When the winter winds blow and snow covers the ground, it may be hard to think about your golf game. However, keeping yourself in condition during your sport’s o ff-months helps prevent “weekend warrior” syndrome—incurring injuries when you play overzealously at the beginning of the season. And the strategies we will create can make your game more competitive when golf season rolls around. Three of the most important physical attributes for a golfer are strength, flexibility and balance. With these, you can create a more consistent swing that will help you hit the ball farther, straighten out a stubborn hook or slice, and lower your score. You will also have better control of your putts. Because the golf swing involves rotational movements of so many different joints and muscle groups, you need to condition the entire body.
The core muscles, especially the oblique and traverse abdominals, are crucial to this conditioning. Your swing will gain more power if you strengthen the quadriceps, gluteals and hamstrings in your lower body, and your posterior deltoids and rotator-cuff muscles in your upper body.
Developing flexibility in every area of the body is a great way to improve your game. To start, your shoulders, chest, torso and legs (and their component or adjacent joints) should be as fluid as possible. The Jackson Clinics Physical Therapy can evaluate your individual biomechanics to help improve your balance. Balance is particularly important when you are trying to make a difficult shot, say, from a bunker’s edge or a rough, steep grade. Finally, maintaining overall cardiovascular fitness in the off -season—and all year long—is important to maintain the stamina required to play a full 18-hole game. Whether you enjoy the treadmill or swimming, running or biking, consistent cardiovascular exercise will make you less likely to experience fatigue on the golf course when you are ready to make that crucial shot. We will be happy to design an off -season program that challenges you and produces positive results. This way, when the golf links beckon, you will be ready with your best game to take on all competitors.
Schedule your appointment today with The Jackson Clinics at one of our convenient locations in Northern VA, and MD. Ask about Direct Access (no doctor referral needed) and our 15 min. free screens!
