Challenge - Test Your Core and Balance

[JCrane]

There has been much discussion on this Forum about functional fitness and how it works better for golf than isolation training, so I thought I would introduce some exercises to test the core strength and balance of those who wish to feel what this is like. 

My thanks to Michael Reik, a scratch golfer from Milwaukee Wisconsin,who been doing a program I teach, for volunteering  to demonstrate these exercises and for proving that it is possible to gain strength, add mobility, and balance to your body using the bodies own weight and leverage. 

It is my experience that many people find it difficult to slow down and really feel what is going on inside their bodies and would rather use momentum to propel themselves past any weak areas to some predetermined goal.

Over the next 3 days I will post  three exercises that will test your balance and your core strength. They are divided into Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Do the ones you can do with slow and controlled Movements. Stop when you get to one you can not do. Post a comment on this forum about what you felt, maybe even a video If nothing else it will give you some feedback.

First lets do some warm-ups. Mike is using a special club, but you can use any golf club.

 

Let the club hang loose and let your upper body release any tension you are feeling in it. You can sway the club back and forth, arms are loose. Bring your attention to your neck and ask yourself. Why am I holding my head up when I am upside down ? LOL

It is out of habit 

 

 

Suck your belly in to protect the lower back and start to lift up. If you feel any pain stop, otherwise continue to lift slowly using your core muscles, stacking each vertebrae one on top of the other.Let your core do the work not the arms 

Continue until your are standing

 

Bring the Club overhead, reach to the ceiling  and take a gentle back bend

Suck the belly in as you Fold forward and let the club hang. 
Repeat this sequence a few times

NEXT WARMUP

Bring the club behind you as illustrated, then take a deep breath as you lift the chest up and drop the head back

Then suck the belly in and round the back as you slowly exhale

Return to standing and repeat 3 times

Take your golfing stance at address. Place a ball down if you need to and with the club behind you slowly go into your back swing. When you feel the muscles tighten stop and take 3 deep breaths. 

Now go into your follow through until the muscles are tight then take 3 deep breaths.

Repeat this exercise 3 times 

EVERYTHING IS SLOW AND CONTROLLED

 

Now move on to the Challenge Level 1
 

 

 

 

 

[JCrane]

Level 1

Bring the club behind your back and secure it with your arms.

 

slowly lift the right leg back behind you and hold it for 3 breaths if you can

then come back to standing

Take all of the momentum out of these exercises if you can. Slow it down and feel your muscles working.

 

Now bring the left leg back and hold that for 3 breaths if you can. Just do what you can do.

Return to standing

Move on to Level 2

[RandallT]

Jim- Looks like Level 1 and 2 got posted in reverse order. Not sure but we mods might be able to help you fix that if u like. Probably just hide the first Level 2 post above and let you repost it so it’s in correct order.  Your call. 

Also, mods wanna group the levels all together as one topic on challenge for core and balance so people can see them all at once and comment in one place. 

 

[JCrane]

13 hours ago, RandallT said:

Jim- Looks like Level 1 and 2 got posted in reverse order. Not sure but we mods might be able to help you fix that if u like. Probably just hide the first Level 2 post above and let you repost it so it’s in correct order.  Your call. 

Also, mods wanna group the levels all together as one topic on challenge for core and balance so people can see them all at once and comment in one place. 

 

yes, thanks for your input. I had all kinds of problems posting this. I wanted to have it all in one post. the program would not let me have more space. Then I tried putting it under quoted. Can you fix it or tell me the best way to fix it. I want to put out  the third and final challenge today I greatly appreciate your help

 

 

[RandallT]

Repost Level 2 here below in this thread. Then I will hide the first Level 2 above.  

Then post Level 3. Voila - all in order again.

Not sure about the running out of space issue you mention. Maybe a limit of pictures? 

Good luck

 

 

[mdl]

Not trying to be an a-hole here, but this is just a few stock yoga moves done while holding a golf club.  I guess plus the twist stretch done in the golf address position.  Though I'd argue there are better ways to both strengthen and stretch the twisting core.

[JCrane]

10 hours ago, mdl said:

Not trying to be an a-hole here, but this is just a few stock yoga moves done while holding a golf club.  I guess plus the twist stretch done in the golf address position.  Though I'd argue there are better ways to both strengthen and stretch the twisting core.

I posted this for people who are intered in testing their core and balance, with these three progressive moves.  then leaving a comment on how they did.  If you are not interested in doing that please go somewhere else

[JCrane]

 

Exercise Level 2

Hold the club over your head

 

Bring the upper torso parallel to the floor while reaching the club out in front of you.

Now lift the right leg back slowly and bring yourself to parallel with the floor and hold for 3 breaths if you can.

Return to standing with the club overhead

 

Once again bring your body to parallel with the floor

Now slowly lift the left leg back behind you and parallel to the floor

Release back to standing

Move on to Level 3

 

 

Level 3

Start in standing position with the club overhead

Bring the Upper torso parallel to the floor 

slowly lift the right leg back so the body is parallel to the floor.

Now drop the club just off of the floor as you lift the right leg up toward the ceiling and hold for 3 breaths.

now slowly with control, come all the way up without touching the floor bringing the knee to the chest and hold for 3 breaths.

