Learn how to improve your golf and and reduce injury through corrective exercises you can do virtually anywhere.

1.
Golf
and
Performance
Invest
in
Yourself
A
Workplace
Wellness
Report
Drew
Schultz

2. Golf
and
Performance:
Invest
in
Yourself
©
Copyright
2015
Live
Well
Longer,
LLC.
All
Rights
Reserved.
1
Golfers
will
do
anything
to
hit
the
ball
further
and
lower
their
handicaps.
In
this
report,
you
will
learn
strategies
you
can
start
using
immediately
to
enhance
your
golfing
performance
and
stay
injury
free.
The
golf
swing
is
a
very
dynamic,
stressful
action.
Pro
golfers
have
a
great
range
of
motion
and
a
graceful
swing,
largely
due
to
the
flexibility
of
their
shoulders,
torso,
and
hips.
Male
golfers
often
swing
the
club
up
to
160
mph,
and
females
up
to
100
mph.
It
is
no
coincidence
that
eighty
percent
of
top
golfers
perform
some
type
of
strength
training.
It
stands
to
reason
we
should
have
a
special
interest
in
training
and
preparing
the
body
for
safety
and
performance.
Unfortunately,
many
recreational/amateur
golfers
do
not
associate
fitness
with
golf
performance.
Your
physical
condition
will
amplify
your
movement
patterns
and
skill.
Simply
using
the
best
equipment
will
not
make
up
for
a
golfer’s
deficiencies.
Improper
swing
and
grip
technique
cause
many
golf
injuries,
but
lack
of
flexibility
and
overall
fitness
are
associated
with
the
most
common
golf
injuries.
Soft
tissues
(muscles,
tendons,
ligaments)
and
joints
are
affected.
These
types
of
injuries
are
more
common
in
amateur
golfers,
whereas
overuse
injuries
are
more
often
found
in
professional
golfers.
Tight
Muscles
Equal
a
Short
Swing
Correcting
a
golf
swing
may
mask
imbalances
or
faulty
movement
patterns,
resulting
in
a
band-­‐aid
approach.
Rather
than
just
addressing
the
symptom,
the
cure
for
the
root
cause
of
faulty
movement
patterns
(muscular
and
structural
imbalances)
must
be
addressed.
Your
power
potential
in
the
golf
swing
is
based
on
your
ability
to
turn
the
shoulders
on
the
backswing.
In
exercise
science,
as
the
backswing
relates
to
muscle
fibers
this
is
a
concept
known
as
myotatic
reflex-­‐
the
more
of
a
stretch
the
muscle
is
under,
the
greater
the
ability
to
contract
and
involve
more
muscle
fibers.
Thus,
more
power
is
generated
and
transmitted
to
the
ball
through
the
downswing.
Identifying
Muscular/Structural
Imbalances
Understanding
how
your
body
affects
your
golf
swing
means
understanding
the
Neuromechanical
System.
This
system
is
made
up
of
three
components:
the
nervous
system,
the
muscles,
and
the
skeleton.
When
you
have
developed
a
golf
swing,
certain
habits
are
ingrained.
The
body
is
very
adaptable,
and
will
find
the
path
of
least
resistance;
it
seeks
comfort.
Once
you
are

