2009

  • Loosen shoulder blade muscles

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Thursday 29 October 2009

    This particular muscle helps rotate our head, essential in maintaining our head position and thus our eyes being focused on the ball. This is crucial if we want to always hit the sweet spot. Allow your body weight to push into the ball and stop when you reach a perceived tenderness level of 6/10. Hold the position for 10-12 seconds and...

  • Loosen the hip muscles

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Thursday 29 October 2009

    This warm-up exercise increases hip mobility and flexibility which helps create that 45-degree hip rotation that we’re after in the backswing and also through the ball in our follow through. Remember to keep the feet still and focus on pushing your hip out, paying attention to any specific tight spots you may feel.   Check out more from Jon Bowskill, TG’s fitness guru, at:...

  • Loosen Front Chest muscles

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Thursday 29 October 2009

    Tightness through the pectorals (chest muscles) generally creates rounded shoulders. This common problem is rectified by massaging the muscle therefore enabling you to find and maintain the correct address position. Allow your body weight to push into the ball and stop when you reach a perceived tenderness level of 6/10. Hold the position for 10-12 seconds and the tenderness should have...

  • Improve ankle joint mobility

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Thursday 29 October 2009

    Ankle rolls increase ankle mobility in the side-to-side motion. This motion is essential during the golf swing to allow the body to move correctly over the base of support without having to compensate for restrictive ankle movement. Make the movement slow and controlled and don’t come too far over on the ankle. Check out more from Jon Bowskill, TG’s fitness guru, at:...

  • Improve your rotation

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Thursday 29 October 2009

    With this exercise, you will increase the rotation of the body ready for the golf swing without having to stretch before you tee off. It also increases the communication between body parts that is essential in producing coordinated movement in the golf swing. Start by seeing how far you can rotate initially. Then keep your eyes on your thumb throughout the movements.

  • Loosen the hamstrings

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Thursday 29 October 2009

    Hamstring tightness causes the pelvis to rotate backwards and reduces mobility in the lower back. This makes it difficult to find the neutral spine position in the address position. Massaging the hamstrings will help improve this. Keep breathing throughout the process to help get oxygen to the muscle and only ever put pressure through the roller when massaging up towards the...

  • Improve leg strength

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Thursday 22 October 2009

    This exercise increases glute strength which helps with both the generation of power as well as hip stability during the swing. Focus on pushing through the earth to come back up to the start position and have a slightly deep abdominal contraction by drawing in your belly button towards your spine. Check out more from Jon Bowskill, TG’s fitness guru, at: www.jonbowskill.com.

  • Improve integration of the hip

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Wednesday 21 October 2009

    This exercise will help increase the mobility of the lower back and coordinate the movement of the hips and pelvis, allowing a greater range of movement for the backswing and follow through. Focus on only lifting one segment of the spine at a time using the finger placement on your stomach to dictate which spinal segment you are aiming to lift.

  • Exercise the front of the thigh

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Wednesday 21 October 2009

    This massage helps release the thigh muscles that, if tight, can restrict freedom of hip rotation during the golf swing due to the pelvis being drawn down and forward. Keep breathing throughout the process to help get oxygen to the muscle and only ever massage up towards the heart. Check out more from Jon Bowskill, TG’s fitness guru, at: www.jonbowskill.com.

  • Improve wrist function

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Tuesday 20 October 2009

    This exercise warms up the area of the forearms and wrists allowing the flexibility required for the golf grip. Freedom of movement in the hands and wrists is crucial for appropriate wrist hinge in the backswing and release of the club at impact. Imagine you are trying to flick water off your hands in a rhythmical fashion. Check out more from Jon...

  • Improve the Mobility of Your Spine

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Tuesday 20 October 2009

    This exercise increases mobility in the upper back and upper quarter posture. This is essential in helping to create the correct spine alignment at the address position and also increasing the ability of the body to rotate. Keep your head fully supported throughout and make sure you breathe out on the way down to help with relaxation of the spine. Try...

  • Twisting exercise to help rotation

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Tuesday 20 October 2009

    This exercise increases the strength of the abdominals (oblique muscles) that generate rotational force. It also helps coordinate the torso and arm movements, therefore reducing the likelihood of overuse of just the arms during the swing. It’s important that the arms and body work together in the golf swing, to generate power and to gain consistent ball-striking. Maintain a slight deep abdominal...

  • Improve the synchronisation of the spine

    Written by Jon Bowskill on Tuesday 20 October 2009

    This exercise increases the most important aspect of the golf swing in generating power – rotation. It helps to increase upper back rotation so you can create that ideal 90-degree shoulder turn, generating more coil and therefore more power. Aim to smoothly integrate the head, neck, shoulder and spine movement. Make sure you are inhaling on the way back and exhaling as...