Now extend the leg for 3 breaths 

Bring the knee back toward chest

Release the leg to the floor

upper torso to parallel with the floor ,

slowly lift the left leg back. Head and leg form a straight line.

drop the club just off the floor and lift the left leg up and hold for 3 breaths

now slowly bring the knee toward the chest without touching the floor and hold for 3 breaths

Now extend the left leg for 3 breaths

return to bent position

Return to standing and have a beer 

As a person who has done this program for 5 years, the thing I like most about Jim's golf exercise program is that it really focuses on the keys for improving your body for golf: 

body connection ,balance, and flexibility. Integrating a golf club into the practice really challenges both mind and body to become aware of your movements and discover the feeling of a fully integrated body that translates well to the golf course. This program is by no means easy, but if you put in the work you will soon realize the enormous benefits it produces. Not only will you build a more effortless, connected, and balanced golf swing, you'll experience fewer injuries and less soreness by having a stronger core and overall body.

Michael Riek
 

 

 

 

 

On 10/15/2017 at 10:58 PM, RandallT said:

Jim- Looks like Level 1 and 2 got posted in reverse order. Not sure but we mods might be able to help you fix that if u like. Probably just hide the first Level 2 post above and let you repost it so it’s in correct order.  Your call. 

Also, mods wanna group the levels all together as one topic on challenge for core and balance so people can see them all at once and comment in one place. 

 

ok, I hope I did it right this time. Please let me know. What I had to do was to post all of the text first, then add the pictures under each title. When I did that It gave me all the room I wanted.Thanks for your help

Edited October 17, 2017 by RandallT
Removed the quotes for readability

[RandallT]

8 minutes ago, JCrane said:

ok, I hope I did it right this time. Please let me know. What I had to do was to post all of the text first, then add the pictures under each title. When I did that It gave me all the room I wanted.Thanks for your help

Looks good. Level 1 is now posted first. Then Level 2 and 3 above. I think it merged two of your posts into one, but that's ok. Tell Michael thanks for the note. 

I've been doing various stretches and yoga routines for the past month or two along with physical therapy on my neck, so I definitely find a lot of crossover in the exercises I've been doing with what you've posted. Generally, this stuff has really helped me feel so much more athletic, although I haven't been able to get up to full speed yet. 

[JCrane]

4 hours ago, RandallT said:

Looks good. Level 1 is now posted first. Then Level 2 and 3 above. I think it merged two of your posts into one, but that's ok. Tell Michael thanks for the note. 

I've been doing various stretches and yoga routines for the past month or two along with physical therapy on my neck, so I definitely find a lot of crossover in the exercises I've been doing with what you've posted. Generally, this stuff has really helped me feel so much more athletic, although I haven't been able to get up to full speed yet. 

good thanks for your help. I use a pump up neck pillow for my neck. It pumps up with air and stretches my neck. I use it with my inversion table and it keeps me stretched out  alone with the Yoga I do

[Buckeyebowman]

On 10/16/2017 at 2:17 PM, mdl said:

Not trying to be an a-hole here, but this is just a few stock yoga moves done while holding a golf club.  I guess plus the twist stretch done in the golf address position.  Though I'd argue there are better ways to both strengthen and stretch the twisting core.

To me, it looked like Tai-Chi for golf. That being said, for a 65 year old (me) some of this stuff looked like it could be a challenge! It also looked like it might do some good. So, I'm going to give it a try.

Besides, with my joints, especially knees, I don't jog anymore. No sense pounding what little cartilage I have left into dust!

[JCrane]

1 hour ago, Buckeyebowman said:

To me, it looked like Tai-Chi for golf. That being said, for a 65 year old (me) some of this stuff looked like it could be a challenge! It also looked like it might do some good. So, I'm going to give it a try.

Besides, with my joints, especially knees, I don't jog anymore. No sense pounding what little cartilage I have left into dust!

great analogy Tai-Chi for golf. I like it. I did fast Yoga for 10 years, then the last 10 slowed it down. You don't need to pound your body. I am 68 and I can do anything I did at 30, just not as often LOL

[yourgolfbuddyph]

Interesting workout you have here. I suggest doing some hip opener exercise. It'll help activate your lower body and hit the ball further!

[JCrane]

18 minutes ago, yourgolfbuddyph said:

Interesting workout you have here. I suggest doing some hip opener exercise. It'll help activate your lower body and hit the ball further!

My first question is . Did you do all three exercises and how did you do ?

This is meant as a fun test to see how ones' balance and core is. It is not meant to build anything. There are many exercises that progressively work up to addressing the entire body that help one hit the ball better, but that is not what this is all about.

Thanks for your input. 

[JCrane]

On 10/17/2017 at 5:49 PM, Buckeyebowman said:

To me, it looked like Tai-Chi for golf. That being said, for a 65 year old (me) some of this stuff looked like it could be a challenge! It also looked like it might do some good. So, I'm going to give it a try.

Besides, with my joints, especially knees, I don't jog anymore. No sense pounding what little cartilage I have left into dust!

a lot of people can run for years with no problems, but I have met many who have ruined their knees with the pounding on the joints. I would encourage anyone who has those type of problems to do something that is still challenging but does not put excessive pressure on the joints. thanks for your input