3 Back Stretches for Golfers

Flexibility is an essential and under-appreciated part of athletic activities, especially golf. Flexibility maintains a range of motion in your joints that does not inhibit the full potential of your golf swing, improves performance within that range of motion, contributes to control and power, and helps prevent injuries.

Today’s post shows 3 important stretching exercises for the back. This golf blog’s first post on stretching exercises focuses on the back for several reasons. The low back has been the most common site of injury in golfers, the back is a key piece in the kinetic chain of the golf swing between your legs to the club, and the back is subject to significant forces and ranges of positions during the golf swing.

The first stretch is a common yoga posed called Upward Dog. Laying face down (lying face down? Layith face down? I’ll never get it…) with legs straight and palms touching the ground just above your hips, lift your upper body. Adjust your wrists so they are directly below your shoulders.

Position your hands so the pointer fingers point straight ahead. Bear most of your weight toward the top of the palm under the knuckles (rather than bearing your weight through the wrists). Bring your knees just off the ground and extend your back. Take a deep breath in and out through your belly and feel the stretch for a moment. Return to the ground. You can repeat 10-15 times and why not do this every day!

For a modified, potentially easier version of this, try the Cobra pose which is Upward Dog but with your knees still on the ground.

This next one goes by different names. We’ll call it Side Twists. As an added bonus you not only get the low back stretch but also stretch the glutes and external hip rotators. Fortunately you do not need to wear fine linens or sit upon a mat as legit as the one in the photo to perform this stretch.

Sit down with the legs straight. Slide one of your feet up and plant it next to the opposite knee. Take your hand on the same side as the bent knee and place it just behind your back/butt. Grab your bent knee with the opposite arm, then twist and look behind you. Go until you feel the stretch, take a deep breath in and out through the stomach for about 5 seconds, then relax turning slightly forward again to relieve the stretch. Repeat 10-15 times, then to the same on the other side.

Last we have standing side bends. Stand up with feet just inside shoulder width apart. Slide one hand down your side and reach with your opposite hand over your head. Stop when you feel the stretch and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times then do the same toward the other side. If it is difficult to stay balanced, instead of sliding the hand down your leg, instead stand next to a stable surface such as bed or table and brace your hand there as you bend toward that side.

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