Fitness : The secret golf muscle – Brief Article
According to fitness expert Dave Parise, golf’s powerhouse muscles are located deep within the midsection. To get these internal abdominal muscles to provide maximum strength and stability during the swing, Parise says to skip traditional gym exercises. Use the isometric exercise shown at right to unlock the potential of what he considers the strongest golf muscle of all, the transverse abdominis.
How to activate your inner abs
You can’t see the transverse abdominis; most people can’t even feel it. Very few know how to put it to work. But when the transverse abdominis is underutilized, the body’s more superficial muscles are forced to support the spinal column, which leads to muscular imbalances. Those imbalances can create swing problems, leading to inconsistency and risk of injury. Learn to use your core abdominal muscles. This not only gives you a stronger, more stable spinal column around which to swing, it also allows the other muscles to work more efficiently and in unison during the golf swing.
The external and internal abdominal oblique muscles are also key stabilizers. They can be strengthened by doing ab crunches in which you turn your torso as you bring your rib cage to your hips.
Trunk stability is important, because the swing is an unnatural, multi-plane movement-the upper body rotates around a spine that’s angled forward.
The transverse abdominis is made up of muscle fibers that run horizontally around the abdomen. It functions like an internal weight belt, or girdle, to support and stabilize the spine. Nine out of 10 people with back pain tested in a recent study had a “sleepy” transverse abdominis muscle.
Poor posture, like a swayed back, creates muscular imbalances. The spinal column is most stable when it’s properly aligned and supported by the strongest, deepest muscles.
Exhale with a hiss as you try to draw your belly button toward your spine. Make sure the spine remains in the same position and the club stays against your back.
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