Proper Coil....

[kleraudio]

So Im learning how to finally do a proper coil by turning my hips less and keeping the weight on my inside back foot...

I used to sway and let the weight get on the outside of my back foot and swing nice and hard over the top with all arms..

Anyways, I hit a medium bucket last night concentrating not on distance, but on proper coiling and releasing my hips and trying my hardest to stay on plane..

Anyways, my lower back is SORE this morning, is this normal or did I over do it somewhere on the coiling? Should I ease up a bit and not take my upper body so far back, or maybe turn my hips just a little more...??

Thanks!

Jim

[RC]

The flexibility to coil and clear really well requires some conditioning work in my opinion. I spend two sessions a week in the gym and we focus on two main things: core body strength and stretching. The stretching exercise I like the most for golf is to lay on a padded exercise table, on your side with your knees flexed to 90 degreed from your core, and lying with one on top of the other on their side. Then keep the back straight, and slowly move your arms in a stretched "cross" position (arms stretched straight out on opposite sides.) Then slowly take the arm on the opposite side as your knees and bring it up and over to touch your hands together. Then slowly swing it back over the top to the maximum stretch you can (back to the "cross" position.) Keep your knees together and on the table. Do this opening and closing slowly ten or twelve reps.

Then, flip to your other side (with knees flipped to the over side) and do the mirror image on that side. On a good narrow table, you can stretch past parallel to the table and really loosen up your ability to develop a big shoulder turn versus hip turn.

Work up to doing this and don't over do it. After all, you are going to a 90 degree difference in hip and shoulder so you may not can get there, but with a trainer or qualified exercise science person who can work with you, you can find out just how much of this kind of thing you can safely do.

[squaddie]

The flexibility to coil and clear really well requires some conditioning work in my opinion. I spend two sessions a week in the gym and we focus on two main things: core body strength and stretching. The stretching exercise I like the most for golf is to lay on a padded exercise table, on your side with your knees flexed to 90 degreed from your core, and lying with one on top of the other on their side. Then keep the back straight, and slowly move your arms in a stretched "cross" position (arms stretched straight out on opposite sides.) Then slowly take the arm on the opposite side as your knees and bring it up and over to touch your hands together. Then slowly swing it back over the top to the maximum stretch you can (back to the "cross" position.) Keep your knees together and on the table. Do this opening and closing slowly ten or twelve reps.

+1, that's great info. I'm about to embark on a conditioning program to improve my shoulder turn flexibility (and hopefully better my coil). RC (or anyone else), how many times a day should one go through a stretching routine? My shoulder turn flexibility is poor, as I can only comfortably turn about 78 to 80 degrees before it gets very tough to rotate further. Though that doesn't seem to bad, my hips also turn too much, up to 60 degrees. As a result I'm going to do daily stretching exercises, but I don't know how often I should do the routines per day, as I don't want to overdo it and injure myself.

[RC]

I am not qualified to give advice on exercise science. I think going to a reputable health club/gym and asking a trainer to give you a supervised session specifically for your requested kind of flexibility needs would be money well spent. Even a 30 or 45 minute session should provide you with several stretching exercises and how to stay in proper form while doing them. And ask about the frequency question, too. You can be blunt and explain you just want some good advice to get started and you will be doing the program on your own. I don't want it to sound like I am shilling for anyone to go out and join a gym -- that is not my point. That is an entirely and uniquely personal question. I know some gyms put high pressure sales pitches on visitors, so be forewarned. If you just want some routines, be clear about it.

I use a personal trainer twice a week and am somewhat of a gym rat, but that is not for everyone for a variety of reasons. But that should not stop anyone from adopting a good training routine and stretching -- just make sure you do it properly. In my mind, there is no question that the core strength and stretching exercises help my golf, especially as an older golfer. I have to do it to maintain any kind of distance and stability. As the years go by, I can certainly see the difference between those that stay fit versus those that do not.

Good for you that you want to work on your flexibility, and the related core body strength, and realize that you need that to maintain your golf.

[ninetwothree]

With a proper understanding of the pivot, strength and flexibility isn't as important as knowing what is supposed to happen. Dont' get me wrong though - it definitely can help.

Shoulders turn in a circle and hips have to maintain their slant at address.

The knees will help this and so will an understanding of the proper bending of the spine from left to right.