| Golf fitness exercises focused on the core can | | | | are the external and internal obliques. In addition, you |
| improve your golf swing. Learn how core exercises | | | | will find other muscles within this region such as the |
| and golf exercises are a key to increasing club head | | | | serratus. |
| speed. Some of us may have an idea about what | | | | At this point you should have a good understanding |
| core training entails. Swing coaches and golf fitness | | | | of the core region, the muscles groups of the core, |
| trainers talk about it in relation to the swing, but | | | | and the specific muscles contained within this region. |
| what actually is the core? | | | | Now we move on to the functioning of the core in |
| When the question is asked, "What is the core?" The | | | | regards to golf. |
| most common answer is, "Your abdominals." The | | | | First question, why are these muscles so important |
| core can be defined as the region of the body that | | | | to golf? Before we answer that question, let's look |
| incorporates the hips, abdominals, obliques, and lower | | | | at this region of the body in a little more detail. |
| back. | | | | A vast number of muscles comprise this region of |
| The definition of the core indicates that it is an | | | | the body as we know at this point in time. Some of |
| anatomical region of the body. The top of your chest | | | | you probably have some first hand experience with |
| to your hips is the easiest way to think about the | | | | the muscles of the core. If you have ever had a |
| core region. This part of the body includes numerous | | | | lower back injury, you know what I am talking about. |
| muscles in each of these defined regions. Think about | | | | What we need to understand at this point, before |
| all those little back muscles that your doctor speaks | | | | entertaining the question of the core's involvement in |
| about when you are injured. Those muscles are part | | | | the golf swing, is the following: |
| of the core. When you see those infomercials for the | | | | Realize that all of the core muscles function as a unit, |
| "latest and greatest" abdominal machine, those | | | | meaning they work together to essentially stabilize |
| machines are supposedly going to give you that "six | | | | and move the body. The movements that this region |
| pack." The muscles of the "six pack" are part of your | | | | of the body is involved in are vast. Any movement |
| core. These two regions of the body are the easy | | | | other than probably lying on your back utilizes the |
| parts of the core to understand, but what about the | | | | core the cores in some way, shape, or form. Let me |
| other parts? | | | | explain this thought. We know that the core region is |
| The general definition of the core indicates that it | | | | involved in stabilizing the spine, right? Well with that |
| encompasses ALL the muscles between your chest | | | | thought in mind, your spine needs to be stabilized in |
| and lower body. Keeping this definition in mind, what | | | | any upright posture you place your body. For |
| other muscles would be incorporated in the core | | | | example, as I am writing this article, I am sitting at |
| region? Probably the easiest way to do this is to | | | | my computer. For my body to maintain this "seated, |
| create a mental image of the body and then look at | | | | upright position" my spine must be stabilized. The |
| what muscles are in this region of the body. | | | | muscles of the core region perform this activity. |
| The hips are part of the core, and all the muscles in | | | | When we begin to talk about the body moving is |
| this region of the body are part of the core. The | | | | where we can really see the core becoming active. |
| muscles within the hips contain the hip flexors, hip | | | | Just think of some simple activities like walking, |
| extensors, adductor complex, abductor complex, | | | | bending over to pick up a newspaper, etc. All of |
| gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, | | | | these activities are utilizing the core to stabilize the |
| origin of the hamstrings, and origin of the quads. | | | | spine, bend, turn, rotate the body, and transfer |
| Quite a few muscles, wouldn't you say? | | | | energy from your feet to the upper body. The core |
| Currently, we have the muscles of the hips, low | | | | is integrated as a unit and involved in almost every |
| back, and the "six pack," but there are more. We can | | | | movement that you perform in your daily lives. I |
| essentially factor two more muscle groups into the | | | | hope by this time you can see the importance of the |
| core region. Probably the most under recognized | | | | core when it comes to human movement. Now let us |
| muscles in the core region are termed the "deep | | | | move on to a topic of more interest to all of us, and |
| stabilizing muscles" of the spine. | | | | that is the golf swing. |
| The easiest way to think of these muscles is the | | | | Looking at the golf swing, the core region of the |
| following: Think about "peeling away the top layer of | | | | body is considered "the engine of the body." It is |
| your abdominals (the "six pack") and the top layer of | | | | responsible for the balance, stability, and rotation |
| your lower back muscles. Underneath these muscles | | | | required to swing a golf club. From address to follow |
| would be another group of muscles that function to | | | | through, this section of the body plays a large part in |
| stabilize the spine. The number of muscles in this | | | | the execution of the swing. |
| region of the body is numerous. The names of a few | | | | If you have an understanding of what muscles |
| are: transverse abdominus, erector spinae, and | | | | comprise the core region and their importance when |
| spinaleus. Again, these are just a few of the muscles | | | | it comes to human movement, then you will |
| in this region. If we were to name all of them, it | | | | undoubtedly see the importance of the core as it |
| could easily fill this whole page. | | | | pertains to the golf swing. This little discussion has |
| We have one final group of muscles that comprise | | | | probably provided you with the understanding that |
| the core region, and they are on the sides of the | | | | there is more than "meets the eye" when discussing |
| body (the place where we quite often develop those | | | | the core region. The next step in this process is the |
| "love handles"). You now know where these muscles | | | | implementation of core exercises within a golf fitness |
| are, and we anatomically describe these muscles as | | | | program. These types of golf exercises will benefit |
| your obliques. The two major muscles in this region | | | | your golf swing in many ways. |