Pilates for Golf ~ improve your stability, flexibility and core strength

Pilates Golf Warm-up Download a free Complete Pre-Game Pilates Warm-up Routine designed specifically for golf. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view.

If you're a golfer, you know that most golfers 'love their golf'—and something like a little backache or sore shoulder won't keep them off the course. It's a dangerous passion, particularly in the early stages of learning the game before your body has learned proper swing motion. In my case, first it was the rotator cuff, then the lower back that rebelled at the repeated motions of this new activity.

Rounds of physio provided temporary relief, but as soon as golf season came around, the same aches and pains came back, often worse than before. It was not until I went back to regular, three-times a week Pilates workouts with a specific Pilates warm-up routine before rounds (download the golf warm-up routine), that I have been able to maintain a pain and injury-free season. With increased flexibility and much stronger core muscles to support my back, I see my game improving at a much faster pace than before!

In going back to Pilates, I didn't discover something new—the benefits of Pilates for sports has been well-known for some time. Sport-specific Pilates programs have been developed to enhance performance and reduce injury in a wide range of sports, and are currently used by many top athletes and trainers.

Golf is unlike any other sport in that the repeated action of the golf swing results in the same muscles being over-used, and the delicate balance of these muscles being upset. When injury occurs to muscles, ligaments or spinal discs, the body attempts to protect the area and may use a compensation that cuases further strain in a different area. The spiral continues and can sometimes lead to significant, long-term problems. The shoulders, neck, hips and feet are all vulnerable areas, but it is the lumbar spine on which golf takes the greatest toll. Pilates exercises work because they restore your balance, re-align your body and encourage natural, normal movement patterns by targeting the deep postural muscles that support your back.

Use your core strength for a consistent swing

The key is learning to engage your stabilizing muscles to create a strong centre from which to move and to provide support to your spine—particularly the vulnerable lumbar area. These important muscles are your transversus abdominis and your pelvic floor muscles. Pilates will literally build up your strength from the inside out!

When these muscles are properly engaged, they form a 'corset' around the torso to protect and stabilize your spine during your swing. These deep abdominal muscles are used with every movement in Pilates. The considerable concentration it takes to isolate and activate these core stabilizing muscles is another benefit to golf—the focus required to engage these muscles in each swing. With Pilates you will learn to focus on making the right muscles do the work, taking strain off of other muscles.You will also learn how to align your body correctly, to breathe efficiently, and to be aware of unwanted tension creeping into your body. This form of relaxed concentration is invaluable in understanding how to create a consistent, effective golf swing.

	Pilates On The Go: Golf! (DVD) Developed by Maria Leone, owner of the prestigious Bodyline Fitness Studio in Beverly Hills, this DVD is a complete, full-body workout system that is based upon the Pilates Method created by Joseph Pilates. This unparalleled workout leverages the benefits of traditional Pilates for the areas golfers utilize most and focuses on range of motion, balance, the core (powerhouse), and flexibility. Online Sports.
	The Golfer's Guide to Pilates Step-by-Step Exercises to Lower Your Score Pilates has become the premier training choice for top golfers. Now, The Golfer's Guide to Pilates offers an affordable and convenient way for all golfers to gain the benefits of this popular conditioning method. The book's player-tested program develops the essential building blocks of golf fitness—precise and powerful movements. Breaking down the physiology involved in golf mechanics, the author explains why endless practice swings and conventional strength training often fail to result in lower scores, while Pilate's unique combination of strength, flexibility, balance, and mental focus work together perfectly to maximize one's swing. A true step-by-step guide with a single goal in mind—lowering your scores. The Golfer's Guide to Pilates teaches exercises that directly address and improve the player's abilities in every aspect of the game.
	Sports Pilates How to Prevent and Overcome Sports Injuries Invaluable advice on injury prevention and the treatment of common sports injuries from a top Olympic Pilates instructor and physiotherapist—fully illustrated, with a step-by-step guide to the Pilates program that's right for you. In this definitive guide to sports injuries and their rehabilitation, Olympic Pilates instructor and physiotherapist Paul Massey shows how the majority of sports injuries are preventable or treatable using Pilates. Sport by sport, Paul Massey identifies the most common injuries, revealing how to spot the signs and symptoms of specific problems. Focusing on both prevention and treatment, Massey's clearly illustrated program of exercises and professional treatment tips shows you how to integrate Pilates into all your sport activities.