Swing Science

   Golf therapy is a real thing, and it won’t just lower your score. 

Golf Fitness : Dean Javier

   In all sports or physical activities that require the body to be able to reliably and efficiently reproduce the desired movement repeatedly, there is a basic principle in the exercise physiology world that trainers/educators impart to their clients: specificity of training.

   Basically, if one’s goal is to be able to play football competitively, then this person should train like a football player and not like a tennis player.

   The philosophy of the Titleist Performance Institute is to educate golf industry professionals and the public on how the body/swing connection are related to each other and how one’s physical fitness/limitations can affect the golf swing.

   In essence, what can your body physically do and build your swing around that.  

   Obviously, the better conditioned one’s body is in to withstand the torsional forces created in the golf swing, the end result (given proper professional instruction) will be: a better overall game (longer drives, crisper irons, etc.) and longevity in being able to continue playing the game.

   Therefore, the basis of golf therapy is to recognize what physical limitations are present that can hinder the golf swing and how to make it better. For example, if a person has an excessive anterior pelvic tilt (imagine a pretty big beer belly; you’ll see a person’s belt tipped forward and downwardly), they can’t effectively rotate their torso over the pelvis. Hence their ability to load on the stabilizing leg (for a right handed golfer you’re going to be rotating your torso & shoulders over the right leg / foot) will be limited and your power greatly diminished. 

   Try sitting at the very edge of your chair and arch your back excessively (ie, beer belly posture).  Cross you arms against your chest and simulate your backswing, then forward swing ( or, downswing) at a slow pace (don’t hurt yourself; stop when you have to).  You should feel restricted in how far you can rotate, and most likely will feel some pain in your low back. Now take some of the excessive arch out (place your low back in a more comfortable position) and repeat as above. I’m hoping you’ll have an “a-ha!” moment. This is just a small example of what golf fitness/therapy addresses.  

Check out this article online… Swing Science

Dean Javier is a golf therapy specialist for Sutter Delta Medical Center. He admits to having merely and average golf game.