Having a tension-free, relaxed golf swing is, in my opinion, the key to producing a powerful, consistent golf swing. Here’s why.

This has been one of the biggest breakthroughs of the year so far for me. Again, it’s easy to just dismiss this concept and go, “yeah, yeah, tension-free, loose-as-a-goose, blah, blah, blah, . . . heard it all before.”

How this really started to make sense was thinking about swinging the club versus hitting at the ball. I knew I was constricted somehow and was not maximizing my potential. There was no speed “through the ball” and an abbreviated follow through that left all my power behind and nothing through the ball.

I also started watching a lot of LPGA golf and really studying how the women really know how to swing the club. It’s the free, uninhibited swinging (with a powerful release at the bottom) that helps them hit a golf ball such incredible distances with such seeming ease.

It’s not by accident. But us men (and I’m mostly talking about me) really fight this thing called “hit-itis.” In trying to really hit it hard to keep up with your long hitting playing partners. And the more you try to power it or put some additional “ummff” into your swing it ends up even worse and robs you of considerable distance.

That’s the damnest thing about golf. It’s all counter-intuitive. The seemingly easier you swing, the farther the ball goes.

Here are just a few ideas to help YOU re-enforce a relaxed, powerful, tension-free golf swing:

1. Think Thoughts of Relaxation – Tension in the mind really causes tension in the body (and vice versa) so really try to think thoughts of relaxation. Try thoughts on like, “Less is more, ” “I’m swinging freer and easier than ever before,” “I have more and more freedom in my swing,” “It really feels effortless (and powerful) to swing the club freely.”

Don’t think “hit hard,” think “swing smooth.” Feel your body relaxed. Shake out any tension. Think Freddy Couples or Ernie Els or any LPGA player as you are going through this process.

2. Hit 100 Yard Drivers – I keep going back and back to this drill because it really allows you to feel the right positions without going at it 100%. Counter-intuitively, most of us need to to get back to what a swing “feels” like without trying to hit at the ball.

In this drill, feel like the club is light as a feather but get still feel the weight of the club head. Keep your arms (and grip) as loose as possible. There just going along for the ride. Swing about 30%. Does not matter where the ball goes. Try to hit it 100 yards. You’re just trying to feel the swing with the ball getting in the way.

Once you start to feel the swing (this may take a few balls or a few buckets) turn up the percentage to say, 50 or even more to 75 but don’t (I repeat, don’t) be in a hurry to swing harder until you start to really feel a “swing” not a hit.

Just for now try to forget about distance. Thinking about it is just gonna mess you up when trying to integrate a new paradigm into your golf game. Distance will come as a result of a free golf swing. So just for now, chill about distance. It will come.

3. Visualization – When not practicing, try to take some time to “see” yourself on one of your favorite tee-boxes and imagine a free, relaxed yet powerful swing. Feel like it’s just effortless. Can you see that?

It might be hard at first but as you practice you’ll start to re-enforce the kinesthetic feeling you felt on the range the couple times you really swung with a feeling of effortlessness and the ball just exploded off the clubface.

As you move through your day visualize an effortless golf swing. “See” a full, relaxed finish. That’s a cue that a lot of good stuff has happened before.

4. Construct a Solid Core and Base – I’m convinced than ever that having a solid core and base is essential to playing optimum golf. Makes sense, right? But what are you doing to build it.

I recommend getting a book like Core Performance Golf and really practicing their “core” routines. It’s one that a ton of pros use and it’s proven and time tested. It will help your game in ways you cannot imagine.

Greg Norman said that most people have it completely opposite in the golf swing. He said they think of having a strong firm upper body and and relaxed legs when he said you really should think about a firm solid, base and a loose, relaxed upper body.

One bonus exercise that is not in the core performance program is Kettle Bell Swings. Get yourself a Kettlebell (fairly heavy. At least 40 lbs or so) and then watch the video below to see how to perform it properly.

In my opinion and what I have heard from some tour players is that THIS IS the magic exercise. I should probably even charge for this. It’s that amazing. It strengthens your core and pelvic region like no other exercise! After just a week or so you’ll just be amazed. I promise. Just give it a try and see for yourself.

5. Watch Women’s Golf – Some people don’t even know they are “hitters” as they know no other way. It’s the only way they have ever swung a club. If that’s the case (or even if it’s not) I would really encourage you to watch some of the LPGA player golf swings.

