Make The Turn Weekly Challenge 43: Back and Shoulder Booster

When it comes to feeling better we often focus on obvious areas of pain or limitation. In golf, common points of concern are the neck and low back.

Anyone who has felt the pull, pinch or the drop to your knees "dagger" in these sensitive areas surely knows how debilitating the pain can be. One area that tends to go unnoticed is the thoracic spine described in the video below. The main reason being the thoracic region often doesn't become compromised in a way that results in discomfort for most people.

As someone who has been challenged by low back pain over the years, I had never considered my mid/upper back to be an area worth directing attention to. After going through a mobility screen, however, I learned that my thoracic area was highly immobile, putting tremendous pressure on my lower back while playing golf.

By improving mobility in the thoracic spine, I was able to lessen the workload taken on by the lumbar region. This allowed me to increase rotation in my backswing without the pain that was keeping me down.

In addition to this T-Spine exercise, I was also directed to loosen the muscles around the spine through foam rolling and massage therapy. The combination of the two delivered benefits that became quickly evident both on and off the course.

Just because it doesn't hurt, doesn't mean it's not a problem. Spend some time focusing on the health of your T-Spine and you can count this week's challenge as complete.

BENEFITS

Increase Rotation

Reduce Pain

More Distance

Jeff Ritter is the CEO/Founder of__ MTT Performance__. The program operates out of Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Calif. Follow him on Twitter at @mttgolf*