Golf Warm-up Exercises for Seniors

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Have you ever asked yourself why there are so many older people around golf courses? Maybe you are one of them. Golf is a peaceful game. You get to socialize, meet business associates, and for older people, it does not put a strain on the ageing body. However, you can risk getting injuries if you do not prepare your body for the exercise.

Golf itself is exercise. As a senior, it is a chance to stretch your muscles and joints while at the same time keep you away from complications associated with old age. It keeps you fit. However, you make yourself vulnerable to injuries if you don’t warm up before the game.

In this article, we look at the various warm-up exercises that a senior golfer can work on every time they want to go to the golf course. They are simple exercises, tested, and their effectiveness proven.

Loosen Up

Before you start the warm-up exercises, your body needs to loosen up. It helps to ensure that there is blood flow to all the parts of the body. To loosen up, you can perform simple exercises such as jogging for about 10 minutes or walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes. These exercises warm up the blood and help warm up your joints as you prepare for the warm-up exercises ahead.

Neck Mobility

Neck mobility is a simple exercise that helps stretch the neck and improve the range of motion when playing. The following steps will help you improve neck mobility as you prepare for the game.

Stand upright and turn your head towards your right shoulder until you feel muscles on the left side of your neck stretching. Make a similar motion towards your left to complete the first rep.
While still standing up straight, face the ground and move your head upwards as if you are looking at the sky until you feel your muscles stretch. Slowly move your head downwards until you face the floor.

Perform four reps for each of the neck mobility exercise above.

Wrist Rotation

This exercise prepares your wrist for rotations when swinging the club.

Open your palms holding your fingers together, and stretch out your arms slightly below the chest.
Rotate your palms from your wrist joint in a clockwise position for the right wrist and an anticlockwise position for the left wrist.

You can choose to do the rotations separately for both hands or all at the same time. For this exercise, perform four reps for each hand.

Arm Circles

Performing arm circles improves the flexibility of your arms and stretches your biceps. Warm-up exercise enhances blood flow to your arms and upper body. It is a simple exercise that every senior can comfortably perform.

Stretch your hands with your palms open and rotate your hands from your shoulder backwards in circular motions. Your hands should move in the same direction. (Backwards)
Similarly, move your hands from the back towards the front in circular motions (Forwards)
Widen your arms and move them across the chest so that they intersect.

For this exercise, perform four reps for each step.

Single Leg Balance Reach

The single leg balance warm-up exercise promotes balance and improves lower body strength for seniors. Improved balance prevents accidents such as falling when you take a poor swing.

Stand up straight and slightly raise your right leg. Stretch the raised leg forward and support your body mass with the left leg. Your knee should bend a little, but don’t go too low.
Raise your body while still being supported by the left leg, and then stretch the raised leg towards your right. Do the same by moving the leg to the back. While at it, ensure that the raised leg does not touch the ground.

For each side, you move your raised leg do nine reps.

Squats

While performing squats, you will require to use a golf club. This exercise will help a senior golfer regain lower body strength, which plays a significant role in playing golf.

Hold the golf club with your arms approximately one foot apart. Keep your heels on the floor and ensure that the knees are aligned with the toes as you move.
Bend your knees, and hold the club by your hip and bring it into the air by stretching out your arms as you go down.

You can go as low as you want as long as you don’t lose position. Do this exercise while facing your north, south, east and west. For every direction, do eight reps.

Hip Hinge

You will also require a golf club for this exercise. It helps to keep your spine aligned and improve the strength that comes from your hips. It also protects the spine from too much pressure felt when playing golf.

Hold your golf club along your spine, with the right hand holding the clubhead right behind your head and the other hand holding the grip right above the lower back.
Ensure three points of contact, one on your lower back, lower shoulder and the other right behind your head.
Bend your waist by the hips while maintaining the three contacts points.

For this exercise, you will perform eight reps for each of the four directions you will face. (North, South, East and West)

Lateral Flexion

This warm-up exercise helps seniors to improve the flexibility of their lateral movements. You will require a golf club for this exercise.

Hold the golf club in both ends with your legs slightly apart and raise your arms.
While facing your north, bend towards your right from the waist up. Perform the same for the left side until you feel your lateral muscles stretch.

For each side, perform eight reps while facing north, south, east and west.

Golf Posture Rotations (Upper Body)

The golf posture rotation exercise improves the flexibility of the upper body. It helps you to gain strength in your upper body. This warm-up exercise is essential for seniors, especially if they have an issue with the upper body flexibly. You can use a golf club or a rod for this exercise.

Hold your arms across the chest while holding your club tightly across.
Slightly bend forward and rotate your upper body from left to right and back. Ensure that your lower body remains still for maximum results.

Perform five reps for this exercise so that you don’t overwork the upper body.

Golf Posture Rotations (Lower Body)

This posture is similar to the one above, but you will be moving your lower body for this one. It is a challenging one, but try as much as possible not to move the upper body. For a moment, you will appear like you are making a dance move. Perform five reps for this warm-up exercise as well.

Practice Swing Golf Posture

The golf swing posture exercise is crucial because it is a replica of how you will be swinging your club on the golf course. You also require a golf club for this warm-up exercise, but you won’t be taking a swing.

Position the golf club right on your back and hold it with your arms at both ends.
Make sure you are in the golf swing position and move as if you are taking a swing. Let the golf club remain on your shoulder as you imitate the swing.

Perform five reps for this exercise.

Normal Golf Club Practice Swing

The normal golf club practice swing warm-up exercise helps seniors to stretch all the muscles involved when playing golf or when taking a swing on the club, except you won’t be hitting the ball. For this exercise, there is no limit as to the number of reps you have to take.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How should I warm up before golf?

It is crucial that you perform some simple exercises before heading out for a game. Most golfers do trunk rotations, wrist rotations, head rotations and pelvic tilts. You should also find a warm-up routine that suits you.

Q: What are some examples of warm-up exercises for seniors?

Seniors can warm-up using a routine comprised of neck mobility, wrist rotation, arm circles, single leg balance, squats, hip hinge, lateral flex and golf posture position for the upper and lower body. You can perform the entire routine or pick some warm-up exercises you feel comfortable performing.

Q: How long should a senior warm-up?

A senior can warm up for as long they complete the routine. However, a typical warm-up should last for about 10 minutes before they can head out to the golf course.

Golf is a simple game that doesn’t require being extremely active physically. This makes it suitable for senior golfers who want to keep fit. However, to prevent accidents and injuries on the course, seniors need to warm up and keep their blood flowing.

These simple warm-up exercises for seniors promote flexibility and reduce the fatigue experienced after the game. Failing to warm up can result in injuries that you may fail to notice until it’s too late. Therefore, each senior on the golf course must warm up before the game to keep their bodies active as they play.

Last Updated on July 13, 2024 by Tom Fiore

Tom Fiore

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Hey ! I'm Tom. I have been playing Golf for most of my adulthood and have an experience of about 10+ Years. I love to guide people on their golf journey and share my experience of playing Golf, using products and all the tips I have for people out there ! Thanks for reading my blog.