Earl Woods, father of great golfer Tiger Woods, reminds his son, “If you don’t clutter your conscious mind with endless pointers and tips, you make it easier for your subconscious instincts to guide you.”
You have been searching for your glasses for hours, only to realise it has been lying on the edge of your nose, sounds familiar? Adding yoga to your exercise regime, is one of those moments, where you have been searching for the key to unlock your inner Tiger Woods, when all you had to do is, become silent and tune in. When the monkey mind quiets, you’re able to approach your golf game with focus and awareness.
Yoga will help you physically and mentally to achieve the maximum results that you have been looking for. Freeing the subconscious is one of the greatest tools. When you’ve entered a deep state of relaxation, you’re able to experience the “now” and your mind becomes clear. You know how to react or not react by anchoring yourself internally.
The Benefits Of Yoga For A Golfer:
As Earl Woods tells his son, “What you’re looking for is a soft, flexible, fluid swing—that’s power.”
Legend speaks of a group of Zen monks who practice archery for hours on end attempting to master the physical components of the game. Once they achieve this mastery, they toss away their bows and arrows. They’re not attached to the game. They’re not attached to winning or achieving a score. They use sport merely as a tool for reaching a state of consciousness.
Internal and external stressors can block energy in the body, limiting range of motion and causing your body structure to be off centre. An off-centre stance, might cause the golfer a putt that’s off by an inch.
1. Repetitive motion
The golfer’s more dominant side of the body will develop larger muscles. These stronger muscles are also tighter, which will restrict range of motion. By practicing yoga, both sides of the body will increase in free movement for the muscles and joints, as the less dominant side will build up strength, and your body will find its way to natural balance.
2. Muscular Endurance
Isometric positions play a big part in muscular endurance as it is essential for the technique of golf. As it takes a lot of strength for the body to hold a position without dynamic movement. The ability to hold isometric muscular contractions while performing a yoga pose will increases muscular endurance.
3. Functional Flexibility/Mobility
Referring to the golf swing, it is very important for muscles and joints to work together in a wide range of motion, at different angles, therefor functional flexibility and mobility is the key to a good swing. Yoga poses provide a great functional mobility practice of different angles in all ranges of motion in the body.
4. Balance
Balance is necessary to sustain our centre of gravity. An uneven lie can challenge balance. Yoga will teach you core strengthening skills and how to introduce it to your everyday life, as core strength is the root of balance movements.
5. Stability
The speed of the golf swing can take us out of balance if we are not stable. This links up with the practicing balance and using it as a tool to ground yourself and come back to the present moment to tune into your perfect swing, by remove all external distractions.
Legend speaks of a group of Zen monks who practice archery for hours on end attempting to master the physical components of the game. Once they achieve this mastery, they toss away their bows and arrows. They’re neither attached to the game nor attached to winning or achieving a score. They use sport merely as a tool for reaching a state of consciousness.
Written by: Lente Kritzinger
[Tweet “The Benefits Of Yoga For A Golfer. #Liferetreat_”]
