Dr. D. Ryan York, PT, DPT, CGS. Dr. Chad Edwards, PT, DPT, CGFI

Transcription

1 Dr. D. Ryan York, PT, DPT, CGS Doctorate in Physical Therapy Certified Golf Performance Specialist, GOLO Golf University Dr. Chad Edwards, PT, DPT, CGFI Doctorate in Physical Therapy Certified Golf Fitness Instructor, Titleist Performance Institute 2015 by Age Defying Golf. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Age Defying Golf.

2 It is recommended that you consult your physician before starting an exercise program. This book offers information in regards to fitness, exercise, physical therapy, sports medicine, and golf training. The information in this book is not medical advice and is not meant to diagnose or treat specific injuries or disease. 2

3 Top 5 Flexibility Related Swing Killers for Golfers Over 50 **If you would like to skip all of the text and get right to the stretch routine, scroll to the bottom of this book. Approximate Time Commitment: minutes Age is not a disease. Too many golfers over 50 just accept that their golf game is going to get worse, their drives are going to get wimpy, and their eventually going to have to settle for hitting 5 woods for all of their approach shots.hooey, garbage, not true! We have a saying in physical therapy, AGE IS NOT A DISEASE. Which means that you do not have to accept age related declines in your life or in your game. In fact, it does not take that much effort to restore and keep your youthful swing. There is a lot of talk about golf flexibility, a lot of programs out their to improve your flexibility with 101 stretches to do every day so you can do the splits and wrap your leg around your head. You want an easier answer? There are only 5 key joints/muscles that are responsible for all your age related declines in golf.here we go. 1. Right Hip External Rotation That is, being able to rotate your hips in your backswing without your right leg moving. Without good rotation of the right hip, it is impossible to use your right leg for a strong post in your backswing. Poor rotation leads to swing faults such as: reverse pivot shift, swaying in the backswing, excessively short backswing, to name a few. 2. Torso Rotation Loss of torso (thoracic) rotation is a BIG problem in golfers over 50. Loss of this rotation leads to extreme power loss, loss of the so called x-factor, excessively short backswings, an over the top swing move leading to pulls and slicing golf shots. 3. Left shoulder horizontal abduction That is, crossing your left arm across the body for your backswing. This is key to having swing width, which is on of the vital components to power without having to add muscle or swing harder. Poor flexibility here leads to a backswing with many compensatory breakdowns such as collapsing the elbows in the backswing or an 3

4 extremely limited backswing. 4. Right shoulder elbow rotation That is, can you keep your right elbow pointing straight down at the top of your backswing. I find this to be very common in golfers over 50 because, outside of the golf swing, most people do you use this motion very often. As they say, if you don t use it.. This restriction results in fatal swing faults such as the dreaded flying elbow, chicken winging, slicing swing path, a swing path that is too steep and, thus, a lot of fat shots. 5. Neck rotation to the left That is, being able to turn your head and look over your left shoulder. Neck stiffness problems begin to occur in the 50 s and continue precipitously from there. Loss of this vital motion, prevents the golfer over 50 from being able to keep his/her head still while allowing full shoulder rotation. If your head is moving, it becomes extremely difficult to hit a still object with any sort of consistency. There you have it, the TOP 5. By focusing on your key problem areas, you can regain and keep the swing of your youth, including all the power that comes with it. You can avoid wasting a lot of time and energy (and possible injury) on the latest joint ripping stretches the latest guru in a tank top with bulging biceps is touting. You don t need to be able to do the splits to have a great golf swing. Focus a brief time during the day to the areas in which you will get the most bang for your buck and start enjoying golf again. 4

5 #1 Hip Rotation The first issue killing golfers over 50 is the loss of range of motion of the trail hip in 2 directions. 1. External rotation of the hip 2. Hip flexion due to tight hamstring muscles External Rotation of the Hips External rotation is the ability to have a good turn in your backswing without allowing your right leg to rotate outwards. A good indication of this is if your knee cap rotates to the right in your backswing. This is key to maximizing your X-factor which is the difference between how much your shoulders turn compared to your lower body. For effortless golf power, you want there to be a big difference. However, if you have tight hips, you will have to allow your lower body to rotate in sync with your upper body = no X-Factor = no power. In addition, if your lower body is allowed to rotate too much, it is nearly impossible to not allow your weight to shift too far backwards and roll your weight to the outside of your right foot. If this is happens, you will also have a very difficult time making clean contact with the golf ball. Maximum Hip Rotational Stretch Setup: Start by sitting on the ground as shown.. Golf Action: Rotate your body around the leg that is bent. Gently pull knee across until you feel a good stretch in your buttocks. 5