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2
used
to
a
certain
movement
pattern,
learning
a
new
swing
or
implementing
a
few
changes
means
literally
rewiring
the
neural
pathways
from
your
brain
to
your
muscles
and
back.
The
good
news
is,
because
the
body
is
adaptable,
you
will
be
able
to
eventually
overcome
this
old
habit.
The
process
is
known
as
the
Law
of
Facilitation.
This
law
is
defined
as
an
impulse
travelling
through
a
given
pathway
will
do
so
with
less
resistance
each
time.
This
is
what
we
often
think
of
as
muscle
memory.
The
muscles
are
arranged
into
agonists
and
antagonists.
This
means
that
when
one
muscle
group
contracts
(agonist),
there
is
another
that
stretches
and
decelerates.
For
example,
sit
up
straight
and
pull
your
shoulders
back.
Your
chest,
or
pectorals
are
now
under
a
stretch
tension.
Likewise,
when
you
straighten
your
leg,
your
quadriceps-­‐
the
front
thigh
muscle
group-­‐
causes
your
knee
to
straighten.
Your
hamstrings,
or
rear
thigh,
cause
your
knee
to
bend.
When
we
are
seated
throughout
the
day,
the
abdominals
and
chest
often
become
over-­‐facilitated,
meaning
they
are
in
a
constantly
shortened
state.
The
antagonists,
the
lower
back
and
upper
back,
become
weakened
and
elongated.
This
is
a
common
postural
problem
that
plagues
so
many
people,
and
is
particularly
problematic
for
golfers
for
three
reasons.
The
first
reason
is
how
the
spine
is
affected
by
a
weakened
lower
back
and
kyphosis,
the
“hunchback”
look.
When
setting
up
for
the
golf
swing,
the
torso
should
be
straight,
with
the
spine
90
degrees
to
the
club
shaft.
The
bend
should
come
from
the
hip
just
below
the
lower
back,
not
the
spine
itself.
Every
degree
of
bend
in
the
back
decreases
shoulder
turn
by
1.5
degrees.
This
is
considerable,
as
it’s
the
glutes
and
hamstrings
that
need
to
be
functional
enough
to
keep
the
lower
back
straight
while
bending
forward
at
the
hip.
Our
daily
routine,
especially
being
seated,
restricts
rotation
of
the
torso
and
thus
limits
club
swing/ball
speed.
The
second
reason
is
that
the
shoulders
are
pulled
forward.
With
the
chest
muscles
overly
tight,
the
shoulder
blades
are
limited
in
their
ability
to
move
during
the
phases
of
the
swing.
The
ball
and
socket
joint,
or
glenohumeral
joint
of
the
shoulder
(where
the
arm
attached
to
the
torso)
is
more
prone
to
impingement
syndrome.
Rotator
cuff
problems
often
manifest
themselves
as
impingement
syndrome,
where
there
is
not
enough
space
in
the
joint
for
the
soft
tissues
such
as
the
tendons
of
the
rotator
cuff
muscles
to
move
about
freely.
The
third
reason
is
elbow
pain,
particularly
the
outer
portion
just
where
the
forearm
begins.
What
is
known
as
Lateral
Epicondylitis,
or
“tennis
elbow”
(several
times
more
common
than
“golfer’s
elbow”,
even
in
golfers)
can
also
be
affected
by
typical
office
posture
of
the
back
and
shoulders.
When
your
arm
is
on
your
desk
or
on
the
computer
mouse,
the
tension
on
the
wrist
extensor
muscles
is
increased
by
25
percent.
The
muscle
is
fully
lengthened
and
at
a
mechanical
disadvantage
while
shear
forces
act
upon
it.
Weakness/tightness
in
the
body’s
core
and
shoulders
can
cause
compensation

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3
in
these
wrist
extensor
muscles,
and
“cupping”
of
the
lead
hand
upon
impact
of
the
club
head.
Poor
blood
supply
and
repetitive
action
results
in
delayed
healing
of
this
part
of
the
elbow;
what
seems
like
inflammation
is
often
unhealed
microtears.
Here
are
some
corrective
exercises
to
address
these
common
muscular/postural
imbalances.
They
will
help
realign
musculoskeletal
imbalances
so
your
swing
is
safer
and
more
effective.
The
ideal
result
is
to
have
an
easier
time
keeping
your
hips
and
shoulders
in
line
during
the
backswing,
a
vertical
spine
when
following
through,
and
avoiding
hyperextension
or
overarching
of
the
spine.
The
greater
flexibility
and
proper
balance
in
strength
between
muscle
groups
will
translate
into
greater
club
head
speed
as
your
body
releases
energy
like
a
coiled
spring.
If
you
are
new
to
exercise,
perform
two
sets
of
each,
fifteen
repetitions
per
set,
for
the
first
three
workouts
(non-­‐consecutive
days).
Ideally,
these
exercises
should
be
performed
three
days
a
week.
If
you
are
already
performing
resistance
training,
perform
three
sets
of
fifteen
reps,
non-­‐consecutive
days.
The
exceptions
are
for
the
rotator
cuff
(addressed
below)
and
for
any
static
exercise;
the
plank
and
a
static
bridge
should
be
performed
per
the
two-­‐three
set
protocol,
but
for
as
long
as
you
can
safely
hold
the
position
vs.
a
rep
count.
When
learning
the
exercises,
rest
no
more
than
one
minute
between
sets.
As
you
progress,
you
can
perform
the
exercises
back
to
back
in
a
circuit.
The
Rotator
Cuff
The
first
three
exercises
directly
address
the
rotator
cuff.
This
is
an
important,
if
often
misunderstood
muscle
group.
These
are
four
small
muscles
that
originate
on
the
shoulder
blade,
and
their
tendons
are
about
the
size
of
a
piece
of
yarn
as
they
attach
to
the
upper
arm
just
past
the
ball
and
socket
joint
of
the
shoulder.
They
collectively
stabilize
and
initiate
specific
movements-­‐
once
the
arm
is
in
motion,
the
larger,
superficial
muscles
we
see
in
the
mirror
take
over
and
dominate.
This
is
a
prime
example
of
muscular
imbalances
and
their
associated
injuries;
we
often
train
what
we
see,
and
do
so
with
weights
that
overpower
the
smaller,
deep
stabilizers.
When
training
the
rotator
cuff,
it
is
important
to
remember
to
use
light
weight-­‐
no
more
than
five
pounds,
and
even
2.5
lbs.
is
ideal
if
5
is
too
heavy.
We
are
not
trying
to
heavily
fatigue
these
muscles.
Perform
two
sets
of
fifteen
repetitions;
the
series
can
be
performed
in
a
circuit.
It
is
also
ideal
to
begin
with
these
exercises
as
they
serve
as
a
warm-­‐up
for
the
delicate
shoulder
joint.
External
Rotators
(adducted).
Begin
with
your
arms
by
your
sides,
shoulders
down.
With
your
arm
bent
at
90
degrees,
pivot
your
arm
from
your
elbow,
by
your
sides.
Make
sure
the
arms
do
not
stray
away
from
the
body.
Only
travel
through
a
pain-­‐free
range
of
motion,
to
your
natural
end-­‐range;
do
not
force
it.

