Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Natural Choices: Self Massage for Golfers

The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
June Issue 104
All Rights Reserved
www.thenewsyneighbour.com

It is time to pull out the golf shoes, gloves, balls and clubs. To help prevent injuries and to increase your swing, here are a few things every golfer should know, from pro to beginner, young to older player. It is important that your body, mind and soul are ready to give you all you need to play a great and pain-free game. 

Did you know that self-massage is one of the key tools to help you become a better golfer? You already have the tool to perform self-massage and some stretch moves: your golf club! This great tool can help you give your body a much-needed warm up and stretch before, during and even after the game. Here are just some quick tips: Take your golf club and start massaging your legs by holding both ends of your club between your hands and use your club like a stick; rubbing your calf muscles, hamstrings, thighs (IT band), then also use it on your ‘glutes’ and lower back muscles. The neck can also be massaged with your golf club. For your forearms, hold down the top of the club with one hand as you clench the club between your knees while sitting. Then, rub your free arm and forearm against the club. Just be careful not to press too hard; if it hurts, stop! 
Next here are three easy stretches you can do. 1) Place your golf club behind your neck with your arms over top of the golf club. Start by facing forward and take a deep, slow breath in and as you slowly breathe out, keeping your hips planted, turn your waist to the right, take another deep breath in and out and with the out breath, turn back to the starting position. Do this two or three time on the one side and then the other. 2) Take your golf club and raise it over your head. Take a deep breath in and as you blow it out, slowly bend to the right as far as the out breath will take you and then take another deep breath in and on out-breath, move back to the starting position; doing this two to three times. Remember to also do the left side. 3) Hold your golf club in both hands just like a stick and place the club on your shoulder. Take a deep breath in and on the slow breath out, raise the club over your head; with another deep breath in and out, try to raise it a little higher, then with another deep breath in and with out-breath, lower the club to the shoulders again. This stretch can be done two or three times. 

Remember to stretch and do some self-massage to help keep your muscles warm, loose and flexible before your first swing. Have a great pain-free season! 

References: Book - Stretching 30th Anniversary Edition – Bob Anderson – Illustrated by Jean Anderson.

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