I mean how do these women hit it so long when it looks like a wedge swing? Well, they know how to swing a club. They know it’s uninhibited speed that matters, not muscle or force.

For example, watch the Lorena Ochoa golf swing below. In her prime (when she was playing) she was 5′ 6″ tall and 120 pounds. So how did her average drive distance be consistently 270 yards +? Simple, she knew how to swing the club with a free-flowing, uninhibited motion. It’s just a cool thing to watch!

Watch Lorena Ochoa’s golf swing in the video below and really study it. Watch it over and over. Just listen for the “swoosh” in her practice swing. She is really generating some tension-free speed in that swing.

6. Try Trager Massage – Not many people know about this but it’s one of the best soft tissue massages that is extremely beneficial to golfers.

In a nutshell, Trager is a type of massage that feels like you are being gentle shaken or rocked. It is startling how well this works. It really frees up any restriction you have in your body and creates new mental patterns of what fit feels like to have complete freedom of motion.

It’s hard to actual describe it in words. Just find a practitioner by going to the below site and experience it for yourself.

Trager Massage

7. Keep At It – It’s taken you years and years of “hitting” at the ball and to change that around will take time. No two ways about it. This has been a really tough thing for me. Especially in the latter part of the round when I get a little tired. It’s so easy to revert back to our “crush it” mentality.

But fight it. Realize that new patterns take time. Just ask Tiger. Anytime he has gone through a swing change it has take almost a full season (or more) to start to feel like it’s integrated and natural.

And don’t just practice go out and play. You need to feel the rhythm of a round. not just pounding ball after ball on the range. Sometimes it’s nice to go out in the later evening and just play 9 holes. You are not rushed and can really put into play the new patterns your body is learning.

I’m convinced a tension-free, relaxed golf swing is the key to playing your best golf. All the above has helped me and hope the twill help you, too.

I’m really thinking of creating a book out of this to really flesh out more of the points and add even more ideas, practices and drills that have been shared with me. If you’re interested in hearing more, please comment below.

Photo above: LPGA Tour Professional, Si Ri Pak

Related posts:

1. The "Other" Toski (and a FREE golf lesson)
2. Core Performance Golf: The Training Program That Will Set Your Game Free
3. Save Golf, Let The Free Market Work

Golf nutrition and the use of supplements to increase performance is, in my opinion, very often misunderstood. In this article we will be exploring some of those myths.

Any high performance athlete is always looking for the edge. Whether that is instruction, biomechanics, fitness, mental game or nutrition.

We try to cover all these at GDB. I am actually doing a fair degree of research on cutting-edge golf performance (including all of the above) which I will be sharing in the months to follow.

Today, I wanted to talk a bit about golf nutrition. I mean, think about it for a minute. What do you think of when it comes to golf nutrition? Maybe nothing. Maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a banana. Maybe a power bar.

And how do you know this? Maybe from watching Tiger pull out a banana or reading Golf Digest’s “What’s in the Bag” and seeing what pros have for sacks. It’s all sort of seems ad-hoc.

Actually I wrote about the Athlete’s Performance program center and corresponding book in the article, Core Performance Golf: The Training Program That Will Set Your Game Free, and they have an excellent chapter on golf specific nutrition which you might want to check out.

Currently, there is more and more research on how nutritional supplements can help not just your golf game but your quality of life. The problem is sorta, “Where do I start?” There is just SO much information out there that’s it’s overwhelming. You could spend days looking and reading and feel like you went in a complete circle.

Back to nutrition. So besides the basics, the next level down from PJ sandwiches and bananas and a well-balanced meal that would include something like grilled chicken and a leafy-green salad is to use supplements.

Why use supplements at all? Do you really need them? Well, the short answer is no – probably not. You can get all (most of) your recommended daily allowances by eating a smart, well-balanced meals. We all know what those are.

But supplements are really the key to getting that next layer of performance out of your golf game. Of course, there is an expense. But is your golf performance worth it? I don’t know. You tell me.

Personally, I have been pretty consistent with certain supplements. Like protein supplements. I often have these before and after a round. They are (obviously) high in protein, you can add fruit or flax seed or a table spoon of fish oil and have a cold, low-fat, relative low calorie, power drink that will sustain performance and help promote the efficient growth and repair of muscle tissue.

