How about the 2018 Masters! In my opinion, I found the competition this year to be some of the most entertaining in at least a few years. We had a few close calls and it is always fun to see an up and comer win. Patrick Reed held his composure marvelously throughout the final round! I feel like this event signals the initiation of the golf season more than anything else! It also helps that the days are getting longer and weather is getting better and better. As we are all able to get out on the course more frequently, it is more important than ever to continue to work on your strength and conditioning. This will improve your performance and help prevent any injuries throughout the summer.
With that said, I am hopeful that my previous two blog articles on balance and core strength have been useful in getting you prepped and in shape for the season. Our final piece to the strength and conditioning program is going to focus on the shoulder and upper back muscles.
Biomechanical testing demonstrates that approximately 20% of the power during a swing comes from the shoulders. If you consider how much of the body is involved in the swing, this ends up being a fairly massive percentage. We also know that the shoulder is the 2nd most likely body part to be injured in golf. The low back is number one. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative we have great strength and stability in the shoulder and upper back!
So, let’s talk exercises! My whole goal with this series was to develop a program that takes minimal time but is also very effective. If you search “shoulder exercises for golf,” you will get hundreds of exercises that focus on all of the important muscle groups. Few people have time for this. The exercises that are provided in the following videos work on several muscle groups in the back and shoulder as well as work on stability and control. Please add these to the previous exercises I have provided and enjoy the golf season!
Wall Slide with Band – Start with a light tension band or you can even start resistance free. Perform for 20-30 second bouts and repeat 3 times. You should feel very fatigued in the shoulders and upper back when you are done with your repetitions
Wall Slide with Back to the Wall – make sure to keep your back flat against the wall! Perform for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3 times. This should also make your shoulder and back very fatigued after finishing your repetitions.
Dr. Michael Johnson is a physical therapist and golf specialist at Colorado In Motion