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Alternating Arm And Leg Extension To Help Your
Takeaway
In previous weeks,
we've talked about the relationship between the
body and the golf swing and how golf
fitness exercises can improve the golf
swing. We began with the address position and
now look at phase two of the golf swing -- the
takeaway.
This is the point
where the golfer begins the dynamic movement of the
golf swing and where the body really starts to get
involved. The bottom line is the takeaway
transitions the golfer from the address to the
beginning of the backswing. In talking with swing
coaches, they often reference the takeaway as one of
the greatest problems for many amateurs. This is
where the golf swing is either started correctly or
taken off-track from the start.
Looking at the body
in terms of the incorporating it in the takeaway,
this is where it gets involved in the swing. It's
the beginning of weight shift, dynamic stabilization
and rotation in the body. One of the most
problematic areas is the takeaway gets out of
sequence and is not unified with the body. You often
hear swing coaches say you need to create a
one-piece takeaway and need the body to move in
unison with the club.
For this to work, the
body must maintain a stabilized position, but in a
dynamic movement pattern. When I say dynamic
stabilization, I mean the body must maintain the
fixed spine angle position it started in the address
and hold that while body parts start to move in the
takeaway.
When thinking about a
golf exercise in terms of dynamic movement patterns,
we want something that incorporates the lower back
and core region in a stabilized position with limb
movement. A great exercise for this is the
alternating arm and leg extension. What this does is
create strength and endurance in the core
area. In addition, it's an exercise that forces you
to maintain a stabilized core while having movement
with the arms and legs. It's cross-specific in terms
of training movement to the golf swing.
It's an easy exercise
and you begin by placing hands and knees on the
floor, with your hands directly under the shoulders
with the knees directly under the hips. The back
remains flat and the eyes focus on the floor. This
is very important because you want to keep the hips
and core area stable and not moving. A little trick
to help is to visualize balancing a glass of water
in the middle of your back.
From the start
position, simultaneously extend the left arm and
right leg to positions that are out in front and in
back of the core. Throughout extension, hold the
core stable and keep balancing the glass of water on
your back. Hold the extensions for two seconds and
return to the starting position. Repeat with the
opposite arm and leg and alternate back and forth
for 10-20 repetitions. The number of reps should
correlate to your ability to maintain a stabilized
core throughout the exercise.
It's a nice
cross-specific exercise that forces you to stabilize
the core and has movement of limbs within the
exercise, which is exactly the type of action your
body does during takeaway.
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1. Begin by
placing hands and knees on the floor, with
your hands directly under the shoulders with
the knees directly under the hips. The back
remains flat and the eyes focus on the
floor. This is very important because you
want to keep the hips and core area stable
and not moving. A little trick to help is to
visualize balancing a glass of water in the
middle of your back. |
2.
Simultaneously extend the left arm and right
leg to positions that are out in front and
in back of the core. Throughout extension,
hold the core stable and keep balancing the
glass of water on your back. Hold the
extensions for two seconds and return to the
starting position. Repeat with the opposite
arm and leg and alternate back and forth for
10-20 repetitions. |
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