This week I had the opportunity to play in the Monday after the Masters - Hootie and the BlowFish event. I was surrounded by athletes, celebrities and amateur golfers who all shared a passion for the game and the common cause of raising money for under privileged children. It was a great event (our team finished third just behind JB Holmes and Arnold Palmers group) and it allowed me an opportunity to work with golfers of all playing abilities and ages.
The gallery was large for a celebrity event, approximately 10,000 people and many golfers experienced the first tee jitters. Considering the pressure of hitting the ball in front of a large gallery, most players performed well. However I did see a lot of players with two consistent swing flaws ' an inability to maintain their posture which often results in the common swing flaw of standing up or picking up out of their swing plane.
This week we will add a new sequence of yoga poses to last weeks core rotation Warrior II pose and the previous weeks of hip flexibility and strengthening poses. These combinations of poses will help maintain a consistent spine angle and support the strength and flexibility needed to stop this common swing flaw. Strengthening and stretching the core and hip rotators are a direct correlation to maintaining proper posture.
Begin on all fours and pull the navel towards the spine stabilizing the trunk.
On your exhalation bring the elbow to the opposite knee. Focus on feeling the core abdominal muscles.
On your inhalation, extend the arm and leg while maintaining balance and your core stability. Do not arch your back. Focus on the muscles of the shoulders, low back and glutes. Repeat ten times.
If you want to challenge yourself extend the arm and leg out to the side and hold for five deep breaths. Switch sides and repeat three sets.
Begin you your belly with the arms placed at a 45 degree angle and palms facing the floor. Draw the navel towards the spine and squeeze the legs together and activate the gluts. Do not hyper-extend the cervical spine. Your face continues to point towards the floor and the chin is slightly tucked in.
On your exhalation, keep the lower body on the floor as you lift the upper body off the floor and draw the shoulders together and down. This pose targets all the muscles of the back, specifically the thoracic spine. Repeat five to ten times and move into a childs pose for two minutes.
Next week begins the Spring Game improvement series. Get your game in shape for the summer golf season. Stay tuned!!
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