise is learning and then keeping your spine “neutral.” Neutral doesn’t mean straight, it means allowing natural curves to be present. This is imperative to allow the spine to function properly and movement to occur without stress. The golf club placed along the spine is an excellent cue that allows the golfer to feel the correct positions of the spine and make the necessary corrections. The axis of the club must be in contact with only three points; the base of the head, the center of the back and the middle of the pelvis. Concave spaces should be visible in the neck and lower back.

dog 1

o Get on your hands and knees with a golf club positioned along your spine; make sure that the rod makes contact only at 3 points (head-back mid-pelvis).

o Brace your abs and slowly lift one hand and opposite knee off the floor (no more than 1/4 inch). Hold for five to ten seconds.

o Return to starting position and alternate sides.

tips

o The stick must remain in contact with the 3 points of contact (head, middle back, pelvis).

Once you’ve mastered Dog 1, you can move on to the next progression. Dog 2 adds the hip extension and shoulder flexion components. This exercise is extremely effective in restoring efficiency in the extensor chain (hip extensors, lumbar and cervical).

dog II

o Get on your hands and knees with a golf club positioned along your spine; make sure that the rod makes contact only at 3 points (head-back mid-pelvis).

o Strengthen your abs, slowly extend one arm (thumbs up) forward and the opposite leg behind you.

o Hold for five to ten seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

tips

o The stick must remain in contact with the 3 points of contact (head, middle back, pelvis).

o Do not allow your hips to rotate.

The key with Dog 2 is to not allow the lumbar extensors to fire during this movement. After you’ve mastered Dog 2, you can further challenge your hip extensors by adding the bridge exercise. The bridge adds the resistance of body weight to the hip extension movement and further challenges (and strengthens) the deep stabilizers or the lumbar-pelvic-hip complex.

the bridge

o Lie on your back with your arms placed by your sides.

o Strengthen your abs and squeeze your glutes (buttocks), then lift your hips into a bridge position. Pause and return to the starting position.

tips

o Your feet should remain flat.

o This movement is initiated with the hips, not with the extensor muscle of the spine; no pressure should be felt in the lower back.

o Maintain the contraction of the abdominal and gluteal muscles throughout the movement.

It’s important to implement a good stretching program to lengthen tight muscles as you strengthen your base of support. Aside from the already mentioned hip flexors and lumbar extensors, other commonly tight areas among golfers include the hamstrings, neck, levator scapulae (upper trapezius and levator scapulae), and internal rotator muscles. shoulder. A qualified strength and conditioning or golf fitness professional can provide you with a postural and biomechanical analysis that can give you a more detailed picture of your specific areas of need. Improving your base of support will add distance and control to your game and help prevent, reduce, and possibly eliminate golf-related pain and injuries.