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professional golfers know how important golf stretching exercises are to improving their game. A fitness routine gaining popularity within the professional sport of golf; Pilate's now can help the average golfer improve their handicap simply by doing some gentle lower back stretches.

Pilate's emphasizes building strength, flexibility, posture, balance, and coordination. These are all strengths that any golfer requires in order to increase his level of golfing success, plus Pilate's golf stretching exercises add energy and stamina. Stretching exercises are the key.

Injuries are part of the game and a professional golfer needs to be physically fit to keep up with the competition. Most golfers at one time or another experience lower back pain and stiffness due to the amount of force they need to make a full swing with their club. Golf stretching exercises are the key to avoiding lower back pain injuries especially if you are a weekend golfer and may be a little de-conditioned.

Next time you tee up to play golf, Pilate's simple golf stretching exercises may be the answer. Take 10 minutes before that practice swing. These stretches work the hamstrings, spine rotation, waist, ribcage and legs and are all good lower back stretches as well.

Try these Free Golf Stretching Exercises

Wall Roll Down: stand with your lower back firmly against a wall, your feet a foot away from the wall, knees slightly bent. Inhale to prepare, exhale to drop your chin towards your chest and roll your spine off the wall one vertebrae at a time until your arms and head are hanging down over your hips and you have reached a point of resistance.

Inhale to stay, exhale to roll back up the wall making sure each part of your spine makes contact with the wall. Use your abdominals! Repeat three times. Good for stretching hamstrings and spine.

The Saw: Find a bench. Sit with your legs extended in front of you, just wider than hips width apart. Arms are lifted shoulder height to the side. Inhale and twist your body to the right keeping your bottom squarely on the bench.

Exhale and round forward reaching the back of your left hand past the pinky toe of your right foot. Inhale rollback up, exhale and return center. Repeat to the left and then repeat three more sets. Warms up hamstrings and spinal rotation.

Mermaid Stretch: Find a bench and sit on the front edge with your feet firmly on the ground and hips width apart. Inhale raise your right arm straight up to the sky, exhale and bend to the left, reaching out of the fingertips. Inhale to stay, exhale return to center. Make sure to keep your bottom squarely on the chair and your spine upright. Repeat both sides three times through. Stretches the sides of your waist and ribcage.

Golf Swing Stretch: stand with your feet in a wide stance. Lean forward and with straight arms place your hands together in a prayer position, fingertips facing the ground. Inhale to swing the arms up and to the right as if you were going to hit the ball, exhale and swing them all the way up and to the left. Keep your gaze down at the imaginary golf ball and keep your feet planted. Repeat three times starting with the inhale to the right, and three times starting with the inhale to the left. Warms up spinal rotation and legs.

Club Rotation: stand with your golf club resting over across the back of your shoulders and your hands holding either end. Repeat the Golf Swing Stretch listed above.

So next weekend when you're out on the course playing you're 18 holes of golf, Pilate's golf stretching exercises just might be the perfect match play.

Susannah Marchese is a certified Pilate's fitness instructor and a senior contributing writer to http://www.everything-about-pilates.com/golf-stretching-exercises.html

Susannah Marchese - http://www.everything-about-pilates.com

posted by 55208  # 11:42 AM