6 Exercise Parameters: Hold stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with your left leg forward. Repeat 1-3 sets. Trail Knee Extension or Early Hip Extension due to Tight Hamstrings This fault also results in the loss of the X-factor but also puts you at an extremely high risk of having a life changing back injury. Max Hamstring Stretch Setup: Golf Action: Exercise Parameters: Find an open doorway or edge of a wall. Keeping knee straight, place heel on door-jam and scoot closer for desired stretch. Perform 1-3 sets with 30 second holds. 6

7 #2 Torso Rotation Loss of torso (thoracic spine) rotation is a BIG issue with golfers over 50. Lack of this rotation leads to extreme power loss, loss of the so called x-factor, overly short backswings, an over the top swing motion leading to pulls as well as slicing golf shots. As we grow older, we are more likely to lose some of the flexibility between the vertebrae inside our spine. This is actually a bit more the result of non-use compared to physical changes. Nevertheless, both figure in. As a physical therapist, I work on a lot of backs. The main danger with golfers over 50 is that a few joints in the back will become tight even though others become more flexible to make up for the rigidity in their neighbors. In other words, we move the same amount but place all of the load on fewer joints. This can lead to injury. Lack of upper body rotation is due to a couple of independent problems: The loss of flexibility of muscle groups that actively rotate the spine/torso. The movement of the individual spinal joints, mostly of the thoracic spine or mid-back 1. The Muscles of Rotation The muscles in charge of core rotation can easily be restricted and rigid like any muscles within the human body that are not actively stretched or moved throught their full range. You possess a number of muscle groups in command of rotation starting with the bigger oblique muscles to the small muscle groups connected directly to the spine such as the multifidi, spinalis longissiumus, etc. Luckily, anyone is able to stretch the whole group together and does not need to isolate each muscle separately. The vital element of an effective muscle stretch is that you should hold the stretch for seconds continuously. Lengthier stretches have not been confirmed to have any kind of advantage in any way unless you are planning on holding the stretch for 15 minutes or longer. Good luck with that! Try this stretch instead: 7

8 The key to an upper body rotation stretch is to fixate the lower body, which is really what this stretch accomplishes being in a seated position. Setup: Golf Action: Parameters: Key to success: Sit in a chair with a long golf club across your shoulders as shown (if you do not have the flexibility to hold the club with your arms as shown, place the club across the front of your chest instead of on your shoulders). Keeping your head facing forward, rotate your upper body as far as you can to one side. Hold for 30 seconds, perform 3 sets each side. Breath deeply while stretching. With each exhale, try and rotate a little farther! Spinal Joint Rotation Ok, this is the great part. You can also work on the mobility of the vertebra within the same stretching exercise. The distinction between a stretch and a spinal joint range of motion exercise is the amount of time you hold the position. Therefore, begin at the same precise position as portrayed in the photo above. 8

9 However, instead of holding the stretch, slowly rotate back and forth for 60 seconds without holding any position greater than one second. Start slow and gradually rotate faster and faster. Now you can take care of both stretching the muscle groups involved in torso rotation and improving the individual motion of the spinal joints at the same time and in the same position. Invest a few minutes every day and you will begin to recognize a big difference. There, isn t that a lot easier than a 30 minute, backbreaking workout? Your welcome! 9

10 #3 Left Shoulder Abduction Left shoulder abduction occurs when, in the golf backswing, you cross your left arm across your chest (for a right handed golfer). This is key to having swing width, which is one of the vital components to power and distance, without having to add muscle or swing harder. Poor flexibility here leads to a backswing with many compensatory breakdowns such as collapsing the elbows in the backswing or an extremely limited backswing. Unfortunately, there are very few movements that you make during your daily routine that uses this particular motion in full. As the saying goes, if you don t use it you will lose it. This saying is very true with golfers over 50. What typically happens is that as the golfer makes his/her backswing, they run into this shoulder limitation about there quarters of the way to the top. At this point, one of two things will happen: 1. The backswing stops. The golfer maintains good mechanics but essentially settles for 1/2 of a swing and the loss of distance that comes with it. 2. The golfer makes compensations to complete the feeling of a full backswing. Unfortunately, like medications, all swing compensations come with side effects. Like I mentioned before, most golfers will allow their elbows to breakdown or bend too much. However, allowing the elbows to breakdown causes a complete loss of swing width. And a loss of swing width results in a loss of power and distance. In addition, you will experience a decrease in accuracy because you are adding more variables to an already complicated swing. More variables leads to less consistency and accuracy. 10

