The Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion Exercise is a great dynamic stretch that will improve the mobility of your back and core before you play golf, hit the practice range, or undertake other physical exercise.
The Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion Exercise forms part of the Golf Movement Preparation series of innovative and dynamic exercises that will increase your core temperature, prepare your nervous system for performing the golf swing, and strengthen your body.
The Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion Exercise is a component of the Golf Loopy Perfect Warm Up, an exercise routine that has been scientifically designed to prepare your mind and body for playing golf to the best of your ability in just 7 minutes.
Figure 1. Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion Exercise Video.
Steps
- Start by standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a golf club resting lightly on the back of your neck. Engage your abdominal muscles to stabilise your spine.
- Keeping your hips still and your chest up, rotate your torso to the left.
- Once you feel the stretch in your core, pause and laterally flex your spine, crunching your left elbow down towards the ground.
- Reverse the crunch, straightening your spine, and rotate your torso farther to the left, then repeat the crunch.
- Reverse the crunch, rotate your trunk slightly farther one more time, and repeat the crunch a third time.
- Return to the starting position to complete 1 rep.
- Complete the set of reps on one side before repeating on the other side.
Try to keep your hips still as you rotate your torso.
You should feel a stretch through your torso and upper back.
Perform this exercise for 30 seconds (15 seconds on each side) as part of the Golf Loopy Perfect Warm Up routine.
Variation
If you are able to exercise in a seated position, the Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion (Seated) Exercise does the same thing but helps you to stabilise your hips, for a deeper stretch, using adduction.
If you have any questions or comments about this or other articles on Golf Loopy, please send us an email.
You May Also Like…
Golf Performance Programmes – the most effective golf-specific fitness regimens on the planet, guaranteed to make you a better golfer!
There are a number of other golf-specific movement preparation exercises in the Golf Loopy Train like a Champion System.
The Golf Loopy Perfect Warm Up, an exercise routine that has been scientifically designed to prepare your mind and body for playing golf to the best of your ability in just 7 minutes.
Introduction to the Swing like a Champion System.
Golf Anatomy and Kinesiology, a collection of articles describing the roles of the muscles involved in the golf swing.
