Core Strength Can Improve Your Score

Core strength, or the strength of the center of your body, can help you turn in some low numbers this season. The strength of your abdominals, back, and buttocks is often overlooked. Increasing your core strength will allow you to maintain proper spine alignment throughout the golf swing. We tend to believe that increasing our upper body strength will make us “big hitters” and give us the power to hit those 300+ yard drives. Actually, what we have found is those big biceps and weak abdominals can lead to shots that go far, but not straight. Your abdominal muscles are an important link to the complete golf shot.

Building your core strength can also help reduce the chance for injury. There are no bones to provide support to the spine in your low-back. Weak abdominals will increase the stress on your spine thus causing unwanted pain and injury. Increasing your core strength will take some of the stress off your low back and allow for proper alignment and give way to a repeatedly solid, smooth, and pain-free swing.

There are some simple home exercises that you can do to start toning up that mid-section. However, it is important to remember that you should consult your physician before starting any exercise program, especially if you have had a back injury before. Back pain can be a symptom of more than just strained muscles. As with any exercise program, you should start easy and progress slowly to avoid sore muscles and injury. Taking time at the start of your program to stretch and warm-up is essential.

The first exercise that you can do at home is called abdominal bracing. Lie on your back, on the floor, with you knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Put your arms on the floor next to you. Slowly tighten your stomach muscles while attempting to flatten your low back into the floor. Imagine you’re trying to put an imprint of your low back into the floor. Be sure to keep breathing; bearing down can cause injury. Hold this for a slow count of 10 and then relax. Repeat 10 to 20 times. Click here to view exercise. After mastering this, add arm and leg movement while maintaining a tight abdomen. With your stomach tight and low back flat against the floor, slowly raise one arm, then lower it to its resting position. Alternate arms until you have done 10 repetitions with each. Click here to view exercise. Do the same with your legs. Click here to view exercise. For a more advanced exercise, you can do the arm and opposite leg at the same time, alternating back and forth. Click here to view exercise.

The next home exercise you can try is called bridging. Again, lay on the floor, on your back, with knees bent, feet flat, and arms next to you. Tighten your abdominal muscles, as in the last exercise, and then slowly raise your buttocks off the floor and hold that position for a slow count of 10, then return to the floor. Repeat 10 to 20 times. Click here to view exercise. For a more advanced exercise, incorporate raising one leg at a time while holding your buttocks up. Remember to keep breathing; don’t hold your breath. Click here to view exercise.

The last exercise is the dreaded sit-up, or crunch. Start in the same position as before, but put your arms across your chest. Slowly raise your head and shoulders up off the floor. Do not rise too far; you only need to rise until your shoulders leave the floor. Hold the lift for a 3-countand then slowly return to the starting position. Start with 10 and increase by 5 every 2 or 3 days. Click here to view exercise. More advanced exercises include diagonal crunches and leg lifts with crunches. Click here to view exercise. If you experience pain with this or any exercise, you should stop immediately and consult your physician.

Golfers are always looking for ways to increase the quality of their play. The good news is the things great golfers do to improve their game are the same things weekend golfers can do to lower their scores, too. For more information or for a free injury evaluation with one of our Certified Athletic Trainers, call me at 419-783-2791. Good luck and happy golfing!