Arizona serves as a Mecca for golfers and golf enthusiasts. With the sport being very repetitious, a golf swing has the potential to cause pain or injury, specifically to the lower and upper back. With proper mobility training focusing on the hips, lumbar, and thoracic spine you’ll lower your risk to any swing-related injury and improve your stroke dramatically. These mobility drills will serve as a great tool to prime your body the next time you hit the links.

1. Side-Lying Thoracic Windmill

This drill is a great to improve not only your lumbar and thoracic mobility, but also movement through your shoulders. Begin by lying on your right side, and bending your left knee, the top leg, into a 90 -degree angle and your bottom right leg extended straight. An item, like a small platform, is recommended to rest the bent left knee on. Place both arms out straight in front of you. Using your top arm, the left arm, rotate your arm in a circular motion backward, allowing your torso to naturally follow, eventually lying on your back with your arms in a “t” formation. Keep your lower body still during this process. Repeat the opposite direction, returning to the original position. Repeat 10 times on each side.

2. Yoga Plex

This move is similar in style to the well-known “World’s Greatest Stretch.” This drill will help improve hip, thoracic, and shoulder mobility. Using a bench or box to stabilize yourself by placing your hands on top, bring your right foot forward into a lunge, making a 90-degree angle with your knee, while pushing your hips down and forward. Take your left arm and rotate backward in a giant circular pattern while twisting your torso as your shoulder rotates. Complete a full circle, returning to the original lunge position. Repeat 5 times on each side.

3. A-Frame Stretch

This move will help incorporate a hinging pattern while also improving your thoracic spine mobility. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back slightly while sitting into a quarter-squat. Position your right forearm in the crook of your knees by placing the elbow on the inside of your right knee and your clenched fist at the inside of your left knee. Place your left arm down straight in front of you, with your fingertips on the floor in front of you. Extend the left arm, counter clockwise, up. Follow your left hand with your head, until your hand is pointed up towards the ceiling. Return the arm to the ground. Repeat 8 times on each side.

4. Adductor Rockback with Thoracic Rotation

This move will help loosen your hips while simultaneously improving your thoracic rotation. Begin in a quadruped position. Extend your right leg out, to the side, keeping the leg straight and resting the inside of your foot on the ground. Take your hips and push them back towards your left foot. You’ll begin to feel the stretch on the inside of your thigh. Bend your right arm, placing your palm on the back of your head. Start with your bent right arm parallel to your left arm, and extend the right arm, while still bent and placed on the back of your head, out and up towards the ceiling. Follow this motion with your head and torso, while leaving your left side still. Once your elbow is facing up, towards the ceiling, return to the start of the motion, where the bent right arm is parallel to the left arm. Repeat 10 times to each side.

Try these moves before you go on your next golfing trip and see how much more free your body feels even before you take your first swing. If you want to try mobility training with a certified athletic trainer, call us to schedule an appointment at your local FAST location.