Five Minute Dynamic Warm-Up

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Go to the course prepared by using this five minute dynamic warm-up

So you’ve been sitting down all day, starting at a computer screen, waiting for the moment you can leave and play some golf. It finally arrives, so you sit in a car for 20 minutes getting to the course.

Sure enough, on the 1st tee you’ve as creased and rigid as a piece of corrugated iron and it takes you six holes to find any sort of rhythm and form. What you needed was a quick fire, dynamic warm-up that gets your golf muscles primed for speed and action and quashes any chance of strain or injury. And here it is… nine 30-second exercises guaranteed to take you from board to bendy in just five minutes.

Exercise #1: Two Clubs (30s)

Start by taking two mid irons out of your bag. Place the handles together, faces of both square to your target, and grip them in your palms as shown. Make slow, full swings, allowing the extra weight to stretch out the key golfing muscles of your shoulders, chest and back.

Finish it off:
Those muscles need to work throughout your motion, so it’s just as important to stretch out the through-swing. Make sure you complete your two-club swing. Sweep right through to a finish, chest facing left of the target, belt right at it and trail foot up on its toe.

Why you need to do this:
This is simply to add a little bit of weight to get the blood pumping in preparation for the rest of the routine. The start should be slow before building up a bit of speed.

Exercise #2: Club in each hand (30s)

Now separate the clubs and grip one in each hand. Make the same slow, full swing, trying to keep the shafts parallel throughout.

Why you need to do this:
This helps make sure your lead and trail arms are awake and making a coordinated and balanced contribution to your motion.

Exercise #3: Leg swings forward and back (30s)

Place your driver in front of you and lean on the handle. Spend 15 seconds swinging the left leg forwards and back, then 15 seconds with the right.

Why you need to do this:
This stretches out your hamstrings, quads and glutes. It improves mobility, helping you maintain posture, while promoting rotation without sliding.

Exercise #4: Leg swings side to side (30s)

Still leaning on your driver, take each leg in turn and swing it out to your side then back, across you, for 15seconds.

Why you need to do this:
This works your hip adductor and abductor muscles, which play key roles in stabilising your pelvis as your hips rotate and extend.

Exercise #5: Clap in front and behind (30s)

Bring your hands together in a clap in front of your belt buckle, then swing them up in a wide circle, over your head, to clap again behind you.

Why you need to do this:
The forward clap mobilises the large trapezius muscle between your shoulder blades, which supports your arms and aids stability. The backward clap opens up your chest, helping shoulder rotation.

Exercise #6: Back slaps (30s)

Take your golf posture and spread your arms out either side of you. Now fold them around yourself to slap your back on both sides. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Why you need to do this:
Back slaps work your chest pectorals and middle and lower trapezius (neck) and deltoid muscles, improving joint mobility allowing for a full shoulder turn

Exercise #7: Pistol swings (30s)

Spread your arms, fold your elbows in close to your sides and point your forefingers out. Turn back and through, keeping arms and body locked into position.

Why you need to do this:
This stretches out your shoulder rotator cuff muscles and encourages your core to drive backswing and through swing rotation.

Exercise #8: Helicopters(30s)

Grip your driver by the middle of the shaft and use fore arm rotation to twist it one way and the other. Do 15 seconds for each fore arm.

Why you need to do this:
This exercise loosens up the potentially tight tendons and muscles in your hands, wrists and forearms, promoting full wrist hinge, cock and release.

Exercise #9: Swing shoulders (30s)

Take a wedge and simply swing it in a huge circle, keeping your arm stretch. Swap to the other arm half way through, before finishing with some fast swings to prepare body and mind for speed.

Why you need to do this:
This drill works your shoulder deltoid and shoulder trapezius areas, freeing up range of motion and promoting free arm motion from a stablecore.

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