How you can improve you golf game next season, starting right now.
with Dr. Nolan Clausen
If you are like me, it's been tough to come to grips that the golf season is most likely over.
Yeah, we have a Top Golf in Omaha now. But it just isn’t the same. Athletes from all other sports have off season routines to keep them in shape, so why shouldn’t golfers have one, too?
Golfers know and understand that golf is a very athletic sport, but even with this knowledge, they don’t always treat their bodies like it is with what they choose to do in the off-season. Now, if you are someone who works out daily, even in the winter months, keep on with your bad self. For everyone else, let’s dive into why this is so important for your golf game.
Having an offseason movement routine can:
Keep you feeling fresh all winter long
Reduce your risk of injury at the start of next golf season
and most importantly, improve your performance next season!
I think every single person (especially golfers!) should have a daily movement routine. Whether that routine is as simple as a 20-30 min walk, stretching, foam rolling, or something as intense as CrossFit, some type of routine is needed.
Our bodies are the most amazing and complex machines out there. They become incredibly efficient at what they do. They are masters at compensating and finding ways to be even more efficient in daily life. Unfortunately, this compensation can sometimes lead us to failure. One of my favorite quotes from Ido Portal paints this picture perfectly:
“The body will become better at whatever you do, or don’t do. You don’t move? The body will make you better at not moving. If you move, your body will allow more movement.”
During the summer months, this is no problem for many of us because we are out golfing regularly. This becomes a problem in the winter if we don’t have a routine. Without a movement routine, we don’t get that extra movement, and we spend even more time inside, seated at our desks or on the couch... not moving.
If you find that you are having early season aches and pains year after year, this is probably the reason why.
By going from stagnant during the winter to explosive and very active in the summer, you throw your body for a loop. These sudden changes make it more difficult to adapt to the demands of another new golf season, which results in those early season aches and pains. This discomfort can hinder the progress that you made throughout the last season, and it might take you a few rounds to finally reach where you left off.
Now if we have a routine we are able to pick up right where we left because our body is conditioned to move! Adopting an off-season movement routine sets us up for massive improvements from year to year, rather than slow progression.
If you are unsure of a good routine for you, I would love to help! I am Titleist Performance Institute certified, and I help golfers address any physical limitations that they may have to improve their golf performance. As a TPI-certified chiropractor, I can help you connect your movement to your swing.
Because when you move better, you swing better.
Click here to schedule your Titleist Performance Institute Evaluation!