11 Knot Stretch and I think you will find the name appropriate when you get into the position. The stretch is pictured lying prone on your stomach. However, you can perform this stretch in the same manner standing up facing a wall. Setup: Golf Action: Parameters: Lie flat on your stomach. Take your right arm and reach underneath you body to the left as far as you can reach. Next, place your left arm on top of your right arm and reach across your body as far as you can reach. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat stretch with your left arm reaching underneath the right arm. Keys to Success: If you have pain lying on your stomach, place a pillow under your pelvis (mid section). If this is too difficult, you can use only one arm instead of two and work your way up. 11

12 #4 Shoulder Rotation The flying elbow occurs at the top of the backswing and is when the right elbow is pointing behind you instead of down at the ground. The right elbow is chicken winged and is out of alignment. Killing any chance at a good swing. From this position, it is nearly impossible to attack the golf ball from the correct inside to square approach path. The result is typically a swing path that causes a slice. In addition, the swing is typically a lot steeper resulting in poor contact with the golf ball and more frequent fat shots. I find this to be very common in golfers over 50 because, outside of the golf swing, most people do not use this motion very often. Young golfers can get away with this but as golfers pass the age of 50, they need to practice the proper backswing position in order to keep the range of motion. The correct position of the elbow/forearm is in line with the golfers spine. 12

13 The forearm is aligned with the golfers spine Test Yourself In order to have the forearm in proper alignment you need to have approximately 90 degrees of shoulder external rotation. To test yourself, stand with your back flat against a wall. Raise your arms to make an L shape as shown in the picture below: In this position with your back and bottom touching the wall, can you touch the wall with both elbows and wrists at the same time? Without arching your back, can you put your arms flush against the wall from your shoulders to your wrists? If you cannot, your body is causing swing faults that will not be corrected with lessons, drills, or quick fixes. You need to upgrade your most important piece of golf equipment: your body! 13

14 Step 1: Stretch First, you need to improve your shoulder rotational range of motion: Wall Angels Setup: Action: Begin by standing with your back flat against a wall and your arms setup as shown. Your feet should be about one foot away from the wall so that you are leaning back against the wall slightly. Keep your elbows and wrists back as close to the wall as you can, raise and lower your arms as shown (like performing a snow angel). Parameters: Perform 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Keys to Success: Keep your neck muscles relaxed. If you are not able to keep your arms and wrists back, just do the best you can and you should see some good flexibility improvements. Step 2: Train the Body Once you have regained your normal shoulder range of motion, you need to train the body to use the new position to dramatically regain power and accuracy. The best training aid that we use is the Golf Impact Ball. However, you can use a rolled up towel that is 6-10 inches in diameter when rolled up (this is more cumbersome than the Impact Ball but free). 14

15 Put the towel in between your elbows and squeeze your elbows together to hold the towel in place. From there, take your normal backswing focusing on squeezing the towel. You can perform this drill at home or on the golf range. Warning Concerning Training Aids Although this may seem like a technicality, it is VERY important to use something that you can squeeze in between your elbows instead of the training aids that strap your elbows together. The reason is that when your elbows are strapped together, you are pushing your elbows apart to keep the straps tight. You are training the wrong thing! You want to train the muscles that squeeze the elbows together so you can translate the drill into your actual swing on the golf course. Please take the time to correct this swing fault, it will make a huge difference in your power and ball striking! 15

