Hip mobility is crucial to playing your best golf. Limited hip rotation hinders your ability to turn correctly in your backswing or downswing, making it difficult to generate speed or power.
Our hips are designed for large ranges of movement. But our often sedentary lifestyles make it really easy to lose a lot of that mobility. Spend hours sitting at a desk or bingeing Netflix? Chances are, the muscles in your hips and lower body are tight.
Try these simple exercises for just five minutes a day to increase your hip mobility and gain a few extra yards on the course.
They’ll also help to combat aches and pains in your lower back and knees.
Piriformis stretch
- Lie on your back and lift your right leg so that your knee is at a 90-degree angle
- Cross your left ankle over your right knee
- To increase the stretch, gently pull on your right leg
- Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side
Lying hip rotations
- Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and your knees flexed
- Gently drop your knees to the right
- Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side
Cossack squat
- Stand in a wide squat position
- Slowly shift your weight to your right leg, bending your right knee and sitting your hips down – keep your torso upright and your left leg completely straight
- Hold for 15 seconds, then drive through your right foot to stand up
- Repeat on the left leg
Get fit for golf and improve your game with these five easy exercises.