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4
External
Rotators
(abducted).
Begin
with
your
arms
at
shoulder
height.
Keep
your
elbows
bent
at
a
90-­‐degree
angle.
Rotate
your
arms
with
an
imaginary
axis
in
line
with
your
shoulders,
raising
your
forearms
until
your
arms
make
a
“goalpost”.
If
there
is
any
pain
or
discomfort,
try
lowering
your
elbows
just
below
shoulder
height
by
an
inch
or
two.
You
can
also
angle
the
elbows
just
slightly
forward
in
the
same
manner
as
a
modification.
Front
Raises.
These
hit
the
supraspinatus,
which
is
one
of
the
most
often
injured
rotator
cuff
muscles;
this
exercise
also
works
one
of
the
bicep
tendons
in
the
shoulder,
which
assists
the
supraspinatus
in
raising
the
arm
overhead.
With
your
arms
by
your
sides,
raise
the
dumbbells
up
to
eye
level,
with
your
arms
spread
from
your
body’s

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5
midline
by
about
20
degrees
on
either
side.
Make
sure
to
keep
your
body
still;
even
with
light
weights,
the
body
will
try
to
use
momentum
and
sway
with
the
movement,
taking
valuable
stress
off
of
the
target
muscles.
Supermans.
This
exercise
addresses
all
of
the
muscles
in
the
body
that
are
affected
by
the
typical
seated
workday
position.
It
stretches
the
over-­‐facilitated
muscles
such
as
the
abdominals
and
chest,
and
contracts
the
postural
muscles
of
the
posterior
chain-­‐
the
backside
of
the
body.
You
will
feel
the
shoulders,
upper,
middle
and
lower
back,
as
well
as
the
glutes
and
hamstrings.
Lay
flat
on
your
midsection.
Spread
your
limbs
20
degrees
from
the
midline
of
your
body.
Raise
all
four
limbs
at
one
time;
hold
for
two
seconds.
Lower
your
limbs
back
to
the
ground,
and
repeat.

