Strengthen your core to lower your score!

The most important piece of equipment for improving your golf game is a well-trained body.

Pilates for Golf targets key areas and primes every muscle of your body for the game.

Pilates for Golf develops programs specific to the needs of each golfer. We will guide you through specifically designed exercises that can help increase club-head speed and accuracy, while improving strength, agility and endurance, on and off the green.

PILATES WORKS ON THESE KEY ELEMENTS:

• To hit the ball consistently further, sufficient power needs to be generated through the entire swing.
• Power is the combination of strength and speed that generates fast club head speed. It is the amount of force that can be generated quickly over a distance. To achieve the explosive speed of the golf swing, optimal rotation is required in the legs, hips, torso and shoulders.

CORE STRENGTH

Most golf conditioning programs emphasize weight training to increase strength for greater power. But, this alone is deceptively simplistic thinking. Yes, strength is essential in the extremities, but it is CORE STRENGTH that will provide maximum power. The entire body must be engaged in generating power, and movement must originate in the deep core muscles first. The core must be engaged through the entire swing.Any weak points though, will result in a loss of power. Studies by Hodges and Richardson* indicate that a good golf swing is initiated by the abdominal muscle about 30 milliseconds before the swing actually begins.

Lack of core strength often results in compensation with the arms, adding stress to the elbows, shoulders and wrist. Injuries to these areas are often a direct result of lack of core strength.

POSTURE

Good posture increases rotation for faster club head speed. Poor posture restricts rotation in the hips, shoulders and torso. Good posture is required at the address backswing, and then throughout the entire swing.

FLEXIBILITY

Good flexibility at the shoulders, hips and spine will provide more power because the club will act through a greater range of motion allowing for more rotation and faster club head speed.

Pilates naturally builds long, lean muscles that are ideal for generating the kind of power we need for long golf drives.

STABILITY

Most important for accuracy in hitting the golf ball is pelvic and shoulder girdle stability. Stability gives the golfer a solid axis upon which to rotate. Pilates teaches stability and teaches the golfer to move one segment while stabilizing another part of the body.

ALIGNMENT

When the body is aligned, movements can be executed efficiently. Alignment also is important in light of the shear forces placed upon the body during the golf swing. Proper alignment is like the difference between hammering a nail that is straight versus one that is crooked. In golf, correct alignment facilitates the swing motion, reduces joint stress and prevents injury.

COORDINATION

The golf swing is a coordination of the entire body. To maintain alignment and hit the ball straight, precise control of all muscle groups is necessary.