Pat O'Brien - January '09 article in www.texaslinksmagazine.com
As 2010 begins, undoubtedly there will be quite a few of us thinking about things we want to accomplish in the coming year. If that list includes getting in better shape and improving your golf game, I have some great news for you. You can kill two birds with one stone. If you will commit to improving your range of motion and strengthening your body in the correct ways, your golf game cannot help but improve.
I guarantee it.
I have been blessed to be associated with some of the best trainers in golf who happen to live in Dallas, TX. Two of them, Laci Weeks (pictured) and Damon Goddard of Synergy Golf Fitness, helped me put together this article. These pictures illustrates three simple tests you can perform to see if you possess adequate balance, mobility and stability.
Mind you, we are not breaking new ground here, as the outstanding Titleist Performance Institute deserves a great deal of the credit. It has been one of the key pioneers in training people for rotational sports that require dynamic movements.
The first one is the Single Leg Balance Test. This tests your proprioceptive ability. Proprioceptors are nerve endings that are found in muscles, tendons, joints and the inner ear. They let us know where our bodies are in space and time. Because the golf swing is a dynamic movement, balance is crucial in order for the proper weight shift and sequence to occur to produce a powerful swing. To improve this requires neuromuscular training, which in turn allows us to make changes more efficiently.
To perform this test, stand with your feet hip-width apart, allow your arms to hang at your side. Lift one leg off the ground, balance and then close your eyes. You will soon appreciate that 25 seconds is aver for PGA Tour players to hold their balance.
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