I usually make these and then throw some ice cubes in the shake container and throw it into the golf bag. Actually the flavors are so good today that you almost don’t have to add anything at all! One note: I actually don’t have good luck using milk with protein powder so I use water instead. Seems just as tasty to me.

Another supplement that is increasingly helpful to golfers is a joint pain supplement. I’m closing in on 50 so I can definitely relate to this area. One that has been really helpful to my game (and health) has been a product called MRM Joint Synergy by NutritionFix.

No longer do I have the dull-aches in my joints after a round. It was recommended to me by a doctor/friend/golfer so figured, “What the heck” – I could always lambast them via the blog here but was extremely surprised in a good way.

Another product pro golfers take regularly are Amino Acid supplements which help with fatigue during performance, reduce muscle soreness and promote recovery, increase endurance and help improve concentration and focus.

This is just an overview of some nutritional products you might start thinking about incorporating as part of your high-performance golf plan.

Related posts:

1. Core Performance Golf: The Training Program That Will Set Your Game Free
2. What Is A Peak Performance Golf Swing?
3. Golfers and Bad Backs

We strive to bring as much up-to-date and cutting edge golf information that we can to our readers. To that end, I recently interviewed renowned ophthalmologist, Joseph Fishkin, on vision and how it effects more than you know about your golf game (particularly as you get older).

As you know, clear vision is key to the sport of golf. However, when golfers reach age 45, an age-related vision condition sets in called presbyopia, making it difficult to focus from near to far. With impaired vision it’s hard to: read the green, line up with the ball, and putt with accuracy.

Until now, golfers have been using bifocals, trifocals or progressive glasses. However, with these lenses the region of sharp focus is limited to a small zone, making it hard to see the ball, pin and terrain clearly.

Let’s get started:

1. (Doug) What is the first thing a golfer may notice as their vision begins to change due to age?

(Dr. Fishkin) The first thing golfers tend to notice changes in their distance vision; this impacts their ability to track the ball and see where it goes once it’s hit. Many golfers also notice significant changes in their intermediate vision, which can make it difficult to line up for a shot. In the proper golf stance, the distance from the eyes to the ball is an intermediate distance, which presents a series of challenges in terms of proper focus.

2. (Doug) What age-related vision changes will most golfers start experiencing at 45?

(Dr. Fishkin) Typically, up until age 40 most golfers don’t experience many vision problems. Must golfers find that their single vision lenses, if necessary, are all they need for the sport. But, once we enter the 40s most of us start to experience a condition called presbyopia, which is a difficulty in seeing objects close-up.

We all have clear lenses inside our eyes. When we’re under age 40, our eyes are able to easily expand and contract this lens to allow us to focus on all distances. But, as we go through life this lens slowly becomes less flexible, making it difficult to focus on objects up close. It’s typically at this point in life when vision issues start to impact golfers while they are playing. Unfortunately, this issue continues to get worse with age.

3. (Doug) How do age-related vision changes impact a golfer’s game?

(Dr. Fishkin) When preparing for a shot a golfer needs to be able to look off into the distance, down the fairway, and focus on the flag, which could be hundreds of yards away. A golfer needs to have a good sense of that distance for proper club selection and aiming. They also must get a good sense of the terrain. Good intermediate vision is necessary for lining up the shot. After the ball is hit, a golfer must be able to track the ball through the air.

Just like in many sports, hand-eye coordination is very important. If a golfer’s vision is not clear, it could throw off the timing and impact the swing. Near vision is important when a golfer is trying to read the green, to properly plan the putt. Finally, near vision is important to be able to comfortably read the score card.

4. (Doug) What specific needs do golfers have in terms of vision?

(Dr. Fishkin) Golfers have strict requirements for their distance, intermediate and near vision. They need to see clearly and be able to execute a good shot at many different distances.

5. (Doug) How important is UV vision protection out on the golf course?

(Dr. Fishkin) Every round of golf can involve hours of UV exposure. Constant exposure to bright sunlight can increase the risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration, and growths on the eye, including cancer. Whenever possible, wear glasses with UV protection.

6. (Doug) What vision/eye care trends are you seeing for golfers today?

(Dr. Fishkin) I see golfers coming to the realization that improving their vision can directly affect the quality of their game. They play better, and enjoy the sport more, when they wear glasses that maximize their vision for every stage of the game.

