Yoga for Golf: Shoulders & Chest

I’m really enjoying the Yoga for Golf class that I’ve been teaching at a local country club.  It’s a great group of ladies – both 9-holers and 18-holers alike.

These are some of the stretches (presented in a mini-class format) we’ve been working on in class to open up and expand the chest and increase flexibility in the upper body and range of motion.   Give these a try before your next day on the green:

Warm up:

Standing Cat & Cow – stand with your feet a bit wider than your hips, knees soft.  As you inhale take your arms forward at chest level and open them out to the side, gently arching your back and lifting your chest (Cow). As you exhale, bring the arms back in front of you and round the back (Cat). Continue with this movement for 6 – 8 breaths.

Daisies – Similar to our warm-up movement, Sunflowers, with Daisies we want to start with feet wider than our hips and slightly turned out. As you inhale, lift your arms overhead and to the left side.  As you breathe, we want to make a big circle with our arms going clockwise.  When your arms come forward, bend into the knees gently.  Continue about 4 times in the clockwise direction and then slow down and switch directions.  Keep a comfortable pace where you feel a nice stretch but you’re not getting dizzy.

Standing Poses:

Once we feel warm in the body, we can move on to our standing poses.

Triangle at the Wall: Standing with your back to a wall, arms out at shoulder height. Turn your right foot out to the side and left foot straight ahead or slightly inward.  To maintain good alignment and get the most from this pose, try to keep your right glute against the wall. Lean and reach over the right leg and let the right head rest wherever it falls (at your thigh, shin of the right leg).  Your left arm and lift overhead or rest the left hand at your left hip.  Feel the support of the right glute, your back and head against the wall.  Hold and breathe for 3-4 breaths and gently ease back up to switch sides.

[This is also a great way to find proper alignment for Triangle for when we're on our mat.  You may be surprised that we feel more in our obliques and core and are able to open more in the chest, by maintaining alignment with your upper body stacked over the lower body. ]

When you feel really comfortable with Triangle at the Wall, work with your yoga teacher to try Half Moon and Twisting Half Moon.

Shoulder & Chest Opener at the Wall: Stand with your right side of your body near a wall and place your right forearm and hand against the wall (keep your elbow and shoulder at the same height).  Leaving your heels where they are, gently your feet away from the wall, so that you feel a stretch in the pectoral muscles.  Continue to look eye-level and breathe for 3-4 breaths.  Gently turn the feet back to the side and release.  Reverse to the left side.

Cool Down:

Cat & Cow on all 4′s: With hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips, move with Cat & Cow, gently arching and rounding the back.  Rest to Child’s Pose and breathe.

Cobra: Come all the way down to a prone position on your stomach, hands right by your chest. On an inhale, lift your head and upper back off the floor and exhale to release.  Remember not to use your hands to press higher from the floor; we want to use the back muscles to lift just the point that’s right for you.  Keep your gaze toward the floor so that your neck is safe.  Repeat for 6 times, and roll to your back hugging Knees to Chest and rest.