In order to maximize your shoulder turn in your golf swing, you need to stabilize your hips. The muscles in your hips comprise the base of your core (the core consists of the muscles in the neck, torso, back, pelvic floor, hips and hamstrings), so by strengthen and stretching your core, you will be able to maintain your hips stable as you maximize your shoulder turn to create power and speed in your golf swing.
All movement in the golf swing as with dance, comes from your core, says former professional dancer and avid golfer Caroline Macke. Most people are weak and tight in their core so they end up making compensations in their golf swings. When hips are tight, most people end up sliding their hips on the backswing, preventing their shoulders from turning.
Macke, a certified Pilates instructor, has designed a series of Pilates exercises especially for her students that play golf to learn how to stabilize their hips (meaning no movement in hips) while maximizing their shoulder turn. They are classic Pilates exercises modified to simulate the golf swing. These exercises are to improve your torso rotation while maintaining stability in your hips.
| Vow and arrow (Caroline demonstrates this exercise on a Universal Reformer, but the exercises can be done on the floor with a resistance band wrapped around the outside of your feet.) Sit upright on the carriage of the reformer with your back to the foot bar, with the legs straight. Hold the straps in your hands, with arms straight out in front and parallel to the floor. Keeping your hips stable, pull the strap straight back with your right arm, rotating your torso to the right. Be careful not to let your buttocks lift up off the floor as you rotate. Hold position for a moment. Return to the starting position. Repeat on other side. |
| Standing Spinal Twist Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Loop a strap from the reformer around a golf club (you can also use a resistance band). Hold the club out in front of your body, with arms parallel to the floor, elbows slightly bent. Keeping hips and pelvic floor stable slowly rotate your torso to the right. Be careful not to let your hips rotate along with your torso, maintain them stable. Hold position for a moment. Return to starting position. Repeat on other side. |
| Seated spinal twist Sit on an exercise ball, with shoulders back, spine straight and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Hold a Magic Ring in front of you chest high (you can also use a small exercise ball or simply form a circle with your arms). Keep you hips stable as you rotate your torso to the right. Be careful not to let your hips move as you rotate your torso. Hold position for a moment. Return to starting position. Repeat on other side. |
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