7. (Doug) What is the biggest complaint that you receive from your golfing patients about their vision?

(Dr. Fishkin) Golfers are a group of patients who want the very best vision possible, and most golfers seek out help from their eye doctors as soon as they notice their vision changing.

I often treat golfers who have been wearing bifocals or progressive glasses. For those wearing bifocals there is a line on the glasses which separates two zones (distance and up close). With progressives, there is no visible line, but the focus of the glasses gradually changes from the top of the lens to the bottom.

With both of these glasses, golfers tend to have difficulties with focusing in an intermediate distance. With bifocals, there really is no intermediate distance. With progressives, golfers must tilt their head to find the proper intermediate distance. Unfortunately, this position can throws off a proper swing.

8. (Doug) What area of the sport do golfers tend to have the most difficulty with due to vision changes?

(Dr. Fishkin) The intermediate range seems to cause the most problems for golfers.

9. (Doug) What solutions work for your golfing patients who are coping with age-related vision changes?

There are many ways to address these vision changes: glasses, contact lenses, laser corrective surgery and cataract surgery. In terms of the glasses option, I mentioned that bifocals and progressives have inherent problems for golfers. Superfocus glasses are adjustable-focus, meaning that a golfer can adjust the glasses to have clear vision at any distance (distance, intermediate and close up).

You can set the entire lens of the glasses to see the mid-range clearly. With Superfocus glasses there are actually two lenses, one flexible and one firm. Built into the glasses is a slider mechanism, which a golfer can use to adjust the focus of the glasses, bringing the whole field of view into clear focus.

To learn more about Superfocus for golfers visit: Superfocus.com

Related posts:

1. Quick Nine: Interview with Golf Fitness Pro Katherine Roberts
2. Interview with PGA Tour Biomechanics Coach Joey Diovisalvi
3. Quick Nine with Golf Zen Master Dr. Joe Parent

Proprioception is a term you might not know but it’s one you may want to get familiar with if you’re serious about improving your golf game. Here’s why.

Funny, I have heard about proprioception before but never paid much attention to it. But I was reminded of it watching the Sean Foley video in our video spot in our right hand column. (Note: the video I mentioned has been moved from this column but you can now check it out here: Sean Foley Proprioception Drill)

He mentions a balance drill and referenced the importance of proprioception and how it’s harder than you think. You’ll have to watch the vid to see the exact drill

What exactly is proprioception and what the heck does that have to do with golf? Well, proprioception is all about balance. Here is the Wikipedia definition below:

Proprioception – from Latin proprius,meaning “one’s own” and perception, is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement.[1] It is distinguished from exteroception, by which we perceive the outside world, and interoception, by which we perceive pain, hunger, etc., and the movement of internal organs.

So this refers to the relative positioning of your limbs in space. It’s about Kinesthetic awareness, or the innate ability to know where your body parts are in 3-dimensional space.

Balance is so important to almost every sport I’m somewhat surprised you don’t hear more about golf balance training. You certainly hear about it’s importance and we know it’s important but very little about practicing balance.

To some degree I always thought you either have balance or you don’t. I mentioned this in a post I did a couple years back called, Alternative Golf Power Using Martial Arts – about my previous life as an Aikido practitioner.

In Aikido you become very sensitive to balance very fast. Aikido all about balance – that is, maintaining yours and disrupting your opponents – and you train to maintain a strong, stable center, where your power is generated from.

Somehow, however, it’s not often discussed in terms of training. So is there anything we can do to improve our balance or proprioception? and how do we know we are improving it?

From a overall observation you are either “in balance” or your not, right? Not necessarily. For example, are you “off balance” a majority of times when you swing? that could be a clue. If so, try the drill Sean Foley mentions in the video off to the right.

Of course, you’ll have to monitor it. I have heard of athletes keeping a kind of balance journal because you have to *know* when you are off balance and are there certain patterns this is happening in your golf game. Is it primarily with your driver? your irons? your putting? (yes, you CAN have balance issues in putting, too!)

