Fit For Play
Function Junction
This is a great time of year to retrain your body
and refine swing mechanics
Y
our body dictates your swing mechanics—period. Each body segment originally
has an efficient functional design that can be disrupted through years of
overuse, neglect or injuries. But the body is amazing at compensating, and it
will find ways around such dysfunctions that create inefficient swing tendencies.
In order to start meaningful off-season improvements, see a certified health
or medical professional for a golf physical evaluation (visit www.mytpi.com and search “Find
a TPI Certified Expert” in the upper right corner). This will enable you to understand why
you swing the way you do so you can begin the process of retraining specific areas of your
body. Don’t make the mistake of adding speed and resistance on top of a body that is not
functioning correctly. My philosophy is: function first, sweat and gritty effort second.
As it relates to a golfer’s posture, the spine has a tremendous influence on one’s swing
mechanics. The following exercises are designed to help you ingrain the correct posture,
and to challenge you to maintain ideal postural mechanics in varying positions and
movement patterns. It’s best, however, to obtain your doctor’s approval before initiating
new exercises and have a professional monitor you for correct form.
GLUTE BAND WALKS
You’ll learn how to establish proper golf posture by
incorporating this exercise. Stand completely erect and
place a golf club between the shoulder blades from
your waist to the back of the head. Flex your knees
slightly and hinge at the waist while keeping the club
in complete contact. If needed, tilt the pelvis so that the
lower back is almost flush with the shaft.
While maintaining correct posture, place the club
aside and step on a resistance band (bands with handles
are ideal) under the arches of both feet. Crisscross the
band’s handles with your palms facing each other. Pull
the elbows slightly back and down, as to gently retract the shoulder blades and open the
chest a little. Walk in slow, deliberate and lateral steps while keeping your feet square. Do
not drag your feet. Keep the shoulder blades retracted, jaw 90 degrees to the spine and
the pelvis neutral during the strides. The belly button should be drawn in to activate the
abdominal muscles. Try two sets of 12 strides on each side.
by TOM CUNNEFF
with DAVID MALONEY, Master of
Science and Titleist Performance
Institute-certified instructor
Illustrations by BARRY ROSS
FOREARM PLANKS WITH HIP ROTATION
A challenging exercise, this series of
motions will force the pelvis and thoracic
spine (shoulder blade area) to stabilize
simultaneously. It simulates the desired
posture, abdominal brace and separation
during the transition through impact of the
golf swing.
Place your weight on your forearms and
toes with your elbows under the shoulders,
palms up and forearms parallel. Stabilize the
pelvis by drawing your abdominals toward
the spine, establishing a straight line from
the heels to the ears. You’ll want a slight
concave area between the shoulder blades.
(Note: This is the same line created from
the tailbone to the head as the previous glute
band walk exercise.) Rotate the hips, feeling
as though you’re in a barrel and as if there
is a piece of barbed wire under the drawn in
abdominals. Initially, have a friend put a club
on the outside of each hip to ensure a rotary,
not lateral, movement. Keep the rotary
movement moderate. Try two sets of eightto-12 repetitions.
SKATER HELICOPTERS
Assume a proper hip-hinge golf posture and extend the arms out to each side. Now feel the lower part of your
shoulder blades come together. Imagine a string attached to each palm that is taught across the chest throughout
the movement. Laterally jump/glide onto your right leg. Stabilize yourself and then rotate your torso toward your
planted foot with your left hand swinging down tow ard the right knee.
Next, laterally jump/glide onto the left leg, stabilize and rotate the torso toward your planted foot. Maintain the
postural features and the spine angle. In this exercise, drawn in abdominals support the hinged posture and torso
rotation. Once stable and balanced at slower speeds, increase the width of the strides. Try two sets of 12, with a
complete repetition consisting of both legs.
Co-author David Maloney is an exercise physiologist and golf biomechanist who works with amateur and professional
golfers in Tysons Corner, Va. He also works with players on the Web.com and PGA Tour. For more information, please
visit www.golfcp.com or www.mytpi.com. Co-author Tom Cunneff is a writer from Hilton Head, S.C., and a regular
contributor to Virginia Golfer.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | VIRGINIA GOLFER
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