Perfect your posture

• Tuesday, 31 October 2006
• Josh Salzmann
• 0 Comments

Posture is key

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"It should simply produce an athlete who's more resistant to injury," he says.
The process of injury-proofing yourself starts with a basic but crucial consideration – your posture. "Golf swings are not particularly bio-mechanically friendly, so fine-tuning your posture will result in fewer aches, pains and strains in the long run," he explains.
Get into the habit of using the posture-improving stance (below), not just while you're on the tee – you can do it while you're standing in a queue. That and the back stretch (bottom) protect you from injury and also work your "core" muscles around your stomach and back. And strengthening them is going to put more zing in your swing. Visit Josh's website at truthaboutfitness.com.

Posture Improver
Stand with your feet facing forward, shoulder-width apart. All the points of your body – your shoulders, hips and knees – should be vertically in line. Place a finger on your navel and then pull it inwards and upwards, breathing normally. Hold your finger in that position for 10 breaths and release. Repeat whenever you feel like it.

Back Twist
This stretch can be performed between holes and keeps your shoulders and core muscles loose. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a club across the back of your shoulders (above left). Rotate your upper body smoothly one way and then the other. Repeat 10 times.