Exercises to improve hip rotation in the golf swing
Golf is a ground-up sport, so if you can't get your legs and hips to lead in the downswing, your leaving a bunch of yards on the turf. You should have at least 40 degrees of external hip rotation if you're looking to add distance to your drives. And you can learn how to test that here. These two exercises demonstrated by Josh Leyes, our director of coaching, will help you improve your hip mobility. —Chris Finn, one of Golf Digest's Best Fitness Trainers in America
The tensor fasciae latae (TFL) is a small muscle at the top of your thighs that unlocks hip internal rotation—key for coiling into your trail leg on the backswing, posting on the lead side on the downswing and protecting your low back.
- Pin a firm ball into the front side of your hip crease
- Roll onto the ball and apply pressure while breathing
- Hold for 30-60 seconds, doing this a few times on each side
This exercise targets tightness in the glutes and the inner and outer thigh muscles and improves hip function. That translates to better use of ground force and sequencing in the swing and more speed without swinging harder.
- Get in a 90/90 position (both legs bent 90 degrees) while leaning to the side of the lead leg
- Rotate the back thigh toward the floor raising the foot up
- Return the foot to the floor
- Do two sets of 8-10 reps, then switch leg positions and repeat