Golf demands physical skill and practice, but unless your mind is playing ball, in other words if you mind is not focused this will inhibit you from being at the top of your game
By throwing your goals off the fairway and practicing being present in the moment, you will play a better game.
Improved Focus
The emphasis on yogic breathing and mind-body connection in yoga is essential in helping athletes develop mental accuracy, patience and concentration. Learning to be present and breath through your swing on the course will result in a more fluid, successful and enjoyable game.
Practiced regularly, yoga can give you the awareness and mindfulness you need to take both your training and your performance to the next level and reach your ultimate goal.
Improved Flexibility
Yoga poses stretch your muscles and increase your range of motion. With regular practice, they'll improve your flexibility. Increased flexibility will improve your swing and can prevent injury.
Core strength
One of yoga's major benefits is improving core strength. Stronger abdominal muscles support the spinal and cause less strain on the lower back and preventing injury.
Increased Power
We all know power, strength, and speed are directly related to proper body mechanics: when our body is properly aligned, we can transmit force much more efficiently and perform better. This can help you improve your swing with increased power.
A balanced body is a flexible body, and flexibility remains the cornerstone of a good golf game. As Earl Woods tells his son, "What you're looking for is a soft, flexible, fluid swing, that's power."
In a nutshell Yoga for Golfers
*Develops a more focused mind to increase concentration and visualisation.
*Improves flexibility, strength and range of movement.
*Enhances general fitness, injury prevention and improved recovery time.
*Improves balance and coordination to gain more effective club control.
Get in the zone!!
When dedicated golfers are making progress, hitting the ball well, and feeling on top of their game, they're "in the zone", a state of being athletes reach where thought is suspended and focus and concentration are heightened. Many golfers bring in the element of performance pressure and the zone disappears!! The conscious, analytical mind steps in and they begin to think their technique is faulty. They tell themselves they have to practice more, hit harder, and correct their imperfections. In these cases, it's usually not faulty technique but the stress of negative self-talk that disturbs the flow of concentration and impairs the physical aspects of the game.
One Yoga Posture for Golfers
Supine Twist
Lying down on your back. Exhaling drop your knees to the right and turn your head to the left. Place your left foot on top of your right shin and now place right hand on top of your left thigh. Use your hand to remind your legs to relax towards the floor. Draw your shoulders away from your ears. Place a rolled up blanket or yoga block under your legs if they don’t touch the floor. Always repeat on the other side. Stay for up to 1 minute.
This is a wonderful stretch for the lower back area.
