Okay, so I’ve been getting back into golf lately, and man, my back was killing me after a few rounds. I realized I wasn’t stretching properly, and honestly, probably not at all. So, I decided to get serious about it and find some good back stretches specifically for golf. This is what I did, and it’s been helping a lot.
My Pre-Round Routine
First, I started with some super basic stuff, just to get the blood flowing.
- Arm Circles: I did these forward and backward, maybe 10-15 each way. Just getting the shoulders loose, you know?
- Torso Twists: I stood with my feet shoulder-width apart, hands on my hips, and gently twisted from side to side. Nothing crazy, just feeling the stretch in my lower back and sides. I did about 10-15 of these too.
- Cat cow pose:I really made the curve and stretch obvious.I spent almost 2 minutes on it.
Then I moved on to some stretches that felt a little more targeted to golf.
- Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch: I knelt on one knee, with the other foot forward, like I was proposing. Then I gently pushed my hips forward until I felt a stretch in the front of my hip and thigh. I held that for about 30 seconds on each side. This one is key for getting that hip rotation in your swing.
- Lying Knee Twist: I lied on my back with my knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then I kept my shoulders flat on the ground and let my knees fall to one side, feeling the stretch in my lower back and hips. Again, about 30 seconds on each side. This one feels so good.
- Hamstrings stretch:Keep my legs straight and my feet together,then I bent down as far as I could and held for nearly 60s.
- Child’s Pose (from Yoga): This one is super relaxing. I knelt on the floor, sat back on my heels, and then folded forward, stretching my arms out in front of me. I held this for a good minute, just breathing and letting my back relax.
My Post-Round (and Sometimes During) Routine
After playing, or even sometimes between holes if I was feeling stiff, I did some of the same stretches, focusing on the ones that really target the lower back.
- Lying Knee Twist: Did this one again, because it just feels amazing after swinging a club for a few hours.
- Child’s Pose:Yep, this one again too. It’s just a great way to unwind and release any tension.
Honestly, I think the biggest thing I realized is that I needed to actually stretch, and not just think about it. It’s made a huge difference in how my back feels, both during and after playing. I’m still not a pro golfer, but at least my back isn’t screaming at me anymore!
