Yoga and golf may not always go hand in hand, but yoga exercises can improve your golf game through building strength, increasing flexibility, fixing your posture and improving balance. Regular yoga classes promote focus and relaxation, so besides performing specific exercises for golf improvement, consider making yoga a regular discipline.
Weak Abs
Weak abdominals and core muscles are a hindrance to a golfer. By strengthening your abs, you will improve torso stabilization, explosive power in your swing and back strength. The yoga plank pose and variations strengthen the entire core, including the upper and lower abs as well as the spine muscles. To perform a plank pose, simply get into push-up position with your legs together and hands directly under the shoulders. Work up to holding this position with a flat back for 60 seconds. The next level of progression is to alternatively pull one knee into your chest as you tuck your chin.
Inflexible Hips
Inflexible hips prohibit a full range of motion through the hips when swinging a club. Yoga exercises improve hip flexibility to allow for more speed and power. Dynamic window washers is an exercise to release hip tension. To begin, lie face up on your yoga mat with your knees bent and feet pointing outward so that your heels touch the sides of the mat. Next, drop your knees to left until they touch the floor and then bring them straight up again. Drop the knees toward the right. Go to both sides five times.
Poor Balance
Poor balance makes your swing less effective. The yoga tree pose is a popular yoga pose for improving balance. Do the tree pose on both sides so as to improve your balance on both legs. This helps in golf because when you swing a club, your weight shifts primarily onto one leg at a time.
To do the tree pose on your left leg, stand with your feet together and put your weight into your left leg as you bend your right knee and place the sole of the right foot against your inner left thigh. Extend your arms above your head. Hold for 30 seconds and then switch to the other side.
Rounded Shoulders
Rounded shoulders are common among golfers. This postural deficiency prohibits a full rotation during your swing. The cobra pose stretches tight chest muscles and strengthens the back of the shoulders and the upper back, working as a corrective exercise for rounded shoulders. To perform cobra pose, lie on your belly and squeeze your legs together. You then raise your upper body toward the ceiling by using your arms to push you off the floor. The hands begin next to your shoulders with the fingers pointing forward. Retract your shoulders as far as you can and hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds. Tree pose helps rounded shoulders, too.
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