The Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion (Seated) 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 (Seated) 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.
Equipment
This exercise requires an exercise bench. You’ll also need a medicine ball to hold between your knees, in order to help stabilise your hips – or you could use a pad or towel instead.
Figure 1. Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion (Seated) Exercise Video.
Steps
- Start by sitting on a bench, with your hands clasped behind your head, your elbows out and in line with your ears, and a medicine ball held firmly between your knees.
- 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 throughout the movement.
You should feel a stretch through your torso and upper back.
Variation
This is a great way to stretch out your core and back before you play golf or during a round, if you want to perform something similar while standing, see the Progressive Core Rotation to Lateral Flexion Exercise.
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