A golfer practices his putt while another warms up his swing at the Langara Golf Course. Photo: Anna Dimoff
As golfers hit the greens this season, strengthening the muscles involved in achieving the perfect swing is an important step to avoid injury according to local experts and trainers.
Brent Day, a kinesiology instructor at Langara College
Photo: Anna Dimoff
After the winter season, golfers need to make sure that their bodies are balanced and strong to endure the stress placed on their joints, so “there won’t be any deficiencies within their muscles that will be used to swing the club,” said Brent Day, a kinesiology instructor at Langara College.
Strong movers
Anthony Agtarap, the founder of Engineered Bodies Strength & Conditioning, focuses on general training for increased strength and proper movement techniques with his clients in the golf performance program.
“They turn into really good strong movers,” said Agtarap. “They’re able to take all that strength and power that they’ve developed in the training program and put it to their swing.”
Anthony Agtarap, founder of Engineered Bodies Strength & Conditioning aka CrossFit Port Moody.
Photo: engineeredbodies.ca
Within his program, Agtarap often works with clients hoping to correct certain aspects of movement that are causing them pain. He attributes this to repetitive motion.
“If they only do this golf-specific training, they have complaints of shoulder injuries, lower back pain, like chronic so they’re always in pain,” he said. “But if they train as a more generalist, those common injuries, they’re mitigated.”
Alternative methods for pain relief
Yin yoga, which helps increase mobility by holding relaxing poses for longer, is a popular choice for her clients who golf or play tennis, according to Deanna Spadafora, a yoga instructor with Vancouver Corporate Yoga.
“They tend to find relief from that because they’ll be twisting in the opposite way of what they usually do and it starts to lengthen out the muscles that are getting chronically tight.”
Jim Sutherland, recreational golfer, freelance writer and contributing editor for Vancouver magazine. Photo: jimsutherland.net
Day also spoke of the benefits of stretching through yoga. He said yoga helps to increase the range of motion and flexibility in athletes “so there isn’t any extra stress placed on the joints and muscles used.”
Jim Sutherland, a recreational golfer who has been participating in the sport for about 15 years, said he recognizes the movements that cause lower back pain and the subtle differences in his swing when things aren’t working.
“When I’m not hitting the ball well I quickly realize that usually one of the reasons is my shoulders are round,” Sutherland said.
Basic movements such as touching his toes, stretching his shoulders and rotating his back, are a few things Jordan Kidlark, a long-time amateur golfer, does to warm up.
“I just do the basics and keep loose and limber so i don’t pull anything.”
Photo: Anna Dimoff
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