Want to Improve Your Swing Fast? Relax Those Shoulders!

By: Paloma

The fastest, easiest way to improve your game is to relax those shoulders. Why? It’s simple. Your swing is the core of your game. How? You already know how well you swing determines how well you hit the ball. Tight, stiff shoulder muscles don’t allow for the full range of upper body motion, interfering with your swing.

In fact – shoulder relaxation is an essential component of the 5 fundamental swing principles (courtesy John Topel’s Concept Golf ):

1) Address Position
2) Alignment
3) Weight Transfer
4) Shoulder Relaxation
5) Right Leg and Knee

Yet relaxation seems to be the principle that golfers are least receptive to.
Why, I don’t know, because most people play golf to relax and unwind. BUT it is the major key to the great shots you want. Complete relaxation in your shoulders during the swing is your key to long straight shots. Your arms move at their greatest possible speed only when your shoulder are completely relaxed.

Anytime you have pain, you're not maximizing your golf swing. Instead you're making a modified swing that guards against the pain, making a big difference when you're trying to hit the ball. When you have an injury, or experience pain, those muscles shut down and other muscles kick in to help the injured ones. It's hard to swing well if you have aches and pains.

When you are stressed, you're often unconsciously clenching your shoulders and arms. This is counterproductive to the normal motion of the joint and tight muscles severely restrict your golf swing. Because massage reduces tension and creates a sense of well-being, this allows the golfer to stay relaxed and swing more fluidly. Being relaxed and feeling good allows one to play better.

Here’s where golf massage come in. While you’re seated in the ergonomic massage chair, the practitioner focuses exclusively on the key tension areas of your back, neck and shoulders. Chair massage, a combination of Swedish and Shiatsu techniques, has been designed specifically for relaxation purposes.

Pre and post game golf massage helps ensure better performance through shoulder relaxation. Massage loosens the key muscle groups; neck, shoulders, back and hips. Improving flexibility, increasing mobility and reducing risk of injury. Encouraging faster recovery by restoring circulation and reducing post game muscle cramps, aches, pain and stiffness. Relaxing tight, achy muscles contributes to increased energy, restoring your mental and physical well being and facilitates the body in recovering faster from exercise.

There you have it in a nutshell. You enjoy a little massage. As you relax, improving your swing, your game improves too. Not to mention your morale. Smiles all around.

Article Source: http://www.bettergolfarticles.com

With over six years experience as a massage practitioner, Irene is familiar with how stress affects the body. CEO, author and keynote speaker of prominent Toronto on site massage company In My Hands, she promotes corporate stress relaxation & the benefits of on site massage. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction www.inmyhands.ca/golf.php Irene@inmyhands.ca

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