You’re guilty and most everyone who plays this game is guilty.
“Guilty of what, Jason?”
I’m glad you asked.
Guilty of not starting our pre-round routine with a proper warm-up. I’m not talking about your range routine and rolling putts before heading to the first tee but the actual physical preparation that goes into getting our body optimally prepared to swing a golf club for nine or 18 holes.
We’ve talked about improving mobility, increasing our core strength and power in the golf swing, and post-round recovery. Now it’s time to talk about taking our warm-up seriously. In this article, I’m going to cover why a proper warm-up is an important addition to your pre-round routine, some “do’s and don’ts” for your routine, what exercises you can perform to target heavily used muscles during the swing and how much time you need to spend on it.
What’s the Big Deal?
Sure, you can jump out of your car, throw on your shoes and head to the first tee. I can tell you that, for me, the first tee shot in that scenario is going about 75 yards and a foot off the ground. I’m going to feel stiff, I’m going to feel rushed and I am not going to be mentally prepared to hit a successful shot.
The ultimate goal of a proper warm-up routine should be to accomplish one thing: feeling your best physically heading into your round. By utilizing dynamic stretching, we prepare our muscles for movement. This preparation will help to reduce the likelihood of injury and improve our chances of success on the course. The more freely you are able to move throughout your swing, the more repeatable it will be.
An added benefit of utilizing a warm-up routine is that it gives you some additional time to mentally prepare for the round you’re about to play. You’ll be able to think about your strategy, clear your mind of distractions and feel relaxed when you head to the range and, ultimately, the first tee. In the situation mentioned above, you’re likely rushing to the course to make your tee time and your focus is not going to be on your round. You’ll instead be coming up with a way to explain to your playing partners why they are waiting on you, or coming in knowing that your group is annoyed that you’re cutting it close again. Not the best way to give yourself a chance at going low, if you ask me.
Warm-Up Do’s and Don’ts
As with anything, there are things we should include and exclude in a warm-up routine. Let’s dive into that a bit further so you can ensure you’re getting the most benefit from your new routine.
DO include stretches in multiple planes of movement.
The golf swing is a multi-planar movement and, at one point or another, all three planes of movement (sagittal, frontal, transverse) are utilized. The planes of movement break down as follows:
- Sagittal Plane
- Divides the body into left and right halves. Movements that occur in this plane happen in a back-and-forth direction, similar to the forward and backward phases of the golf swing.
- Frontal Plane
- Divides the body into front and back halves. The movements in this plane occur in a side-to-side motion. An example during the swing would be lateral weight shift and rotation.
- Transverse Plane
- This plane divides the body into upper and lower halves. Movements in the transverse plane occur in a twisting or rotational direction. The shoulder and hip turn are an example of movement in this plane in the golf swing.
Incorporating stretches and movements in each plane during the warm-up will help to optimally prepare our body for the round ahead.
DON’T perform static stretches.
A static stretch is performed by holding a muscle in an elongated position for a set amount of time. These types of stretches lengthen muscle fibers and can cause them to relax which will hamper power development and diminish explosive properties of the muscle.
DO allow some extra time for your pre-round routine.
While your warm-up doesn’t need to be 20 to 30 minutes long, you do need to allow yourself extra time upon arrival of the course for your round. Take into consideration what you’ll need to do before heading to the warm-up/range area; unloading your clubs from the car, changing your shoes, checking in at the pro shop, etc. Aim to get there 10 to 15 minutes early so you can approach everything in a calm, not rushed, manner.
DON’T be inconsistent with your routine.
Just like with golf, consistency matters with stretching. You won’t magically improve your flexibility by stretching before one or two rounds and then never doing it again. The more often you stretch, the more mobile and flexible you’ll be. As mentioned, this can help lead to an overall reduction in injury.
DO perform each stretch and movement with intent and purpose.
Stay actively engaged in your warm-up routine by focusing on the feels that each stretch and movement provide. This will allow you to recognize that you may need to spend a little extra time on one movement versus another if you’re feeling more stiff through your torso compared to your legs, for example. If you’re distracted, you’re likely not going to achieve an optimal stretch. Keep your mind connected to the muscle you’re stretching to maximize your warm-up.
DON’T worry about what anyone else thinks.
It can be natural to feel self-conscious doing something on the range that no one else is doing. Sure, you may catch a couple funny looks but who cares? The majority of golfers you’ll come across are only worried about their game and this extends to their practice as well. You are at the course to play as well as you can so don’t let others dictate your pre-round preparation.
Building a Routine
As stated, we want to perform movements in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes of movement to optimally prepare for the round ahead. However, we don’t need to spend 20 to 30 minutes on our warm-up routine, as you can achieve an effective stretch in as little as five minutes. Below are some sample exercises you can perform as part of your warm-up routine.
Alternating Lunge w/Trunk Rotation
The alternating lunge with trunk rotation is a great stretch for thighs and hips. By adding in trunk rotation, we can also target the muscles of our core and lower back.
How to perform it:
- Stand in a tall posture with your feet directly underneath your hips.
- Holding a golf club or exercise band, take a step forward and bend both knees so that your trail knee lowers towards the ground. This step should be long enough so that your lead knee stays over the middle of your front foot.
- Note: If you cannot lower your trail knee all the way to the ground, that is OK. Use a range of motion you are comfortable with.
- As you are lowering into the lunge, rotate your upper body in the direction of your lead leg.
- Push through the heel of your front foot to return to a standing position and repeat with the opposite leg.
- Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.
Split Stance w/Side Bend
The split stance with side bend primarily targets the obliques which aid in rotational power in the golf swing.
How to perform it:
- Stand in a tall posture with your feet directly underneath your hips.
- Take a small step forward and slightly bend both knees.
- With a golf club or exercise band in hand, reach your arms overhead.
- Bend laterally towards your front leg side, return to a tall posture and repeat.
- Perform 10 repetitions on each side
Shoulder Dislocates
The shoulder dislocate stretch helps to improve mobility in the shoulders and is a great way to get your upper body loosened up before a round. You can use a club (driver) or resistance band to perform this exercise. This exercise should be performed in a slow and controlled motion.
How to perform it:
- Stand in a tall posture with your feet directly underneath your hips.
- With your hands gripping each end of your club or resistance band, engage your core muscles and lift the arms up and over your head and down behind your back.
- Note: Only take your arms as far back as your body lets you. Range of motion will improve as you continue to perform this exercise.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
- Perform 10 repetitions
Hip Hinge w/Rotation
This move puts us into the golf posture and adds rotation to mimic the movement of the upper body during the golf swing.
How to perform it:
- Set up in a tall posture with your feet in a golf stance width and a golf club or exercise band across your shoulders.
- Brace your core and move into the address position.
- Load into your trailside as if you were swinging a club, shift your weight and rotate through and into a finish position.
- Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
Closing Thoughts
The physical benefits of a proper warm-up cannot, and should not, be overlooked. Preparing your body for the round you are about to play will aid in feeling better and more free on each swing, allow for increased range of motion and reduce the likelihood of sustaining an injury. Be consistent, move with purpose and intent, and reap the benefits of adding a warm-up to your pre-round routine the next time you head to the course.
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