Do you find that the best time to golf is early in the morning?
The world is quieter. The grass smells different, there’s still dew and those first rays of sunshine all engage our senses. It's energising. It just feels so peaceful.
Walking into the clubhouse around 10AM having already accomplished 9 or 18 holes, sipping your cup of coffee together with your golf buddy while reflecting on your amazing round and enjoying the view of the course... these are the kind of golf moments we ALL live for.
Yet the body could be at a higher risk for overuse injuries in those special early hours. And I’ll explain why that is.
Rolling out of bed and heading straight to the tee isn't the best way to great pain-free golf. It's not the best idea either if you envision yourself swinging effortlessly, in a consistent rotary way that's solid yet not rigid, from tee to green for 2 to 4 hours on various different grounds, positions and slopes while chasing your best round of the year...
Stress on the ligaments is 80% higher in the morning than at night, making them weaker and less able to protect the spine, which can increase the risk of damaging the joints of the spine. Now add the already ‘normal’ compressive shear forces to the spine from swinging. It’s a recipe for (chronic) lower back pain.
This physiological occurrence is also why you feel stiffer in the morning.
So, even though those magical sunrise tee times might be your most memorable, they do require a full body dynamic movement warm up (no static stretching).
Start here: My Fundamental Routines online training plan includes a driving range warming up and a morning mobility routine. It's everything you need. I want you to be able to enjoy ALL the rewards and see you let go of any risks that come from early tee times. These routines happen to be the 2 most popular ones of the whole plan too. The plan includes 9 video sessions!
Thousands of golfers have already experienced the huge benefits in their swing from training with GolfYoga and GolfFitness. Become a strong & resilient golfer today. You're just one click, one training away:
Keep Strong!
Liesbeth Pauwels
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