Boost Power & Control
by Stretching the Spine
by Barbara Hoon
The Jersey Golfer Magazine - July 2007
Part 2 of the Pilates for Golf Series
Power Off The Tee
If you want consistent and powerful long drives off the tee you need to need to tap the strength of your central core. Pilates is about movement from the center of the body, using all of the muscles of the body and so is Golf.
Many big-league sports teams have incorporated Pilates into their work-out regimes. Having started using Pilates as a rehabilitative alternative for injuries, Pilates has been elevated to a preferred training technique.
Pro players who have used Pilates as their secret training weapon include Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, New Jersey Nets captain Jason Kidd, Buffalo Bills offensive guard Ruben Brown and Washington Redskins lineman Ray Brown (at 42 the oldest such player in NFL history)
But of all the professional athletes using Pilates, golfers have been the quickest to incorporate it into their training for great results. Tiger Woods noted how Pilates helped improve his swing stability, and other pro golfers such as Rich Brown and Rocco Mediate have discussed how Pilates has improved their health and technique.
As a result, a set of exercises geared specifically to golfers have been developed and are generally referred to as Pilates for Golf. Golfers of all levels, from beginner to seasoned pro, benefit from greater conditioning, improved mobility, greater balance, power boost off the tee, and intense focus. Ask anyone who is taking advantage of Pilates for Golf and they’ll universally agree that it has taken strokes off their game.
This month we continue to explore the benefits of Pilates for Golf with the Spine Stretch exercise which focuses on elongating the spine and stretching out the hamstrings for increased flexibility and power. This is the second exercise in the Pilates for Golf series. Be sure to check out last months article on the proper execution of the “Saw” exercise which helps you generate energy and power by twisting the and coiling the muscles in the core.
Exercise: The Spine Stretch
Start by finding a small open space. This exercise is done while sitting on the ground, so find someplace flat where you can comfortably stretch out.
Step 1 – Sit up tall with your legs extended straight out in front of you about a foot and a half apart with your feet flexed.
Step 2 – Extend your arms straight out in front of you parallel to the ground. Make sure your shoulders are down and relaxed with your shoulder blades pointing naturally down the back.
Step 3 – Take a deep breath as you “grow” your spine toward the ceiling as tall and straight as you can make it. Now exhale and begin to curve forward starting from the top of your head moving toward your feet. As you exhale notice your abdominals will come back toward your lower back. Maintain a neutral lumbar spine.
Step 4 – Inhale, exhale and re-stack the vertebrae, one at a time, to a very tall, reaching spine position.
Repeat this series 6 times. You can also perform this exercise with your back against a wall to help you to keep your spine straight as you stretch it upward while inhaling.
Barbara Hoon is a certified Pilate for Golf instructor as well as the owner and operator of Six Degrees of Wellness Studio, a full service Pilates and wellness studio offering traditional and non-traditional instruction to athletes, both men and women. Ms. Hoon started out as a Broadway dancer and actress, moved on to film and television, and now has combined her passions for fitness and golf. Oh, and she loves answering questions of all sorts. (973) 625-7665, or info@sixdegrees06.com, www.sixdegrees06.com
Mark Yannotta is a renowned golf pro at The David Glenz Golf Academy.
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