To improve your golf balance there are many things you can do but one of the best is a Yoga program. Even if you incorporate a few yoga balance postures – you’ll be well on your way to developing consistent proprioception integrity (hey, I just made that up but it does sound somewhat official and, dare I say, accurate)

Some other resources you might be interested to help build and improve your proprioception are listed below:

Check out the: The Bosu Ball – Professional Balance Trainer

Gray Cook is one of the most sought after strength coaches in the world. He trains some of the top athletes in the world, including Michelle Wie, Dustin Johnson and many others. This is a cool product. I know. I have it: Athletic Body in Balance Book/DVD Package

Jason Glass Performance Labs

These are great for balance and swinging a club while standing on: 16″ Fitter First® Wobble Board

Related posts:

1. Core Performance Golf: The Training Program That Will Set Your Game Free
2. GolfDash Best Golf Swing Training Aids

In my opinion, today’s mainstream golf teacher is very one-dimensional and can only help players wishing to improve in a very limited way. I know a lot of pros will highly disagree with this view but hear me out.

I’m not saying it’s they’re fault, per say, but a LOT more goes into playing excellent golf than trying to flatten someone’s golf swing or having them line up square.

What if you go to a golf lesson and the instructor wants to to complete a fuller turn but come to find out your body cannot get into that position easily? it might be more of a biomechanics issue than a swing issue. If you don’t have that knowledge how can you assess it.

What if you typically have excellent front nines but in the middle of the round you never fail to produce a number of double-bogeys? Well, could be any number of things including proper nutrition. Did you (or do you) have on a regular basis a couple of sugar coated cider donuts and a large coffee before your typical round? Uhhhh, maybe a peanut butter protein bar and a banana might be a better choice. Maybe that’s your answer (or certainly part of it)

What if you just cannot shake the dreaded banana-slice despite seeing your golf pro repeatedly? Maybe your golf clubs need to be custom-fitted to your unique swing speed and style. I don’t think once, in all the lessons I have taken in the past fews years that any pro has even looked at my equipment. I mean, it might be as easy as changing the weights slightly on your driver.

What is just went through a trying divorce and you’re trying to compete at the highest level? What if you have “unfinished business” that you need to take of to set your mind (and body) free to play your best golf ever? (and coincidentally, have your best LIFE ever!)

I mean who’s looking at the big picture? Who is looking at YOU as an individual golfer who has strengths, weaknesses, challenges, hopes, goals, etc.

What I truly think is missing is a new kind of golf professional. Someone that has a more holistic view of the game. That can assess at a “big picture” level.

What has lead me to this conclusion? Well, I have happily been the Tim Ferris of the The 4-Hour Bodyfor golf. I’ve allowed myself to be a laboratory rat for all sorts of golf experimentation. From getting biomechanically assessed to seeing a sports nutritionist to testing and practicing the latest golf fitness routines to getting custom-fitted for golf equipment to consulting with a sports psychologist and more.

And the more I have explored the more I have found such a big “disconnect” between all these professionals. One has no idea what the other one is doing. They all work in their own silos. You have to piece this all together but if you had someone who had at least a knowledge about this information could really propel your game to (I believe) unheard of levels.

See, it’s the compounded power of all these that make a difference. It’s not just one thing. It’s all of these often small changes working synergistically that produce HUGE improvements in your golf game.

This is big. Really big. 2 years ago a wrote a post about Jon Fitzgerald’s wonderful film, called : Best Golf Film of The Year: The Back Nine.Go find and watch that film. The film is about Jon’s quest to become a pro and shows you ALL the various dimensions he explored trying to get the most out of his game – from fitness to mechanics to state of the art equipment and more. It really shows the type of professionals he had to employ to get the most out of his game.

Sure, you could go out and hire each of these specific knowledge professionals separately but for the average golfer or even the serious amateur it is just not time or cost-effective. So what’s one to do if you want to make a serious commitment to your game?

My answer is: I don’t know. It’s missing. John and I (of GolfDashBlog) have been fooling around with trying to come up with a thorough assessment process to help diagnose some of the issues we’ve seen and how to identify certain patterns in golfers who are seeking excellence in their golf game and who want that extra edge. Patterns that would be unique to YOU. Nothing canned or generic. It would never work that way.

Nothing is really finalized at this point but I’m curious if I’ve totally lost my gourd or if others are interested in hearing more. Let me know.

Related posts:

1. Golf Game Killer: The Sway
2. Guaranteed to Improve Your Golf Game!

Understanding how rotational golf power works and how it is the foundation for hitting a golf ball farther and more accurately is the (I believe) missing key to creating a more powerful golf swing. Because who doesn’t want to hit a golf ball 30 yards longer?

