Improve Your Golf Game with Warm Ups

Warming up before doing any kind of exercise, including participating in a sport, is extremely important because it not only warms up your muscles but prepares your body for exercise. Studies have shown that warming up can improve your game and help prevent injury! The following 7 warm ups only take about 5 minutes and are great to do just before teeing off - all you need is a golf club!

Start with the lowest number of repetitions and increase them as you become stronger and more flexible. Remember to always listen to your body; if something hurts or doesn’t feel right, stop and continue with the next warm up exercise! Give them a try before your next round and watch your strength, flexibility and score improve!

1. Arm Circles – 10 to 20 reps / side
   
   Begin with your right arm straight out in front of you, circle it to the back and around in a full circle. Start slowly then as you get warmer speed up the movement. Complete 1 arm at a time.
    
2. Standing Twists – 15 to 20 reps
   
   Hold the club on your shoulders. Rotate your torso to the right then all the way around to the left. Focus on keeping the lower body still with all the movement coming from your torso.
    
3. Wood Chops – 10 to 20 reps
   
   Hold the club straight up and down, perpendicular to the ground then lift it over your head. Simultaneously squat down and bring the club down and through your knees. Make sure your back is flat and your abs are contracted. Stand up and return to starting position.
    
4. Side Bends – 10 to 15 reps / side
   
   Hold the golf club with a wider than shoulder grip directly over your head. Bend from your waist to the right as far as you can, feeling a stretch in the left side of the body. Return to starting position. Complete all reps to the right then switch sides.
    
5. Squat with a Front Raise – 10 to 20 reps
   
   Hold the golf club at chest height with shoulder-width grip.  Squat down, keeping the abs contracted and the knees over the ankles. As you return to the starting position simultaneously raise the club up and overhead keeping the arms straight. Squat back down to complete 1 rep.
    
6. Stiff Leg Dead Lift – 10 to 15 reps
   
   Hold the golf club at thigh height. Keeping the back flat and knees soft, hinge forward from the hips and lower the torso until you feel a comfortable stretch in the back of the legs, stand up to return to starting position.
    
7. Side Lunge – 10 to 15 reps / side
   
   If needed hold onto the golf club for balance, step out to the left into a lunge, keeping the knee over ankle, return to starting position. Complete all reps on the left then switch and lunge to the side on the right.

Be Fit, Be Healthy, Be Happy! -Tanya

About the Author: Tanya Stroh, B.S., NSCA, ACE, is the founder and creator of GetinShapeforFREE.net featuring a “6 Week Shape UP Challenge” with Sequential Progression. This brand new fitness and exercise website is completely Free and available to everyone who has the desire to be fit and healthy. Tanya's philosophy has always been that a fit and healthy lifestyle is a process that you build upon; that’s why her approach to exercise with Sequential Progression is so effective. Tanya’s clients have successfully improved and achieved their health and fitness goals because of this approach to fitness. And now with GetinShapeforFREE.net so can YOUR clients!

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