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6
Plank.
This
is
the
preeminent
core
exercise.
The
goal
is
to
keep
your
back
and
hips
flat.
While
the
entire
body’s
musculature
is
firing
to
a
degree,
the
primary
muscle
addressed
is
the
transverse
abdominis,
which
wraps
around
like
a
cumberbund
from
the
naval
to
the
lumbar
spine.
Place
your
elbows
directly
under
your
shoulders.
Your
body
should
be
suspended
so
that
only
your
toes
and
forearms
have
contact
with
the
floor.
Keep
your
head
in
line
with
your
body
so
you
are
looking
at
the
floor.
Hold
for
as
long
as
you
can
until
you
feel
your
lower
abdominal
area
quivering,
then
gently
bring
your
knees
to
the
floor
one
at
a
time.
When
performing
the
plank
for
the
first
time,
some
individuals
will
be
able
to
hold
a
plank
for
over
a
half
minute;
others
will
be
able
to
hold
for
only
a
few
seconds.
Either
way,
you
will
rapidly
build
muscular
endurance
in
this
exercise
within
a
few
weeks.
Bridge.
This
exercise
directly
targets
the
lower
posterior
chain-­‐
the
lumbar
muscles,
glutes,
and
hamstrings.
Lay
flat
on
your
back.
Keeping
your
heels
flat
and
knees
bent,
push
your
hips
off
the
floor
and
hold
for
two
seconds.
Visualize
your
hips
and
thighs
ending
up
in
the
same
plane.
Slowly
return
to
the
floor
and
repeat.
After
several
weeks,
you
can
hold
the
bridge
position
statically,
just
like
the
plank.
Seated
Row.
This
exercise
trains
the
postural
muscles
of
the
upper
and
middle
back.
This
example
shows
a
cable
being
used,
but
the
principles
are
the
same
for
any
machine
row.
Begin
with
your
hands
on
the
bar,
feet
flat
on
the
floor.
Footrests
may
be
provided,
but
that
position
tends
to
encourage
swaying
and
over-­‐arching
of
the
spine.
You
also
benefit
from
more
core/pelvic
stabilization
training
with
your
feet
on
the
floor.

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7
Keeping
your
torso
upright
and
lightly
arched,
squeeze
your
shoulder
blades
down
and
back
as
you
bring
the
bar
toward
your
abdomen.
Your
chest
should
rise
as
the
bar
comes
in.
This
action
automatically
engages
more
of
the
postural
muscles
that
we
are
trying
to
target.
As
you
return
the
bar,
make
sure
not
to
roll
your
shoulders
forward-­‐
keep
constant
tension
on
the
postural
muscles.
Make
sure
your
torso
remains
motionless
throughout
the
set.
Medicine
Ball
Reverse
Wood
Chop.
This
exercise
is
a
perfect
example
of
what
is
known
as
functional
training.
It
allows
you
to
move
through
three
dimensions,
mimics
the
action
of
the
golf
swing,
and
opens
up
the
over-­‐facilitated
muscles.
Choose
a
light
medicine
ball
to
start
with,
making
sure
the
movement
is
safe
and
appropriate.
Begin
with
your
feet
shoulder
width
apart
or
wider.
Keeping
your
back
straight,
use
your
hips
and
just
an
ever
so
slight
knee
bend
to
bring
the
ball
to
lower
thigh
level
on
one
side.
With
your
eyes
on
the
ball,
rotate
and
“chop”
the
ball
overhead
to
the
opposite
side.
Keep
your
naval
in,
abdominals
tight.
In
a
controlled
fashion,
return
the
ball
to
the
starting
position,
repeating
for
the
same
side.
Switch
sides
and
perform
fifteen
reps
on
the
other
side.
In
the
absence
of
a
medicine
ball,
you
can
hold
a
dumbbell
by
each
end.
This
example
on
the
right
shows
a
pivot
of
the
rear
foot,
a
version
that
more
closely
mimics
the
golf
swing.
This
can
be
tried
after
several
weeks
of
the
standard
version,
which
focuses
more
on
core
stability
with
slightly
less
movement.

