How to Unleash Your True Golf Potential (Part 2)Written by Craig LePage, CSCS, NASM-CPT
In (Part 1) of this article I discussed how muscle imbalance can often keep a golfer from achieving his or her true playing potential. Even know these imbalances are quite common they often go untreated due to fact that golfer is focusing on symptom and not cause. The symptom in this case is inaccuracy and loss of power in their swing. The cause is muscle imbalance. Postural deficiencies (imbalances) consist of tight (shortened) muscles and weak (lengthened) muscles. Common golf posture consists of a forward head and rounded shoulders. Proper program design will call for tight muscles to be stretched and weak muscles to be strengthened. In addition, average person also has a weak core and lack of neuromuscular joint stabilization making it even more difficult to control their body during a functional movement such as golf. Common muscle imbalances of a golfer: Forward Head Position Anterior (front) neck muscles (tight/shortened) - Stretch Posterior (rear) neck muscles (weak/lengthened) - Strengthen Rounded Forward Shoulders Pectoral (chest) muscles (tight/shortened) - Stretch Rhomboid (upper middle back) muscles (weak/lengthened) – Strengthen Anterior Pelvic Tilt Illiopsoas (hip flexor) muscles (tight/shortened) – Stretch Quadriceps (front thigh) muscles (tight/shortened) – Stretch Gluteal (buttocks) muscles (weakness) - Strengthen
| | How to Unleash Your True Golf Potential (Part 1)Written by Craig LePage, CSCS, NASM-CPT
Time and time again we see today’s golfers out on driving range trying to better their game. Whether it’s working their short game or driving long ball, hours upon hours are spent on trying to master proper technique in order to take strokes off their game. What most golfers are unaware of is that proper technique they are striving for is often hampered by something call muscle imbalance. Muscle imbalances are postural deficiencies that will cause faulty movement patterns, discomfort or even pain during activities such as a golf swing. Muscle imbalances can be caused by many other factors besides golf, for example sedentary lifestyle, occupation, and injury just to name a few. Repetitive movements such as a golf swing can cause muscles on one side of body to tighten while apposing muscles become weak and lengthened. This will often result in loss of power and accuracy in a golfers swing. For a golfer to achieve his or her true potential, one must correct these imbalances that are hampering their ability to perform proper technique.
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