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Yoga and Golf are two of the fastest growing leisure activities in the modern world. With all the mental and physical benefits of yoga, it's no wonder that both amateur and pro golfers alike are turning to this ancient practice to give them a competitive edge. Three areas of yoga that can help to accelerate your game while improving your health include:
Asanas: Steady poses to improve flexibility, strength and balance.
Pranayama: Breath-work exercises to improve respiration
Dharana: Concentration of the mind.
Asanas - Postures
The physical benefits of yoga range from health benefits such as decreased blood pressure, improved bone density, decreased body fat, and lowered heart rate. The fitness benefits include improvements in flexibility, strength, and muscle tone. And importantly, yoga offers practitioners a greater mind-body connection that includes improved balance, coordination, and agility. Golfers who begin a yoga practice report an improved range of motion that allows them to achieve a deeper back-swing, which gets them farther off the tee and gains them yards. As well, energy tends to dwindle around the 12th or 13th hole, with a regular yoga practice, golfers will build the endurance to keep playing strong.
Asana Practice: This series of postures from the Triangle and Warrior series' is ideal for golfers, as it helps to lengthen both sides of the body, improve hamstring flexibility, build dynamic strength, and increase range of motion in the shoulders.
Step 1: Stand with feet wider than hip width apart, shoulders and hips squared to the front. Turn your right foot 90 degrees to the right. Stretch your arms out to the sides, parallel to the ground, inhale deeply.
As you exhale, bend through your right knee in a lunge until your right thigh is parallel to the ground, your right knee is directly over your heel, and your hips are square to the front. As you hold this posture and breathe deeply, focus your gaze beyond the middle finger of your right hand, squeeze your buttocks to bring your pelvis forward, keeping your right knee in line with your body, finally, lift up through your left ankle and connect the outside of your left foot with the ground. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then straighten your right knee, and proceed to the next part of the posture.
Step 2: With both knees straight, and arms still out to the sides, shift your upper body as far as you can to the right, keeping arms parallel to the ground. Then drop your right hand to your thigh or shin, and reach your left arm over your head. Turn your eyes up to the ceiling and keep stretching through your left arm as you breath deeply for 30-60 seconds.
Then, slowly return to the start position for the final part of the posture.
Step 3: Turn your left foot 60 degrees to the right, square your hips and shoulders to the right leg, clasp your hands behind your back, and slowly bend forward towards your right leg, hinging at your hips. Once you have reached your maximal stretch, you can lift your hands away from your back to stretch your shoulders. Hold for 60 seconds while breathing deeply.
Slowly lift back up to the start position. Repeat all three postures in this series on the left side then relax on your back.
Pranayama - Breathwork
"Remembering to inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth calms my body", says pro golfer Jill McGill. Sara black reports in her book, The Supple Body, that "during normal, resting breathing, the average person only exchanges about 10 percent of the total air in the lungs. Conscious deep breathing allows the person the exchange about 80 percent of the air in the lungs with each breath." Practicing deep breathing exercises regularly helps to improve your respiration and oxygenate every cell in your body. When golfers utilize deep breathing before a competition, it helps to relax the mind, relieve tension in the muscles and abdomen, and focuses the mind on the task at hand.
Pranayama Practice - Full Yogic Breath
Sitting in a cross-legged position on the ground, or on a cushion for greater comfort. Place your right hand on your chest, and your left hand on your belly. Inhaling slowly through your nose, draw the breath first into your belly, expanding your belly and lower back, then let the breath flow into your rib cage, expanding your ribs front, side and back, then fill your chest until you feel the breath filling your body up to your throat. Gently exhale through your nose first from your belly, then your rib cage, then your chest. Exhale slowly, and imagine that you are squeezing out every last drop of breath. When you have exhaled completely, pause, and begin another inhalation. This exercise is most beneficial when practiced for 5-10 minutes daily.
Dharana - Mental Concentration
With regular practice, Dharana teaches you to quiet your mind and eliminate the mental chatter and negative self-talk that can influence your ability to focus. In his book "Golf My Way", Jack Niklaus says, "mental preparation is the single most critical element in peak performance". Practice this simple visualization exercise to relax your mind and achieve your own peak performance.
Dharana Practice - 100%
Visualization is a technique commonly used in business, sport,
and the arts to boost performance. To practice, sit or lie down
in a comfortable place away from distractions. Begin with a few
deep breaths as you gently close your eyes. In your mind, see yourself
on the golf course preparing for a shot. See yourself from within
your body rather than seeing yourself as though on a video screen.
Feel yourself in your body; feel the clothes against your skin,
the ground under your feet, even feel the club in your hand. Associating
your senses with visualization will enhance the experience and your
results. Once you feel comfortable in your imagined skin, prepare
to take a swing or a putt. Focus your attention on where you want
the ball to go and in your mind repeat the mantra "One Hundred,
One Hundred, One Hundred Percent". Put all your power, focus
and intent in saying these words, and then take your shot. Know
that once you say these words, you will have 100% focus, and you
will accomplish your goal. Take your shot, then stand back and admire
your results. You can repeat this exercise for a few shots, observing
your successes, then take a few deep breaths and come out of your
relaxed state. Practice this exercise regularly. Then, when you
hit the tees for real, focus your mind, repeat your mantra, then
take your shot and enjoy your victory.
Index of Featured
Articles
The Ideal Realm | Healthy
Eating on the Go | Making Space for
Yoga | The Foundations of Yoga
| Yoga for Golf | From
Slapshot to Sadhana | Yoga meets
Massage
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