Over the course of January our Director of Fitness, Gavin Metz, introduced 4 key golf hip mobility stretches that we use here at GGGA to improve the function and flexibility of the hip, giving your golf swing more potential for stability and power. These stretches included a self-myofascial release technique (foam rolling) for the IT Band, the Leg Cradle Stretch, Frog Stretch, and a dynamic Knee-Hug to Hamstring stretch. Combining these exercises together as part of a warm-up and/or cool down will allow your hips to become much more flexible and allow for better function and overall performance during your golf swing.
The IT Band foam rolling will help ensure that the pelvis can move laterally without pain or restriction from the surrounding muscles. It also helps to stabilize the knee when the hips are hinged allowing for better lateral stability in the swing.
The Frog Stretch helps stretch the groin area or adductors. The adductors help to rotate and pull the pelvis into the backswing and through the ball during impact.
The Leg Cradle Stretch will help ensure that the glutes are loose so that the muscle canperform to it’s fullest. The hips get most of their power and stability from the glutes so it is important to stretch this muscle.
The Knee Hug to Hamstring Stretch helps ensure that the hamstrings are loose and will not pull the pelvis into a “tucked under” or posterior pelvic tilt, resulting in a “C Posture” at set-up.
Combining all of these stretches together, one will have properly enabled the hips to rotate with speed and power more easily and efficiency, set-up properly to the ball, and rotate over stable hips. These golf hip mobility stretches can also help eliminate an early extension problem if the individual has proper strength in the hips, but lacks mobility.
