Troy Anderson
From Troy's Weekly Post, "Blue Collar Mondays"
on the Better Golf With Fitness Blog

8/21/06
Since the drill I shared with you last week targeted lower body strength and flexibility, this week I thought we could go ahead and look at an upper body flexibility progression. More specifically, I will show you a drill that you can use to loosen up your trunk.

We all know that shoulder turn is a big deal for golfers; however, what is often overlooked is that that shoulder turn is just the end result.  A good portion of the rotation comes from our ability to rotate the trunk/torso.   

A couple of things that inhibit our shoulder turn are “tightness” in a) our upper back and b) in the muscles that provide the linkage between our upper and lower body. 

The drill that I am going to show with help you dynamically stretch these areas; which if consistently practiced should help you be on your way to a better shoulder turn and better swing mechanics.

Check out this video:
Trunk Band Rotation Video

Tips for making the exercises more effective:
•     Always maintain good posture, throughout the drill.
•     Throughout the movement, maintain a straight line from your hand to your hips
•     The movement should be performed at deliberate speed, to help insurance correct performance
•    To begin the movement, concentrate more turning your chest, this will help to insure you are performing trunk rotation. 
•   When performing this drill without using a drop step, you should feel a stretch in the on the outside of you back that is on the low side.
•   When performing this drill using a drop step, you should feel a stretch in the on the outside of you back that is on the high side and continue down the front of the leg that you have drop stepped with.
•   On the leg that you drop step with be sure to “squeeze” your butt, pushing your hip forward, other wise you will be drastically minimizing the effects of the stretch
•    When you have reached your full stretch position, don’t bounce, just hold for 3-5 seconds and then return to your start position.

Exercise Protocol:  1-2 sets of 10-20 repetitions as frequently as desired.

At first, the exercise progression may seem a little awkward and difficult and it could be the reason why you have trouble with your shoulder turn.  Give it some consistent practice and I am sure that you will enjoy your new found mobility the next time you hit the course.

Click here for more Golf Fitness Articles

Troy M Anderson
troy@bluecollarathlete.com
bluecollargolfer.com
Troy is a golf conditioning expert, located in Tempe, AZ. To download your FREE copy of his special report "8 MUST-KNOW Tips for Starting a Successful Golf Conditioning Program”, go to www.bluecollargolfer.com

The articles at GolfFitnessProducts.net are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for direct examination and exercise prescription by the appropriate health professional.  It is strongly recommended that you do not perform any exercise program without the consent of your personal physician.