 |
| Fitness |
 Stretching
Your Golf HandicapBy Dr. Chad Kulak of Inglewood Chiropractic & Acupuncture Now that the snow has finally melted, you’re coming up with some brilliant reasons as to why you need to spend five hours golfing. And with the Rising Women 2nd Annual Golf Challenge taking place on July 8th, one of those reasons has already been coordinated for you! Now how often have you jumped out of your car, raced to the tee box, grabbed your clubs, and furiously swung them back and forth in order to ‘loosen up’? Golf is a game of timing and repetition. Muscles need to be in perfect harmony in order to repeat the desired swing on an ongoing basis. Stretching before your round prepares your body for the physical demands you are about to put it through. This translates into a more efficient swing, and will decrease the chances of getting injured. One of the lovely benefits of getting older is decreased flexibility. Decreased flexibility means that instead of reaching for your 7 iron, you now hit with your 5. Eagle putts are a thing of the past. Stretching will allow you to regain some of those losses, and enable you to maintain your flexibility longer. There are as many different types of stretches as there are cheesy gadgets to hang from your golf bag. I will key on a couple of the more important ones. Something to remember with all stretches is to hold your position. Bouncing during a stretch is a dangerous practice, and likely to cause the injuries you are trying to prevent. Stretching on a daily basis upon waking in the morning is extremely important for overall health, let alone golf. Give yourself at least 5 minutes of stretching before you hit your first ball on the range, and try not to rush through them. When you finally get to the point where you are about to hit some range balls, pull out one of your higher clubs (8 iron or higher) and hit some half shots until you feel loose. You can eventually work your way up to the almighty driver, but don’t start with it. An often forgotten and underestimated aspect of stretching is that it is equally important to stretch when you are finished golfing. Your body will thank you the next day. The following stretches discussed here are important stretches, but there are many others that are of benefit too:  The
hamstring stretch can be done with the use of a bench. Lift up the right leg and put your
heel on the bench. While you keep this leg straight, bend at the waist and reach forward
with the right hand, trying to touch your toes. Hold this position for 30 seconds, repeat
with the other leg, and do each leg twice.
|
The
quad stretch involves standing against something you can use for support while standing on
one leg. While using your right hand for support, bend your right knee backwards and grab
your foot with your left hand, attempting to touch your right heel with your right
buttocks. Hold for 20 seconds with each leg. Do this at least twice. 
Another great
stretch involves standing with your feet shoulder width apart, with your arms extended in
front of you at shoulder height, and your toes pointed straight ahead. Slowly turn your
upper body as far as possible with minimal turn of your hips. If you can find a wall, you
can use it to help this twisting motion. Hold for 20 seconds, return to start, then repeat
on the opposite side. This is an excellent and safe stretch for the back.