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