Tired of Working on Your golf Game? Maybe Yoga Can Help
By Donna Flanagan
Photos by Christopher Gaspard
It
is no secret that tension can wreak havoc on your golf game. As
Dean Reinmuth points out in his book Tension-Free Golf: Unleashing
Your Greatest Golf Shots More Often, “One of your main priorities
should be to eliminate tension from both your mind and your body.”
The question is, how do you release this tension so you can stop
working so hard and enjoy the game more.
One technique is Svaroopa® (swa – roo - pa) yoga which
focuses on reliably releasing the deepest tensions held in the
body, in the muscles attaching to your spine. Most people don’t
know this tension exists or, more importantly, that it is the
root cause of most other physical and mental symptoms. Svaroopa® yoga helps you to become aware of where you’re holding
on and then teaches you how to consistently and effectively release
these tensions.
Improper
alignment in the golf stance also contributes to inconsistency
in your golf shots. Learning to maintain the proper angles of
your spine through your golf swing greatly affects your golf game.
This isn’t new news to most golfers. But what if your spine
is out of alignment before you even set up to swing? Most people
hold themselves up with muscles versus allowing the bones of the
body to support them, the way the body is designed to function.
Your bones are for support, and your muscles are for movement.
Svaroopa® yoga poses will promptly bring you back to proper
alignment by releasing tension in the muscles, beginning at the
base of the spine and moving upward. This will allow you to settle
into your bones more easily, keeping your muscles long and flexible
for movement. Proper alignment in the yoga poses is key to an
effective release of spinal tension. Once your spine is released,
you can bring this newly aligned spine to your golf game.
Benefits:
Settling more easily into your bones provides a more stable and
relaxed stance as you set up for each new golf shot
Releasing the deep tensions along the spine creates longer and
more flexible muscles in the whole body for a more complete rotation
in your golf swing and greater stamina throughout your round of
golf
Fuller swing rotation = More powerful shots with greater distance
Less aches and pains = A better attitude and more fun on the golf
course!
It doesn’t stop here. It’s more than physical. As
we all know, the mental part of the golf game can really take
its toll on your score. The nature of the mind is to be active,
which is not a problem in and of itself. The nature of the mind
is to be active, which is not a problem in and of itself. The
problem is that most of the mind’s activity is negative
thinking. Think about it. Do you dwell more on a missed putt or
one that you’ve made? These emotional responses get stored
in the body as physical tension. It’s a vicious cycle, which
has you work harder to play golf, while enjoying it less. Freeing
the body from this physical tension will greatly impact the activity
of the mind, by quieting it down.
Benefit:
Being present with each golf shot = Greater mental focus and a
more consistent golf game.
Taking the time to learn the tools that Svaroopa® yoga has
to offer will help your golf game. So stop working so hard and
have more fun. You never know, your handicap may even fall! Mine
did.The instructions on these pages describe (6) Svaroopa®
yoga poses that will gently and effectively help to release your
spine. It is important to practice these poses in the order you
see here, beginning the release at the base of the spine and moving
upward. You can practice these poses to warm up the spine before
playing golf and, more importantly, when you return home to restore
your body. Physical activity tightens muscles so it is always
best to release your spine after the activity. A disciplined Svaroopa®
yoga practice will also contribute to the long-term health of
your spine.
It
is highly recommended that you consult with a certified Svaroopa®
yoga teacher to ensure safe and proper alignment in the poses.
You should always consult your physician prior to starting any
new exercise routine.
Important Tips
Do not exert, just let go into the angles of the pose. Exertion
can cause more tension.
If you are in pain, come out of the pose immediately. You may
feel tension or stretching, which is fine.
Breathe in easily, not forcibly; never hold your breath.
Only move to Stage 2 if you feel ready; respect your body.
Do the poses in the order described in the photos, beginning at
the tailbone, moving into the sacrum, through the waist and finally
into the ribcage. Finish with Yoga’s Relaxation Pose.
Svaroopa® yoga uses props, which allows the body to settle
more easily into the pose. Photos do not include all props.
You should not begin a Svaroopa® yoga practice if you are
in your first trimester of pregnancy, or if you have had an organ
transplant.
Svaroopa® yoga is a registered service mark of Svaroopa Teachings
Collection, Inc. and is used by permission.
It
is no secret that tension can wreak havoc on your golf game. As
Dean Reinmuth points out in his book Tension-Free Golf: Unleashing
Your Greatest Golf Shots More Often, “One of your main priorities
should be to eliminate tension from both your mind and your body.”
The question is, how do you release this tension so you can stop
working so hard and enjoy the game more.
Improper
alignment in the golf stance also contributes to inconsistency
in your golf shots. Learning to maintain the proper angles of
your spine through your golf swing greatly affects your golf game.
This isn’t new news to most golfers. But what if your spine
is out of alignment before you even set up to swing? Most people
hold themselves up with muscles versus allowing the bones of the
body to support them, the way the body is designed to function.
Your bones are for support, and your muscles are for movement.
Svaroopa® yoga poses will promptly bring you back to proper
alignment by releasing tension in the muscles, beginning at the
base of the spine and moving upward. This will allow you to settle
into your bones more easily, keeping your muscles long and flexible
for movement. Proper alignment in the yoga poses is key to an
effective release of spinal tension. Once your spine is released,
you can bring this newly aligned spine to your golf game. 
Fuller swing rotation = More powerful shots with greater distance
Being present with each golf shot = Greater mental focus and a
more consistent golf game.
It
is highly recommended that you consult with a certified Svaroopa®
yoga teacher to ensure safe and proper alignment in the poses.
You should always consult your physician prior to starting any
new exercise routine.