16 #5 Neck Rotation If you have a stiff neck, it is impossible to take a powerful backswing without the head moving a lot. The more the head moves in the backswing, the more difficult it will be to make clean contact with the golf ball consistently. Like the other 4 issues that we have covered, it is difficult to keep the mobility in your neck needed for a good golf swing. Aside from checking your blind spots while changing lanes on the road, people rarely rotate their head to the side as much as is needed in order to keep it stable during the backswing. You can get away with this when you are younger. However, as people enter midlife and beyond, you will begin to lose the range in motion in you joints if you are not regularly using it. Now days, pro golfers are so flexible that they can keep their head still enough to keep their eye on the ball looking over their left shoulder. Since you are over 50, we probably will not be able to get the neck rotation that Dustin Johnson gets. But you can improve your neck rotation with a few simple exercises. The least amount of neck rotation that you need to perform a solid golf swing is 75 degrees. This is approximately the range of motion you need to be able to lie down on your stomach with your head turned to the side. If you are unable to rotate your neck enough, 2 things will happen: Either you will have to shorten up your backswing so that you can continue to make consistent, quality contact with the golf ball or you can keep your backswing the same by allowing your head to move a lot. In the latter case, you will keep power by sacrificing good contact. Unfortunately, when you sacrifice good contact you tend to miss the sweet spot on the golf club and end up losing power anyway. How to Keep or Regain Neck Mobility The best way to stretch the neck is to lie down on your stomach in bed with your head turned to the side. However, may people find this position painful or too intense. If this is the case, you can try these exercises: 16

17 Dynamic Neck Rotation Stretch Setup: Golf Action: Stand with your correct golf posture. Make sure that your elbow remains straight and rotate your left arm across your body as you would in a backswing, holding for 2-3 seconds. At the same time rotate your head to the left. Repeat with your right arm crossing over to your left and your head rotating to the left. Hold for 3 seconds Exercise Parameters: Perform 8 repetitions to both directions. Static Neck Rotation Stretch Rotate your head. Use your hand to apply overpressure for a good stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. 17

18 Summary of this Golf Stretch Routine Approximate Time Commitment: minutes Maximum Hip Rotational Stretch Setup: Start by sitting on the ground as shown.. Golf Action: Exercise Parameters: Rotate your body around the leg that is bent. Gently pull knee across until you feel a good stretch in your buttocks. Hold stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with your left leg forward. Repeat 1-3 sets. Max Hamstring Stretch Setup: Golf Action: Exercise Parameters: Find an open doorway or edge of a wall. Keeping knee straight, place heel on door-jam and scoot closer for desired stretch. Perform 1-3 sets with 30 second holds. 18

19 Static Torso Rotation The key to an upper body rotation stretch is to fixate the lower body, which is really what this stretch accomplishes being in a seated position. Setup: Golf Action: Parameters: Key to success: Sit in a chair with a long golf club across your shoulders as shown (if you do not have the flexibility to hold the club with your arms as shown, place the club across the front of your chest instead of on your shoulders). Keeping your head facing forward, rotate your upper body as far as you can to one side. Hold for 30 seconds, perform 3 sets each side. Breath deeply while stretching. With each exhale, try and rotate a little farther! 19

20 Dynamic Torso Rotation Therefore, begin at the same precise position as portrayed in the photo above. However, instead of holding the stretch, slowly rotate back and forth for 60 seconds without holding any position greater than one second. Start slow and gradually rotate faster and faster. Knot Stretch and I think you will find the name appropriate when you get into the position. The stretch is pictured lying prone on your stomach. However, you can perform this stretch in the same manner standing up facing a wall. Setup: Golf Action: Lie flat on your stomach. Take your right arm and reach underneath you body to the left as far 20

21 as you can reach. Next, place your left arm on top of your right arm and reach across your body as far as you can reach. Parameters: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat stretch with your left arm reaching underneath the right arm. Keys to Success: If you have pain lying on your stomach, place a pillow under your pelvis (mid section). If this is too difficult, you can use only one arm instead of two and work your way up. Wall Angels Setup: Action: Begin by standing with your back flat against a wall and your arms setup as shown. Your feet should be about one foot away from the wall so that you are leaning back against the wall slightly. Keep your elbows and wrists back as close to the wall as you can, raise and lower your arms as shown (like performing a snow angel). Parameters: Perform 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Keys to Success: Keep your neck muscles relaxed. If you are not able to keep your arms and wrists back, just do the best you can and you should see some good flexibility improvements. 21

22 Dynamic Neck Rotation Stretch Setup: Golf Action: Stand with your correct golf posture. Make sure that your elbow remains straight and rotate your left arm across your body as you would in a backswing, holding for 2-3 seconds. At the same time rotate your head to the left. Repeat with your right arm crossing over to your left and your head rotating to the left. Hold for 3 seconds Exercise Parameters: Perform 8 repetitions to both directions. Static Neck Rotation Stretch 22

23 Rotate your head. Use your hand to apply overpressure for a good stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. 23