| “Stand up straightâ€, | | | | Proper posture must also be practiced |
| “Sit up straightâ€. How many | | | | during your workouts and daily |
| times did you hear that growing up? Good | | | | activities. For most golf specific |
| posture is important for many reasons, | | | | exercises, it’s not about how |
| not the least of which is confidence and | | | | much weight you can lift but about the |
| self-esteem. Although most parents | | | | quality of the movement; focus on your |
| probably didn’t have golf in | | | | posture, technique, balance and |
| mind, proper posture also aligns the | | | | coordination when performing a movement. |
| body in a way that promotes the most | | | | During all exercises, especially with a |
| efficient movement patterns with the | | | | sport specific movement pattern, it is |
| least amount of stress. Our | | | | important to establish proper posture |
| body’s framework, the skeleton, | | | | prior to and maintain it during the |
| and the muscles that control movement | | | | exercise. A quick checklist prior to |
| are engineered to work most efficiently | | | | each exercise might include, |
| when aligned correctly. | | | | “posture, engage, performâ€. |
| Take the spine as an example. When | | | | a. Posture includes keeping your |
| looking at it from a side view there are | | | | shoulders back, chest out, getting into |
| 3 “natural†curves, one | | | | position to perform the exercise and |
| each in the neck (cervical), mid back | | | | whenever possible complete the exercise |
| (thoracic) and low back (lumbar) areas. | | | | in your golf stance or address posture. |
| These curves are there for a reason. It | | | | b. Engage your abdominals/trunk muscles |
| is in this “posture†that | | | | in a neutral spine posture prior to and |
| the spine, the ligaments and the muscles | | | | during the exercise. This can be |
| supporting it, are best able to absorb | | | | accomplished by pulling your belly |
| and distribute force and provide | | | | button in towards your spine and making |
| stability and strength. When flexing, | | | | a hard “s†sound so that |
| extending, twisting, side bending or any | | | | all abs and some back muscles engage. |
| combination of those (as in the golf | | | | This acts to stabilize your spine and |
| swing), you want to maintain a posture | | | | promote more efficient movement. |
| that will optimize efficient movement | | | | c. Perform the movement. |
| patterns and performance as much as | | | | So if you want a more reliable golf |
| possible. The more we deviate from the | | | | swing and more consistent scoring, |
| ideal posture, the more other areas have | | | | posture is a fundamental that cannot be |
| to compensate and inconsistency, fatigue | | | | overlooked. Proper posture at address |
| and injury will eventually result. | | | | sets the tone for the rest of the swing |
| Golf includes both “static†| | | | and promotes a more efficient, |
| and “dynamic posturesâ€. We | | | | consistent golf swing. The ability to |
| are static at address but dynamic | | | | maintain your posture throughout the |
| throughout the backswing, downswing and | | | | swing is one of the keys to a more |
| follow-through. Your posture at address | | | | consistent and repeatable swing. Optimal |
| dictates how efficiently you will move | | | | flexibility and strength enable you to |
| throughout the rest of the swing, from | | | | get into and maintain your posture |
| your ankles, knees and hips to the | | | | throughout the swing and serve as the |
| trunk, shoulders and head. Good posture | | | | building blocks for stability, balance, |
| at address, and the ability to maintain* | | | | coordination and power. Not everybody is |
| proper posture throughout the swing, | | | | going to have “perfect†|
| promotes efficient movement and allows | | | | posture, but the closer you are the less |
| for a more reliable axis of rotation | | | | you will compensate and the less likely |
| throughout the golf swing which then | | | | an injury will occur. |
| permits more precise coordination of the | | | | *Before you send constructive criticism, |
| legs and arms with our core; | | | | I realize that posture at impact, with |
| compensations that result in mis-hits | | | | regards to shoulder tilt, hips and spine |
| are minimized and a more reliable and | | | | angle will be different from your set up |
| powerful swing realized. For instance, | | | | posture, but on the whole, |
| if your back is rounded and your | | | | “posture†at the ankles, |
| shoulders forward, your spinal and | | | | knees, hips and spine need to be |
| shoulder rotation will be limited and | | | | maintained for consistent, reliable |
| power compromised. | | | | contact. |