by Whether you are a professional golfer or an amateur one, or just pursue it as a hobby, just like many other sports, golf too requires total body warm-up for improving your range of motion for a better swing. To play your best and avoid any injuries, it is important to warm up before golfing. While static stretching and arm swings are great for overall flexibility, they don’t correctly prepare you for a round of golf. There are dedicated dynamic warm-up exercises for golfers that not only works on your core but also helps with coordination. They prevent the risk of taking bad swings before your joints and muscles are ready to go.
In this article, we discuss the effective warm-up exercises for golfers that you should invest some time doing before hitting the golf range.
We are telling you these exercises are well worth your time!
Equipment Needed
Since you will be at the golf range dressed up in your gear, all you need is a golf club and perhaps bands for golfers. These exercises can be easily performed with this available equipment. You can always carry a resistance band in your golf kit.
#1 Shoulder Abduction to 90°
Shoulders are the most important movable joints you use while golfing. Therefore, they are prone to possible injuries if you don’t warm them up before playing. Shoulder abduction is a great warm-up exercise that you can do at the golf range. For this, you will need a resistance band. To start, stand on the resistance band with your right foot while holding the band with your right hand. Make sure you are standing straight with your legs a bit wide apart. While keeping your elbows straight, lift the band to your shoulder level up to 90 degrees. At the top, hold it for 2-3 seconds before slowly lowering your hands to the starting position. Complete a 15-rep set from one side and repeat on the opposite side.
#2 Wide Grip Twist
This exercise is meant to give your upper body a nice warm-up, ensuring to give you flexibility and a full range of motion as you golf. As golfing is majorly about your upper body movements, a wide grip twist is a great exercise. Hold your golf club overhead as wide as possible. Make sure your legs are also wide apart, with your knees slightly bent. Start the exercise by twisting your upper body from side to side. Stretch as much as possible while keeping your hips and legs still. It is important to keep your lower body stabilized and prevent any movement to get the full benefit of the warm-up. Repeat 25 times on each side.
#3 Pivot Twist
Pivot twist is similar to the wide grip twist, but there is a slight difference in the posture and the motion of the exercise. It is meant to give your movable joints an excellent range of motion. To begin with, hold your golf club with a wide grip slightly above the shoulder level. Now, slowly rotate the club horizontally to the left as you transfer your weight to the left, rising onto your right toe. Once you feel like you have gone as far as possible with the stretch, slowly rotate back to the center and carry on the movement to the right as you transfer your weight to the right and rise up on your left toe. Repeat the movement 25 times on each side.
#4 Leg Swings
This is the easiest of all the warm-ups mentioned in this list. It is a lower body workout to give your calf and thigh muscles a nice stretch while ensuring the proper movement of your lower back. Start with standing in a straight position, keeping your feet close to each other. Hold your golf club at your side just for balance. Begin by swinging your opposite leg front to back while keeping your knees straight. Do this 15 times with one leg and repeat on the other side.
#5 Lunge and Reach
This is a total body warm-up that requires balance. Stand in a straight position, step back with your left foot and slowly lunge downwards as you stretch your arms up. Stay in that position for 2-3 seconds before coming to the neutral position. Repeat the same movements with the opposite side. Perform 15 times on each side. To give your core a thorough work, you can hold your golf club with a wide grip and perform the same movements.
#6 Crossover Twist
Hold your golf club with a wide grip. Stand in a straight position and stretch your legs about 3-feet apart. Slowly bend forward at the hips and transfer your weight to the right, twisting your spine and shoulders to the right. You can let the right knee bend a little. Try to stretch and reach back as far as possible. Repeat the movements 15 times on each side.
These are some popular warm-up exercises that you can try before starting your game. You will surely start experiencing improvements in your swings and posture.
