Exercises to improve your shoulder mobility to swing faster—safely
Your shoulder muscles and other soft tissue play a huge role in the golf swing. Not only do they help you control your swing path, which is key to avoiding wild mis-hits, but they also let you decelerate the club safely after impact. Remember, you can only safely swing as fast as you can slow the club down. Good players can rotate your their shoulders at least 10 degrees past their spine angle while standing in golf posture. Click here to find out how to test your shoulder rotation. These exercises demonstrated by Josh Leyes, our director of coaching, are intended to help you improve your shoulder mobility. —Chris Finn, one of Golf Digest's Best Fitness Trainers in America
A tight subscapularis muscle (one of the shoulder’s rotator cuffs) can force an over-the-top move when you swing, robbing you of speed and accuracy.
Pin a softball into the subscapularis muscle under your shoulder
Lie face down and press the ball into a block, applying some pressure
Raise the arm on the same side while keeping your head down
- Do two sets of 10 arm raises, then repeat on the opposite side
Improving internal rotation of the shoulder helps you swing on the proper path and prevents speed-related injuries.
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Pin the grip end of a middle iron under your armpit
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Slowly rotate your forearm inward while the club pushes on the tender spot
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Maintain pressure for up to 60 seconds
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Do two sets of 8-10 reps, then repeat on the other shoulder