Personal trainer Janet Roget answers questions submitted by readers of ActiveStyle.
Q: I am a weekend golfer.
When I was growing up, everyone told me golf was a great sport because I could play it for the rest of my life. Now that I am a senior golfer with a flexible schedule and time to play, I am plagued with nagging injuries that often sideline my golfing plans. I know I should warm up my body before I start swinging a golf club, but the problem is that when I arrive at the course I am anxious and excited and don’t want to take the time to warm up. It’s also inconvenient since my buddies jump out of the car and race directly to the driving range. Can you suggest a 10- to 15-minute routine I can do at home before heading out to the golf course?
- Golfer Guy
A warm-up routine can prevent injuries and help you play better.
A golf professional’s typical routine before he hits the course is to practice putting for 30 minutes, warm up by hitting for 35 minutes, pitch, chip and hit sand shots for 10 minutes, then putt again for 10 minutes before finally going to the tee. The typical weekend golfer drives to the course, swings a couple of practice shots, climbs into his golf cart and goes to the tee, often not feeling well until the third hole.
The amateur golfer doesn’t need to prepare like a pro, but if you want to make the most out of your playing time, and warming up at the course isn’t convenient, then performing a dynamic warm-up and stretching routine at home is a good idea. The kind of stretching you do is important. Static stretching, or holding a stretch in one position for a period of time, diminishes performance. While static stretching helps overall flexibility, it is best to do it after a workout or athletic event.
A sport-specific warm-up that engages the muscles used during the activity is important for anyone participating in an athletic event. Swinging a golf club is a full-body motion that uses many muscles and requires trunk and shoulder flexibility. Performing side bends standing up is not an example of a golf-specific warm-up, because a golfer does not stand tall and bend over sideways when hitting a golf ball. A golfer takes a stance in which the upper body is tipped forward, then rotates the torso from that position to swing the club.
Here is an example of a golf-specific routine you can do at home before getting on the course:
If it is appropriate for your level of conditioning, perform jumping jacks for one minute.
Get on the floor on all fours with hands directly under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Round your back upward as your head curls under to create a curve that runs from the buttocks to the neck, similar to a cat with an arched back. Then switch and arch the back, drop the stomach and lift the chest and head, similar to a cow. This is the yoga pose cat/ cow. Repeat this rounding and arching motion of the spine 10 times, making sure the arms are straight throughout the exercise.
Stand in a golfer’s stance (knees bent, feet apart, upper body tipped forward with a neutral spine) with your arms hanging down in front of you with palms together. Inhale as you rotate from the waist and bring the right arm back, then exhale as you clap your hands together in front of you to the beginning position. Inhale to rotate to the left with your left arm coming back, and exhale to the beginning position and clap your hands together.
Repeat this 20 times as you gain more range of motion with the rotation and the arm swing.
Stand in a golfer’s stance and hold a club in front of you with hands on both ends and arms straight and dangling in front of you. Keep both hands on the club (with straight arms) and practice a golf swing, rotating to a full stretch in the back swing and then following through, allowing the heel to lift and the foot to pivot. Remember to stay in the forward flexed (tipped) position necessary to execute a perfect swing. Repeat this motion 10 to 15 times.
Repeat the same exercise, only this time hold the club on your shoulders behind your head (and below your neck). Allow your arms to drape over the top of the club with your hands dangling in front, and in this position maintain a golfer’s stance and execute a practice swing. Repeat this motion 10 to 15 times.
Stand with your hands on a counter or a chair for balance and cross the right ankle over left knee, similar to the way men cross their legs when sitting in a meeting. Bend the knee of your standing leg and sit back as if you were sitting in a chair. Hold this position for three breaths and then switch legs.
Golf is a sport that can be played and enjoyed into the golden years, but studies show that most weekend golfers do not take the time to warm up, and that can limit their ability to play. Ten minutes is all it would take to follow this routine.
Now, if only I could persuade you to walk the course instead of riding in a golf cart. That will be a challenge for another column.
Write to personal trainer Janet Roget in care of ActiveStyle at P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203, or e-mail
ActiveStyle, Pages 23 on 04/29/2013