Golf happens to be an excellent sport for seniors to get fit and have fun - especially if they have to avoid the golf cart and walk. Walking is one of the most rewarding exercises for seniors since it is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise. It is not harsh on the joints, and it helps in building muscle and burning calories.
Any senior who is new to walking for fitness will, without a doubt, need to start low and build momentum by increasing the walking distance. Walking for 30 minutes four times a week is a great way to start. On the other hand, if you are not an avid walker, you might find golfing very beneficial to you. When you do your golf swing, you improve on your balance, flexibility, and strength. You will also be meeting other like-minded people to build networks with and have fun.
In this article, we are going to look at the most effective golf exercises for seniors that will not only improve your golf game but also prevent you from getting injuries. The most common problem areas for seniors when they play golf are shoulders, ankles, and hips. Fortunately for you, we will review the best exercises for seniors that will play an integral role in improving flexibility and strength. We will also show you the best ways to tone and improve your muscles such that you do not end up feeling extremely tired after every golf game.
As a senior golfer, you should regularly exercise the most common muscles that you use in the golf game since flexibility, strength, and endurance decreases with age. Let us now look at the most appropriate exercises for senior golfers that will help you build and maintain strength.
Best Golf Exercises For Seniors
As a senior, you will probably need to have routine strength building and stretching training so that to strengthen the most affected trouble spots for seniors. Your main emphasis should be on the ankles, shoulders, hips, legs, and back.
1. Strengthening Your Shoulders
You will achieve this by having a dedicated training schedule that involves training on the rowing machine or, better still, doing dumbbell rows. If you feel like the dumbbell rows are too intense, do not start with them but rather start with no weight or low weight lifting and as you become accustomed, increase the lifting weight so as to build strength.
2. Improving Your Shoulder Flexibility
The most appropriate way to achieve success with this exercise is to mimic a golf swing. This happens to be one of the most effective golf exercises since it helps you improve your game by improving your range of motion. Try with a medicine ball and if it is too heavy, try holding something lighter like a water bottle until you feel stronger.
3. Improve Your Shoulder Stretch
When you work on your shoulder stretches, you are without a doubt improving your range of motion. You can achieve the stretching by doing simple shoulder rotations in forward and backward motion. Stretching your shoulders in a rotated manner will go a long way in helping you achieve the same.
4. Strengthening And Stretching Your Ankles
This is yet, another of the most suitable golf exercises that you should consider. You will just need to master how well you can do calf stretches and maximize on doing them. If you are right-legged, make sure to be intense on the left leg since you will need it to match the strength. On the other hand, if you use the left leg so often, your concentration should be on the right leg. While you may tend to think that these stretches do not help, they play a very integral role in helping with ankle flexibility and overall feet strength.
5. Stretching Your Hips
For an improved range of motion, make sure that you stretch your hips. Senior golfers who achieve tremendous success use this exercise with a combination of other golf exercises. You just need to perform regular seated hip stretches and, ultimately, improve the flexibility in your hips. You can also strengthen your hips by doing regular lunges and squats.
6. Stretch Your Quadriceps
To achieve the best results, you will just need to do a fairly simple quadriceps stretch, and while at it, stretch your torso. This stretch plays a very integral role in improving your balance since the rotation mimics your usual golf swing. You will just need to stretch near a wall so that you can use it to steady yourself until you feel confident with your balance.
Best Yoga Golf Exercises For Seniors
You may think that yoga is not a good exercise for golf, but the truth is, yoga stretches can go a long way in toning the muscles you use in the golf game for an improved balance and range of motion. This prevents injury, and it is advisable to practice them until your body is used.
1. The Chair Pose
The yoga chair pause goes a long way in strengthening your ankles, and ultimately your legs. It is extremely reliable when it comes to improving balance.
2. The Cat And Cow Postures
If you are looking for a perfect exercise to limber your back and shoulders, this is the best. By doing the postures, you will gently but effectively strengthen your shoulder and back muscles such that when you are golfing, they will deliver ultimate power.
3. A Simple Spinal Twist
This exercise plays an integral role in helping you increase your range of motion in your shoulders and in your spine. The end result is a body fully for optimum rotation when doing your golf swing.
4. The Plank Pose
If you want to target your shoulder strength, you should make use of this yoga exercise. It also improves your overall balance.
5. The Warrior Pose
The warrior pose happens to be a very good exercise for senior golfers. It is responsible for strengthening your ankles, legs, and arms. You just need to stretch your arms, and it will go a long way in improving your balance and motion.
Foot Exercises For Senior Golfers
Since a lot of time on the golf pitch is spent when walking on foot, it is advisable that you do foot exercises for maximum fitness. Below are the most crucial exercises to keep your feet in the best shape.
1. Seated Leg Raises
This exercise is not hard and requires you to sit forward on a stool with the feet on the floor. You should then start lifting your feet horizontally on the floor, and while at it, make sure that your back is straight. This routine should be repeated ten times for both feet.
2. Foot Step Ups
For maximum foot strength, you should also try step-ups. You just need to stand in front of a step in your house or step on a strong box with your feet wide apart. One foot should be down the step while you step on the other one next to it. You then need to start stepping back on the floor in reverse and alternate your feet.
4. Single-Leg Dip
To get the best results, you need to have two chairs on either side of you facing outwards and then lower yourself slightly with one leg in front of you on its heel. Hold the leg for three seconds, change legs and repeat. Make sure that you do at least ten repetitions on each leg. This exercise strengthens your knees which also aids a lot in your movement.
How Leg Exercises Help Your Game
When you do adequate leg exercises, you will be a step ahead when it comes to preventing yourself from injuries. Leg exercises will make sure that you can bend easily since your knees, ankles, hamstrings, quads, and calves are stronger. When you are able to do the perfect movement, your golfing will be more productive.
When golfing, you have to make sure that you use all the required muscles and joints in the body perfectly. If you do, you will be transversing the golfing course comfortably and scoring the needed points with the accuracy that you deserve.
Conclusion
Integrating all the above exercises is an integral step for you to improve your golf skills and, most importantly, your fitness health. You will be able to bend easily without any joint or knee pains since your muscles provide more power. If you are able to repeat the exercises, you will improve your posture as well. Ultimately, you will end up enjoying your golf more, enjoying your health more, and feeling more confident.
Even with your age, you still have the power to keep your head high and repeat the exercises because they will hold you together when you are in the club doing your golf swing. If you have not started on any of the mentioned exercises, start now and enjoy while at it. Also, make sure that you do all of them gradually to achieve the best results.