Fitness – Can Your Game Benefit from Yoga?

Repetitive motions made during your golf game can put undue stress and strain on your body.  The following yoga poses build flexibility, strength, balance, mobility, and rotational power which will enhance your swing.

Revolved Crescent Lunge 

Benefits:

Increases stamina and balance

Improves posture by awakening the spine and back muscles

Releases tension in the back, neck, and shoulders

Tones your abdominal wall, strengthens your transverse and oblique abdominal muscles

How to:

Begin standing feet together and step your left foot back to high lunge- front knee stacked over front ankle

From your core, lift your torso and reach arms to sky lengthening your spine – keeping your shoulders down away from ears

Bring your hands together in front of your heart, and lean your torso forward

Using your core, rotate your torso to the right, hook your left elbow to the outside of your right thigh (can modify with left hand on the ground/block)

As you inhale, lengthen your spine forward, as you exhale twist from the core. Keep the length in your spine as you broaden your collarbones and turn your heart up toward the sky (look down if you have any neck tension)

Take 5-8 breaths and repeat on opposite side

Revolving Chair Pose

Benefits

Strengthens the supporting muscles of the major joints- shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.

Develops core strength.

Strengthens the quads and glutes

Helps protect the knee joint by building stability

Opens shoulders and chest.

How to:

Start standing tall.  As you exhale, bend your knees and sit back into chair pose arms extend up or out in front

Bring your hands to your heart, twist your torso to the right, place your left elbow on your right knee, and turn your gaze toward the ceiling (look down if you have any tension in your neck)

Stay in revolved chair pose for 5-8 breaths and then repeat on the opposite side.

Eagle

Benefits

Strengthens and stretches the muscles of the ankles, calves, thighs, hips shoulders and upper back

Loosens the joints of the arms, legs, and hips

Improves concentration, balance, and core strength

How to:

From standing position, bend both knees, lift your right foot, and slowly wrap your right thigh over your left. Option to hook the right toes behind your left calf. (You should not feel strain in either knee and your left knee should be facing forward).

Take your arms out to the side then take your left arm over your right, crossing the left elbow over the right upper arm. Slide your right hand toward your face, cross your forearms, and press your palms together, raising your elbows to shoulder height.

Stay here for five deep breaths, feeling the stretch in your upper back. Return to standing and repeat on the other side.

Meg Plotsky is the Group Exercise Director at the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club.  She oversees the Group Exercise and Group Recreation programs for club members and resort guests. Meg has spent over 30 years studying and working in the fitness industry.  Meg holds a degree in Program Management from the University of Illinois