As a lot of you know John and I have done a number of posts on golf and fitness. It’s an area of extreme interest for us and one that we are happy to share with our fellow golfers.

Not sure if you are familiar with myTPI but if you’re not, you better get familiar with it. It’s one of the best golf resources on the web. Period. Here’s how they describe themselves:

MyTPI.com is the largest collection of golf-specific health and fitness information from the world’s leading experts in the game. This site is brought to you by the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) – the leaders in elite player development.

Doesn’t cost a dime (although I believe you can get a subscription if you are a trainer and want to get TPI certification) and, as I said, the videos and articles are cutting-edge in improving your game.

Now the video above is the beginning of a series called “Rotational Golf Power” via the Performance lab and hosted by the world-class golf fitness expert, Jason Glass. I will tell you I got more out of these 5 or so videos in making crystal clear how we actually generate power in the golf swing.

There are a number of exercises I have never seen and really simple, graphic explanations on how the body NEEDS to work to produce this power.

I have been struggling quite a bit with my golf power this year and this series is just what I was looking for. But I would absolutely recommend everyone who reads the GolfDash blog to check out this series. It’s that good.

And let me know what you think. They are all about 10 minutes or so in length so you can watch them all in a half hour or so. I also like how each video reinforces the others.

Related posts:

1. Developing Rotational Golf Power
2. “Alternative” Golf Power Using Martial Arts
3. Sheer Golf Power!

Swinging a weighted golf club is supposed to loosen your muscles, increase flexibility, add swing speed, increase distance and also tone/build muscle. But does it really?

I have always been on the fence about this ever since I read an article long ago about Hall of Fame baseball player Stan Musial who never swung a weighted or multiple bats because he felt they altered his feel and therefore timing.

I just took it for granted that swinging a heavier bat/club was nothing but beneficial. It was just one of those things that was so common that it didn’t enter the realm of my consciousness to question it but somehow the Musial connection always stayed with me.

A lot of this new science recently came to light again from an ESPN show called, Sports Science, which has some real interesting content and often surprising discoveries. Well worth looking into.

They ended up doing a little experiment: A PGA tour golfer first hit a few drives after his usual warm up and they measured his golf driving distance. The pro then did additional swings swinging two clubs and hit more drives and the distance was measured.

After swinging the heavy club the golfer said that his regular club felt much lighter and he was positive he was swinging the golf club measurably faster.

The results – don’t confuse feel with real. The golfer lost a tad bit of club head speed, but nearly 30 yards in carry because he couldn’t hit the ball on the center of the golf club. He impaired his feel and ability to swing a regular golf club.

Swinging a heavier club teaches a person how to swing a heavier club, not swing a regular golf club. The body has to compensate and use different muscle to swing the heavier club which does not translate back to swinging a normally weighted golf club.

Their conclusion: No benefit in warming up with a weight club and swinging a weighted club is counter-productive and should not be done.

This is sort of what I initially alluded to in referencing Musial, which is, in my opinion, you lose feel, which is paramount in architecting a smooth golf swing. I do think it’s something to be aware of if you do train with a a weighted club like the Momentus.

Oddly enough, as golf is all about precision, it’s the same type of thing that I feel about Tiger and lifting heavy weights. Sure, it puts on muscle but at what cost. You really end up confusing your fast and slow twitch muscle fibers.

You just have to be careful how your training and really understand the science (and the latest science) in order to obtain maximum benefit from your training.

Related posts:

1. Custom Golf Club Fitting (Part 2)
2. East Lake Golf Club
3. Hazeltine National Golf Club Facts

I’ve been putting a lot of time into getting my core into shape before the new golf season. Exercising the core is critical if you want to increase your golf power.

To that end, I just ordered a GoFit Medicine Ballfrom Amazon. Note: It’s the kind that bounces and you can throw against the wall! I’m planning on doing a lot of rotational exercises that are featured in Core Performance Golfby Mark Verstegen.

I will keep you up-to-date on the progress of my training. I have never done a lot of these exercises but really looking forward to seeing what impact they might bring to my game.

The video above is just one good example of an exercise that I will be doing. Of course, there are many others but you get the idea. Have fun and don’t get to dizzy!

