The 7 Pose Yoga Warm Up for Golfers

Aug 16, 2012 by

Ever thought about yoga as a way to improve your game? Not only does it help you hone your concentration skills, it also helps you get in shape and tone your muscles which, in the end, will minimize (or even prevent) your chance for injury.

Yoga can even improve the consistency of your golf game by calming your nerves, improving your timing, and helping you have better balance (and, while you’re at it, streamline that t-shirt collection with our favorite mens underwear at barenecessities). Many yoga poses can assist in this, but we’ve put together our top seven that all golfers should use to have the best game of their life:

Yoga for golfers#1: Lunge – A lunge is one of the most basic yoga poses that will help you get stretched out before moving onto the more advanced poses. Start on your hands and knees, and step your left foot forward to rest between your hands. Make sure your shin is perpendicular to the floor. Press your back heel and toe into the floor while drawing your hips forward and pushing your right thigh toward the floor. Hold the pose for 30 seconds, and then switch sides. Repeat five times on each side.

Benefits: This pose stretches your hips and helps improve your balance.

#2: Mountain Pose – The mountain pose serves as a base to several other poses. Stand with your heels slightly apart and your big toes touching. Firm up your thigh muscles and lift your kneecaps to lift you a bit higher. Press your shoulder blades into your back, push your chest forward, and hang your arms to your side. Stay in this pose for 1 minute and focus on your breathing.

Benefits: This pose helps improve your posture.

#3: Revolved Crescent Lunge – Start in mountain pose and lunge your right foot forward. Your shin should be perpendicular to the ground, with your right knee right above your right ankle. Make sure the arch of your left (back) foot aligns with the heel of your right foot. Press your left leg straight and put your hands together at your heart. Twist your body from the waist and rest your left tricep on the outside of your right thigh. Press your palms throughout the entire pose and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side of your body.

Benefits: This pose is a great way to stretch your hips.

#4: Cat Cow – Start on your hands and knees with your fingers spread. Inhale while lowering your spine toward the floor and rolling your shoulders back. Inhale and push your chin to chest, chest to spine, and spine toward the ceiling.

Benefits: This pose helps strengthen your back.

#5: Down Dog – Start on the ground with your arms bent, hands directly below your shoulder blades. Your legs should be stretched out behind you. Curl your toes and push your body up onto your palms while lifting your knees off the floor. Push your thighs back so your body looks like an upside down ‘V.’ For a good stretch, push back into your heels and hold for 30 seconds.

Benefits: Down dog stretches the back of your thighs and hamstrings while strengthening your back.

#6: Crescent Pose – Start standing up, then step your right foot forward into a lunge. Raise your arms above your head. Bend deeper into your knee until your left knee is almost touching the ground. Straighten your body, then repeat with the other leg. Aim for 15 reps on each side.

Benefits: This helps with poor balance by strengthening your legs and stretching your hip flexors.

#7: Bound Angle Pose – Start in the seated position with the soles of your feet together and hands as close to your groin as you can. Sit up tall, inhale, and bring the knees up, then press them down to the ground. Repeat five times.

Benefits: Bound angle pose helps strengthen and improves flexibility in the inner thighs, groins, and knees.

These yoga poses are some of the best you can do to improve your strength, flexibility, and overall golf game. Whether it’s the off-season or you’re golfing every weekend, don’t pass on these poses.

About the Author:
Cindy Prosser approaches her golf game the same way she does shopping: by getting a leg up on her competition. Cindy finds behind-the-scene ways to improve her golf stroke just as she finds behind-the-scene deals while shopping for mens underwear at barenecessities. It’s a stroke of genius, really.

[jbox border=”6″ radius=”12″ shadow=”5″ title=”Introducing Our Guest Contributor: Cindy Prosser, a new friend of Golf Belles“]Introducing Our Guest Contributor: Cindy Prosser, a new friend of Golf Belles

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