Key Exercises to Improve Your Core Stability in Your Golf Swing

The Key to Great Stability in Your Golf Swing; Part 1 Core Stability

Key Exercises to Improve Your Core Stability in Your Golf Swing

1. Learning to co-contract your tranverse abdominus (TA) and multifidus (MF).  As I stated in my previous post, the intra abdominal pressure generated by the simultaneous contraction of both of these deep torso muscles is the primary stabilization mechanism for the lumbar spine. This is here we start with core stability training – learning to activate both the MF and the TA.

A>  Static contractions – Learning to Draw In/Abdominal oHolHHollowing

                Start by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and bent up to 45

                degrees. Pull your belly button towards your spine as though you were trying to

                zip up a tight pair of pants. Your stomach should not bulge out when doing this

                as we do not want to activate rectus or six pack group. The contraction should

                be gentle and not forced. The result is a slight caving of the stomach as the

                pelvis moves into a slightly more posterior tilt – the lumbar curvature should

                decrease, but not completely disappear. Hold this squeeze for 10 sec, relax

                repeat. Once mastered try doing the same exercise in a variety of positions –

                quadraped, kneeling, and standing in golf posture.

B>  Dynamic Stabilization – Deadbug Heel Slides

                    Start by lying on your back in the hook lying leg position described

                    above. Generate the same abdominal brace by pulling in your belly

                    button, but this time we are going to maintain it while you attempt

                    to slowly extend the leg outwards. Keep the opposite foot on the floor

                    and try to keep the distance between your lumbar spine and floor

                    constant. Exhale as you straighten the leg, and inhale as you return it

                    to the start. You can make this easier by holding the heel higher off

                    the ground until you get stronger. Progress this exercise by adding arm

                    movements, and then by doing the same series with both feet off the

                    ground.

C>  Stick Reverse Crunches – The Rectus Series

This is a great way to train the function of the rectus specific to golf.

Lay on your back with a club or bar held at arm’s length above the chest and your knees bent up at 90 degrees. Push the back of your pelvis towards the floor (tucking your tail bone in), and slowly curl the hips up off the floor so the feet move towards the bar. Focus on squeezing the lower abs to make this happen. Then slowly uncurl and return the hips to the floor – do not let them drop. Maintain some tension in the abdominals to control the descent.

                  <D> Horizontal Chops – The Obliques

                      This exercise will help you learn to recruit the internal and external

                      obliques to turn your pelvis and the hips in your golf swing. It is also a

                      great way to get some more rotation in your thoracic spine. Sit on a

                      stability ball with and hold a theraband at arms length. Be sure that it is

                      securely anchored at the other end. Tuck your tailbone in to set your pelvis

                      in neutral <pull in your belly button and squeeze your glute to do this>.

                      Keep your hands centered in front of your chest and slowly rotate your

                      shoulders away from the point of attachment. Return to the start slowly,

                      and be sure to resist the tension in the band. Take it as far as you can go

                      before the hands start to drift away from the centre of your chest. Repeat

                      on the other side.