Related posts:

1. How to Create Explosive Golf Rotational Power in Your Swing
2. “Alternative” Golf Power Using Martial Arts
3. Sheer Golf Power!

Not sure about you but I have never really given the neck much thought in terms of exercise in developing a sound golf swing. But due to my recent golf mechanical assessment, I have realized just how important the neck is is a number of ways. We’ll look at some of those in today’s piece and also include a number of exercises*

This is straight from the latest edition of, The Golf Biomechanics Manual, by Paul Chek, of the well known C.HE.K. Institute.

“The neck is often overlooked as a key link in golf performance. The importance of this vital link exists in the fact that the head carries instruments vital to golf success, such as the eyes and the balance mechanism in the inner ear. The point at which the head attached to the neck, the upper cervical spine, is well known to provide a great majority of the information needed by the brain to sense movement. The movement sense is called Proprioception**”

It’s funny, I was speaking with my GolfDash partner John and sort of humorously remarked that I have never done any “thoughtful” neck exercises. Sure I’ve stretched it from side to side and front to back just to get out the tension but certainly not in any structured sort of way. So this is all new to me, too.

I picked up a lot of information from the above book and also from my certified CHEK instructor, Becky, whom I mentioned in both these posts: My Golf Biomechanics Assessment Revealed and Off to the Biomechanics Doctor

Now it’s important to not only keep the neck flexible but also strengthen it as well. I bet (and this is just a hunch) that *most* average golfers tend to have weak neck muscles and this is absolutely critical as the more your head protrudes from your neck the more you have your candle apple (your head) leaning way out over your stick (your body)

This can cause all types of swing mechanical problems. Tight shoulders and neck that can lead to a tight torso, tight jaw, tightness in the arms and hands and eventually tightness into the legs and ankles. Remember, we want everything in alignment.

These neck problems are (not just for golfers) seeming to become more and more prevalent nowadays. Could be the result of many things but inactivity is a big one. I also work in the IT space for my day job and am often guilty of sticking my head to close to the screen on a regular basis. This causes imbalance and weakness.

As far as a total neck stretching and strengthening program I recommend you get the Golf Biomechanics Manual mentioned above. It’s very thorough and has a number of exercise that include both flexibility and strengthening. I included a pic of one of the strengthening exercises below.

What you are going to do is hold gentle (I repeat GENTLE) pressure on Swiss Ball (a 45cm Swiss Ball is recommended) for NO MORE than 30 seconds. Do one set from the side (Side Neck Flexion) One set with Rotation. Start from the side position and gently rotate your neck so it’s now slightly behind apex of the ball (see 1st image in the set of 3 below).

You’ll also do Neck Extension which is placing your back of the head against the ball and gently assume pressure for up to 30 seconds. And finally Neck Flexion in which you place your forehead against the ball. Use one (or both hands) to grasp trim around the doorway (see pic #3) and pull yourself into the ball. Make sure to keep your alignment!

Now another way to do these exercises above which my biomechanics instructor showed be is to lean into a towel on the wall with your head against the wall. It takes a slight amount getting used to it but you can do it by leaning your forehead into the wall (with your feet about 3 feet away) then the back of your head and finally each side. I have been doing these and have noticed the difference in beginning strength to current strength and it’s pretty amazing. The neck can be strengthening quite quickly!

I was going to include a number of flexibility stretches but found an excellent YouTube video that shares some excellent neck strengthening and flexibility exercises that are very much “in alignment” with the Golf Biomechanics Manual. A good way to test your new found neck strength is to hold a dowel on your back and back sure it goes from your butt to your head in one line and even hold it (while in your golf posture) for 30 seconds. Try to do it in front of a mirror so you can really begin to “feel” what good posture is.

Finally, one note of caution. The neck is a complex juncture so be gentle with it. It’s not like doing bicep curls or bench presses where you can really dig deep for the last couple of reps. You want emphasize posture, alignment and gentle pressure. The neck will strengthen (and quite quickly) but you need to give it time. It won’t happen in one session.

*GolfDash Blog cannot provide medical advice or assume responsibility when sharing information on exercise. Please use caution when doing these exercises and understand you assume risk when attempting to do certain exercises. Please discuss with your doctor or physician any new exercise program before you begin.

