Do you know that the best exercise for golfers is Pilates? Yes, it is. Pilates is a body conditioning exercise with the help of concentration to build flexibility and endurance of lean muscles in the entire body. It is beneficial in maintaining the strength of the arms, legs, hips, abdominals, and back. In addition, Pilates is good for the spinal and pelvic alignment. Both golf and Pilates have the same mind-body principles of balance and coordination. How? The most applicable golf movement for Pilates is the golf swing. When a golfer swings, he relies on fluid motion, power, control, precision, and accuracy to target the hole. Likewise, Pilates puts emphasis on the same principles, in addition to improving proper breathing. That is why the Professional Golf Association considers both golf and Pilates as a perfect match.
Another fact golfers should know about the relationship between golf and Pilates is, the combination of mastering both helps them improve their game. The success in hitting the target hole relies much on the golf swing, which likewise relies on body limitations. If your body is flexible enough to rotate the hips in the most appropriate angle and if you have a strong body core to maintain the stance, you have a higher chance to hit the mark. In contrast, the lack thereof may result to injury and poor game performance.
Pilates for golfers can be modified depending on the person’s swing faults or weaknesses. There are specified Pilates exercises that emphasize on a certain body function. An example of a Pilates exercise is called the core twist with hip rotation, which improves the rotary motion of the torso or upper-body rotation. Another Pilates exercise is called standing hip balance control, which helps improve hip stability and core alignment.
The world famous professional golfers Tiger Woods, David Duval, and Annika Sorenstam admitted they practice Pilates to improve their game performance. Even the pros attest to the efficiency of Pilates. So, if you want to acquire the same good performance level of the golf pros, squeeze in a few Pilates classes in your schedule. Fortunately, there are DVDs sold in record stores on Pilates exercises. These are good options if you do not have time to go to the fitness center to take classes. Amazon.com has an array of Pilates DVDs on sale as well. Pilates will not only improve your golf performance, but it will also improve your overall physical and mental health condition.