Yoga for Golf & Health
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Principles Of Yoga
The Principles of Yoga
The word yoga means "union" or "harmony." Yoga was first described as a systematic approach to self-realization by Patanjali around 200 BC. In his Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defined yoga as "the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind" (B.K.S. Iyengar translation). Simply defined, yoga is a process of both physical and mental training. The yoga we see taught in fitness studios all over the country often emphasizes the physical postures, or asanas. The various categories of asanas offer us a multitude of benefits:
An inflexible client will struggle to move through the range of motion required for the golf swing. As the body compensates to complete the movement, the golf swing will lose its integrity. Yoga can loosen tight muscles and ease tissue restrictions to enable a more fluid golf swing. In addition to increasing flexibility, yoga exercise improves mental focus. This focus develops from practicing postures, breath control and meditation. Many, if not all, golfers struggle with the mental hazards of the game: loss of concentration due to fatigue, distractions from a nerve-racking day or interruptions from those around us. A struggle ensues "between our conscious mind--analyzing, alert, logical--and our subconscious mind--the well of intuition and long-term memory" (Baptiste & Mendola 1999). The intent of all the yoga poses is to bring us into the present moment, taking us away from the unending chatter of the mind, which can distract us from the focus required for a flawless golf swing. The Principles of Pilates Exercise Pilates exercise has been described as "the science and art of coordinated body-mind-spirit development through natural movements under the strict control of will" (Gallagher & Kryzanowska 1999). It strengthens the core, increases flexibility and builds stability within the pelvis and torso. Pilates exercise requires concentration, control and the ability to stabilize the torso effectively while the extremities are moving. Using Pilates exercises to strengthen your center, or "powerhouse," will help lengthen the torso and improve posture. Strengthening of the core will also reduce the incidence of back pain (Trainor & Trainor 2004). The concentration needed to demonstrate fluidity of movement during Pilates exercises can improve a golfer"s mental game as well as her physical game. Pilates exercise can complement a golfer"s regimen, according to Sean P. Gallagher, director of The Pilates StudioTM in Manhattan and coauthor of PilatesR Method of Body Conditioning. "First off, [Pilates] is a balance exercise; secondly, it helps you gain strength and flexibility in the torso for powerhouse control, where the golf swing comes from. Pilates exercise also incorporates core-extremity integration in multiple planes and configurations that allow for better control of the extremities. This control will help the golfer fine-tune the ability to direct the ball. It is also beneficial because Pilates exercise works nearly every muscle in the body during an intermediate-level workout and puts most joints through a normal range of motion." Pilates can be helpful in correcting asymmetries in a golfer"s musculature. Through Pilates exercise, clients "better understand their imbalances by being thoughtful while doing their workout. Since only a few repetitions are recommended, you could also do 3-5 reps more [than the recommendations in the Pilates exercise section]," suggests Gallagher. Clients that lack symmetry "should use Pilates exercise as an adjunct to undo what their sport does to them on a weekly basis." |
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