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What Is Golf Specific Flexibility?

Flexibility is a huge buzz word in golf fitness, but unfortunately most “golf specific” flexibility programs are not very effective at improving the type of flexibility that is needed for improved golf performance and injury prevention. This article briefly explains common faults in most stretching programs and outlines the requirements for an effective golf-specific flexibility and conditioning program.

The golf swing is a movement that happens very quickly. From the time it is initiated to the time it is completed may take no more than one second. During that one second your muscles are forces to stretch, contract, bend and twist under some incredible forces. It is a very intense and explosive process in which all movements happen at a very high velocity. Comprehending this point is essential to develop an understanding of why most stretching programs are great at developing general flexibility but very ineffective at increasing golf specific flexibility.

For the serious golfer, static stretching is insufficient to develop the full range of movement, power, strength, stability and mobility required by golf. Part of the reason for this is because static stretching elongates the muscle over a gradual time frame, but the golf swing is completed in under a second.

If a muscle is trained to gradually stretch over 30 seconds (static stretching), but really needs to stretch in a half second (golf swing) then it is easy to see why static stretching does very little for golf specific flexibility. With static stretching you are training your muscles to be flexible, but you are training them to become flexible over a 30 second time span. In the golf swing you don’t have 30 seconds. You have less than one second to generate maximum power.

A quality dynamic stretching program will be specific to the golf swing with regard to:

• Speed of Movement
• Range of Movement

Stretching must be combined with high intensity dynamic activities, full range resistance activities, and low intensity cardiovascular activity to develop complete and stable ranges of motion. It should also be noted that heavy resistance training used over a full range of motion constitutes a very efficient and effective means of active stretching.

By participating in a quality golf specific dynamic stretching program you will realize greatly accelerated golf performance enhancement compared to doing a traditional static stretching program. Never forget the Golden Rule of all types of training: You get what you train for. If you do static stretching you get static flexibility. If you do dynamic stretching you get dynamic flexibility.

If you would like more information and tips on enhancing golf specific flexibility then download my free e-book “The Pure Power Program Preview”. In it there is an entire chapter devoted to dissecting the dynamics of stretching.