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These Simple Stretches Can Loosen the Lower Back, Among Other Benefits, and Be Done Right in the Office

By Mike Pedersen

Golfers are always dealing with stiff and achy backs, and doing golf stretching exercises can alleviate this problem. If time is a crunch, I've got a couple of easy golf stretching exercises you can do right in your office, while sitting in your chair.

The Seated Twist is a fantastic golf stretching exercise that will not only loosen up your back to minimize pain, but will give you a greater backswing and follow-through range of motion, resulting in more power and distance with all your clubs.

The Seated Hamstring stretch is an effective golf stretch that will loosen up your hamstrings and lower back. You will be able to maintain your golf posture with less pain and discomfort in your lower back and even glutes.

Seated Twist
• Golf muscles trained: Obliques, Lower Back, and Abdominals
• Exercise benefits: Loosens back, minimizes pain and improves backswing/follow through range of motion.

Step 1: Sit upright in your office chair, with chest high and back straight.
Step 2: Reach behind you with your left arm, which will rotate your upper body.
Step 3: Leverage your right arm against your left leg, creating torque.
Step 4: Hold for at least 10 seconds and repeat.
Step 5: Switch arms and rotate the opposite way, hold and repeat.

Seated Hamstring Stretch
• Golf muscles trained: Hamstrings, Glutes and Calf Muscles.
• Exercise benefits: Loosens back, minimizes pain and improves backswing/follow through range of motion.

Step 1: While seated, place right foot on desk.
Step 2: With a slight flex in the knee, reach forward to feel a stretch in the hamstring, lower back and even the calf muscle.
Step 3: Try to maintain a fairly straight upper back during the stretch. Don't round it too much.
Step 4: Hold for at least 10 seconds and repeat.
Step 5: Switch legs, hold and repeat.

These golf stretching exercises are just two of dozens you can do right in your home or office. Nothing could be simpler than doing easy golf stretches to ease the tension and improve your game. You'll soon become a believer that your body dictates your golfing ability.

Photos courtesy of Perform Better Golf, Inc.; used with permission

About the Author
Mike Pedersen is a well-known golf performance training expert who has produced DVDs, books and websites focused on improving golfers’ physical abilities to play their best golf. For more information about Mike and his programs, visit www.performbettergolf.com.