**Proprioception is the awareness of posture, movement and changes in equilibrium and the knowledge of position, weight and the resistance of objects in relation to the body.

Here’s a few other online resources I came upon regarding Neck Strength:

Neck Strengthening Exercises
4 Ways to Strengthen Anterior Neck Muscles
Neck Pain
How to fix neck pain

Related posts:

1. Is Abductor Strength the Hidden Key to Golf Power?
2. My Golf Biomechanics Assessment Revealed
3. How to Create Explosive Golf Rotational Power in Your Swing

As I mentioned in my last post, Off to the Golf Biomechanics Doctor, I had my first Golf Biomechanics Assessment in Boston this past weekend and, man, was it an eye-opener! It completely changed my view of exactly how critical biomechanics are to a solid, repeatable golf swing.

Not knowing exactly what to expect was part of the excitement in doing a test but I did have a *general* idea of what some of those test were because I purchased the Golf Biomechanic’s Manual (make sure you get the latest edition) from the C.H.E.K. Institute (I see they have it on Amazon but it’s the older edition)

Once I arrived at the Beacon Street location in Boston, my assessor, Becky, welcomed me and we proceeded to go upstairs to give me a brief lay of the land. She then escorted me to a room that looked like something from a serial killers torture-chamber.

There were clamps, and calipers, masks, scales, headphones, assorted measuring apparatus – all sorts of strange looking (to me anyway) testing equipment. I thought, “What am I getting into here!”

Anyway, after a brief questionnaire about issues, goals of my golf game, Becky proceeded to lay out a “bird’s eye” of the importance of golf biomechanics to one’s golf game. Stated simply: you need to understand what you are up against and what may be your strengths and weaknesses in terms of biomechanics.

Golf, being all about stability and precision and if, you the golfer, have biomechanics flaws/limitations, it is fair to say, you will be making compensations somewhere in your swing. As I mentioned in the last article, I have found it virtually impossible to assess yourself.

For example, I thought I had fairly decent flexibility – as I work on it on a regular basis but my tests showed different. I also thought I had relatively good posture but found it was comprised in one critical area.

One of the tests (and there were probably around 20-25 or so tests) was to put on headphones (so I couldn’t hear) and a blindfold (so I could not see) then I was asked to turn my head 3 times to each side and then return it to center. Part 2 of the test was to march in place until Becky told me to stop. She explained this ahead of time and the queue to move on the the next part of the test was a slight tap on the shoulder.

When I finished (and removed the headphones and blindfold) I thought “big deal, what was that all about?” and she proceeded to tell me that after she tapped me after marching in place I actually ended up about 2 feet to my right! And I thought I was marching in PLACE! and it also appeared when she told me to rotate my head back to center, my center was actually an inch or so to the right!

Really fascinating stuff. I also found I have rather weak lower abs (again new to me) really tight calf muscles, and my head (probably due to my day IT job) tends to sit much too far forward than is optimal for correct postural alignment in the golf swing (This deserves a complete post as it is that important)

So I was then given specific exercises to help “remedy” these weaker areas. Of course, this is the foundation. Assessment, then remedy weaker areas then build additional flexibility, strength and power on the base. Otherwise you are building on a “un-aligned” and weak foundation.

An added bonus was that Becky also video taped me doing the corrective exercises while talking into the video cam to make sure they were being performed properly. I should be receiving them and some additional information in a few more days.

All in all, I thought it was a terrific golf biomechanics assessment. It lasted about 90 minutes. The most important thing now is I have a plan to address the weak areas and am already working on the corrective exercises. I mean I have a certain neck exercise and I have NEVER exercised my neck directly I think in my entire life (and it’s not easy!)

I would definitely recommend an assessment for anyone looking to optimize his or her golf game. Whether or not it will translate into lower scores is another question altogether but working with a strong, flexible, and aligned machine is certainly better than working with a un-aligned, inflexible and weak one.

FYI: I will be sharing some of my specific golf exercises in upcoming weeks so stay tuned.

Picture above: Becky, My C.H.E.K. Certified Golf Biomechanics Expert. She can be contacted via email at: boston776@yahoo.com. And she was super nice and super knowledgeable. Highly recommend her!

Related posts:

1. Off to the Golf Biomechanics Doctor
2. Interview with PGA Tour Biomechanics Coach Joey Diovisalvi
3. More on Golf Biomechanics