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The majority of golfers getting ready to tee off on the first hole do not properly prepare themselves for the repetitive stresses they are about to encounter for the next 4-5 hours. You see it all the time, golfers rushing to the range to spray a few balls, taking a few putts on the practice green, grabbing the foot pulling it up, bending forward to touch the toes, and then they are trying to crush it off the first tee. The golfers you do see stretching are usually performing traditional stretches holding them for 15-30 seconds (static stretching) as we learned in P.E. growing up. However, recent evidence has shown that static stretching prior to a dynamic activity like golf can actually hinder performance rather than enhance it.
The golf swing is a very dynamic activity. There are numerous moving parts and those parts are moving in several different planes. The average golf swing takes less than 1.25 seconds. Stretching for 15-30 seconds does not adequately prepare these moving parts for what needs to happen during the time it takes to perform the golf swing. Dynamic stretching consists of using sport specific movements to prepare the body for activity. It involves moving through ranges of motion holding each end position for only 1-5 seconds. These movements often mimic the positions and movements that are involved in the dynamic activity. The speed and reach of the movement can be increased with repetition as the muscles heat up. Ideally, even prior to dynamic stretching, the golfer would do an activity for 5-15 minutes that would increase their core temperature like walking or riding a stationary
bike.
Static stretching has been shown to actually “deaden” a muscle neurologically for a time. You could also think of this as the muscle being “put to sleep” which is not ideal for increasing sport specific performance. As you stretch for a prolonged time, the brain is not able to effectively monitor the change in length due to a disengagement of the system which links muscle length to movement. You may have noticed a slowed reaction time or feeling “out of sync” if you have done a number of static stretches just prior to dynamic activity. If prior to a round of golf a muscle is trained to gradually stretch over 30 seconds, but really needs to stretch in a half second then it is easy to see why static stretching does very little to prepare the body for golf. Static stretching, however, may have a place in your general flexibility program in order
to maintain or gain overall muscle length due to asymmetry, previous injury, or general tightness. After the round or in the evening may be a better option for this type of stretching.
If you were about to engage in a static activity, static stretching might well prepare you for it. If you are about to play a round of golf, dynamic stretching is necessary to get your parts moving and ready to perform. For example, putting your foot up on a bench, bending forward to touch your toe and holding that position for 30 seconds would be considered a static stretch. However, if you put your foot on the bench, bent forward and then rotated your torso back and forth mimicking the rotation needed for the golf swing, this would be considered a dynamic stretch.
Dynamic stretching should not be confused with ballistic stretching which can be dangerous. Bouncing or aggressively moving in and out of a stretch very quickly can create injury. It must be emphasized that dynamic stretching be performed in gradually increasing movements, while avoiding pain, and holding anywhere between 1-5 seconds.
If you have any questions about golf related injuries or injuries that are keeping you from enjoying your game as well as anything related to golf-specific fitness contact Chris Cooper at ccooper@taiweb.com or 541-350-1631.
For information on Chris’ performance program visit: www.therapeuticassociates.com/acb-golf
Looking for great dynamic warm-up stretches to perform before your next round? Check out Chris' Featured Golf Stretch section on his Golf Performance webpage today.
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