9. Golf
and
Performance:
Invest
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2015
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Well
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Reserved.
8
Golf
Warm-­‐ups
These
exercises
are
known
as
dynamic
flexibility
warm-­‐ups;
they
are
exercises
that
stretch
the
muscles
actively
and
prime
them
for
performance,
rather
than
a
static
stretch
that
is
best
done
at
the
end
of
an
activity.
You
can
perform
them
right
when
you
arrive
at
the
course
or
driving
range.
Aside
from
the
static
stretch
performed
last,
one
set
of
fifteen
reps
per
exercise
is
ideal.
Stiff-­‐Leg
Deadlift.
This
exercise
is
a
modified
version
of
what
can
be
performed
during
a
weight-­‐training
workout.
This
version
is
specifically
designed
to
warm
up
your
posterior
chain
muscles
without
overloading
your
lower
back
before
golf.
Standing
straight
and
tall,
tilt
your
hips
to
the
rear
while
only
lightly
bending
your
knees-­‐
make
sure
not
to
squat.
Keep
your
eyes
on
the
horizon,
as
this
keeps
your
spine
properly
aligned.
Holding
your
club
by
each
end,
keep
the
club
close
to
your
legs
on
the
way
down.
This
protects
your
back
and
stretches
the
hamstrings.
Stand
at
attention
with
your
chest
up,
and
repeat.
Reverse
Step
Lunge
with
Overhead
Raise
and
Turn.
This
exercise
stretches
the
core
muscles,
particularly
the
obliques
and
hip
flexors.
It
also
primes
the
powerful
upper
torso
muscles,
and
you
will
feel
more
flexible
rep
after
rep.
It
trains
the
legs,
hips,
midsection,
and
upper
body
to
coordinate
together
in
a
dynamic
activity.
Begin
with
your
hands
on
each
end
of
the
club.
Keeping
your
feet
straight,
step
rearward
with
one
leg
onto
your
toes
with
your
heel
pointing
up.
Only
bend
the
knees
a
few
inches-­‐
this
is
not
meant
to
be
a
full
lunge
as
performed
in
a
weight-­‐training
workout.
Raise
the
club
overhead,
turning
and
looking
in
the
same
direction
as
your
forward
leg.
Return
to
the
starting
position;
repeat
for
the
same
side
until
fifteen
reps
have
been
completed.
Switch
sides.
Notice
how
the
lower
back
is
straight-­‐
the
hips
are
pushed
rearward
as
the
club
comes
down,
using
the
glutes
and
hamstrings
of
the
rear
thigh.

10. Golf
and
Performance:
Invest
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Copyright
2015
Live
Well
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LLC.
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Rights
Reserved.
9
Static
Flat-­‐Foot
Lunge
with
Torso
Rotation.
This
time
the
torso
rotates
in
the
horizontal
plane,
with
a
split
stance
and
both
feet
flat.
Keep
your
legs
still
throughout
the
set
and
knees
almost
straight.
With
your
hands
on
each
end
of
the
club
and
arms
extended,
rotate
toward
the
side
of
the
front
leg;
pause,
feeling
the
stretch.
Return
to
the
front
of
the
body,
pausing
before
repeating.
After
completing
fifteen
reps,
switch
sides.
Overhead
Side
Bends.
Holding
the
club
overhead,
bend
to
one
side.
Hold
for
two
seconds;
it
is
important
to
perform
this
motion
slowly
as
you
reach
into
the
stretch.
After
pausing
overhead
on
the
return
each
time,
bend
to
the
other
side,
repeating
for
a
set
of
fifteen
reps
per
side.
As
you
warm
up
through
the
set
you
can
flex
the
knees
a

11. Golf
and
Performance:
Invest
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Yourself
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2015
Live
Well
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10
little
as
you
bend,
changing
the
effect
of
the
stretch.
You
may
see
individuals
in
a
fitness
club
perform
side
bends
with
weights
by
their
sides.
This
should
be
avoided-­‐
it
is
too
much
stress
and
shear
force
on
the
lumbar
vertebrae.
Rear
Shoulder
Stretch.
This
is
the
only
static
exercise
of
the
warm-­‐up
phase,
performed
after
the
dynamic
exercises.
Reaching
across
the
body,
pull
one
arm
from
the
elbow
and
hold
for
twenty
seconds.
Switch
sides,
and
repeat
for
another
twenty
seconds
per
side.
By
replicating
these
motions
and
acclimating
the
body
to
them,
you
prepare
your
muscles
and
joints
for
the
stressors
ahead
of
time.
Most
golfers
who
exercise
with
their
sport
in
mind
focus
on
speed
and
power.
Before
force
production
and
speed
in
the
golf
swing,
you
must
have
stability-­‐
core
stability
and
strength,
which
you
learned
in
this
report.
A
strong
and
stable
core,
coupled
with
balanced
musculature
through
corrective/preventative
exercise,
will
allow
you
to
enhance
your
golf
performance
and

12. Golf
and
Performance:
Invest
in
Yourself
©
Copyright
2015
Live
Well
Longer,
LLC.
All
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Reserved.
11
minimize
the
risk
of
injury
for
years
to
come.
The
benefits
you
receive
from
your
golf
fitness
program
will
carry
over
into
the
rest
of
your
life
as
well.
If
you
would
like
to
learn
more
about
this
topic
and
tailor
a
program
specific
to
you
or
your
organization,
contact
Drew
at
drew@lwlcoaching.com,
or
919-­‐805-­‐0520.