Trevor Ng
The hips are responsible for the transfer of power from the lower body to the upper body during a golf swing. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your hips are rotating properly. Limited hip mobility hinders the ability to turn in the backswing and downswing and makes it difficult to generate speed and power. This can lead to lower back pain and discomfort. To improve hip mobility, you can try exercises such as 90/90s and step-overs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hip movement | Should be primarily around the central axis of your body, with no exaggerated lateral movement (known as sway or slide) |
| Hip rotation | Should be continuous until the swing comes to a stop |
| Hip mobility | Can be improved with exercises like 90/90s and step-overs |
| Hip positioning | Should be over the ball during the backswing, with the hips closing as you lift your golf club |
| Hip function | Responsible for transferring power from the lower body to the upper body |
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What You'll Learn
Improve hip mobility to reduce lower back pain
Golfers often hear the phrase, "It's all in the hips". Indeed, the hips play a pivotal role in the golf swing, and learning to properly use them can lead to better shots and fewer injuries. The hips are responsible for the transfer of power from the lower body to the upper body. If the hips are not rotating correctly, the power transfer is inefficient, and the lower back has to compensate with rotation, which can cause discomfort and lower back pain.
Therefore, it is important to improve hip mobility to reduce lower back pain. One way to do this is by performing the 90/90 stretch. To do this, sit on the floor with one leg in front of you at a 90-degree angle and the other leg out to the side at a 90-degree angle. Use your hips to sit up tall over your front leg, using your hand for support if needed. Then, sit back down and rotate to the other side, so that the leg that was in front is now out to the side. Repeat this motion 10-12 times.
Another exercise to improve hip mobility is the step-over. Stand tall with your feet together, then pick one leg up behind you and take a large step, as if stepping over a hurdle. Bring your foot back down and repeat the same motion in reverse. Keep your knee flexed and limit movement in your upper body. Focus on moving slowly and through a controlled range of motion. Repeat this exercise on both sides.
You can also try an exercise that targets the adductor muscles on the insides of the thighs. Start on all fours, then move your knees out wider than your hips and bring your butt back towards your heels. Keep your knees on the ground and your back straight, and lift your hips while simultaneously lifting and rotating one foot off the ground and away from your body. Return your foot to the starting position and sit your hips back down. Do 2 sets of 8 reps on each side.
Additionally, it is important to ensure that your hips are in the proper position at set-up to enable a full turn in the backswing. When taking your backswing, imagine you are twisting a screw into the ground – keep your hips over the ball as you twist up.
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Avoid exaggerated lateral hip movement
The hips are responsible for the transfer of power from the lower body to the upper body during a golf swing. If the hips are not rotating correctly, the power transfer is diminished. Thus, it is important to avoid exaggerated lateral hip movement, also known as sway or slide, during the swing.
The downswing is initiated by lateral motion over to the front foot and then followed by rotation. However, the hips should not move excessively towards the back foot during the backswing or towards the front foot during the downswing. This is because the hips should be moving primarily around the central axis of the body, as if inside a paper-towel tube.
Exaggerated lateral hip movement can lead to swing flaws such as early extension and loss of posture. Early extension refers to any forward movement of the lower body towards the golf ball during the downswing. Loss of posture is defined as any significant alteration from the body's original setup angles during the swing. Both flaws result in the arms being recruited for power too early in the swing, as the lower body is unable to start the downswing due to the hips not moving.
To avoid exaggerated lateral hip movement, it is important to focus on hip mobility. This can be achieved through exercises such as 90/90s, where you sit on the floor with one leg in front at a 90-degree angle and the other leg out to the side at a 90-degree angle. You then use your hips to sit up tall over your front leg, with hand support if needed, before rotating to the other side. Another exercise is step-overs, where you stand tall with feet together, lift one leg behind, and take a large step as if stepping over a hurdle. This exercise focuses on moving slowly and controlling a big range of motion.
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Master hip rotation in the backswing
Hip rotation is critical in the backswing of a golf shot. The hips are responsible for the transfer of power from the lower body to the upper body. Therefore, maximising hip rotation is the key to achieving balance and unlocking power in the golf swing.
A common issue for golfers is that they do not rotate their hips properly. This is often due to the amount of time spent sitting down, causing the hips to become stable joints and limiting their ability to rotate effectively.
To master hip rotation in the backswing, it is important to focus on keeping the centre of your hips in place. As you take your backswing, you want to feel like you are twisting a screw into the ground. Your hips should be moving primarily around the central axis of your body, with no exaggerated lateral movement. This is known as 'sway' or 'slide'.
To improve hip rotation in the backswing, try the following drill:
- Get into your address position without a club and make a mock backswing.
- Let your arms flow freely to the top while rotating your hips and shoulders.
- Drive your left hip rotationally and try to get your hips square to the ball by the time your left arm is parallel to the ground.
- Keep the width in your stance.
Another useful drill is the 90/90 stretch:
- Sitting on the floor, place one leg in front of you at a 90-degree angle and your other leg out to the side, also at a 90-degree angle.
- Use your hips to sit up tall over your front leg, using your hand for support if needed.
- Sit back down and rotate to the other side, so that the leg that was in front is now out to the side.
- Repeat this motion 10-12 times.
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Improve hip flexibility with the 90/90 stretch
Golfers tend to spend a lot of time sitting down, whether that's at a desk, on a couch, in a car, or at home. This sedentary lifestyle can lead to a loss of hip mobility, which is essential for a powerful golf swing. Sitting for long periods can cause your hips to become stable joints, limiting their ability to rotate effectively.
The 90/90 stretch is an excellent way to increase hip mobility and reduce pain. It targets many of the muscles surrounding the hip capsule, including the glutes, piriformis, psoas, hip flexors, hip abductors, and adductors.
- Start by sitting on the floor, preferably after warming up your muscles.
- Position your right leg in front of you with your outer thigh against the floor. This puts your hip in an external rotation.
- Bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle, so your calf is parallel to your torso. Ensure your outer knee and outer calf are resting on the floor. Keep your right foot relaxed and straight, with toes pointing away.
- Now, focus on your left leg. It should extend to your left side, with your inner thigh against the floor. This position internally rotates your left hip.
- Bend your left knee at a 90-degree angle. Your lower leg should now be pointing straight back, away from your buttocks.
- Hold this pose for 20 to 60 seconds.
- Repeat the stretch with your right and left legs changing positions.
- For a greater challenge, you can add a reach to increase the stretch in your hips. Reach your right arm across your body as you lower your legs to your left side. Try to place your palm flat on the floor.
- Bring your right arm back and grab your right ankle. At the same time, extend your left arm overhead, bending your torso to the right.
Completing this stretch just two times per week will help improve your hip mobility in one to two months. It is a highly effective movement to increase your range of motion and reduce pain, which will benefit your golf swing and overall physical health.
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Daily hip mobilisation exercises
90/90s:
Sit on the floor with one leg in front, bent at a 90-degree angle, and the other leg out to the side, also at a 90-degree angle. Use your hips to sit up tall over your front leg, using your hands for support if needed. Then, sit back down and rotate so that the legs are switched—the leg that was out to the side is now in front. Repeat this motion 10-12 times to improve hip mobility and ease tightness.
Step Overs:
Stand tall with your feet close together. Pick one leg up and take a large step backward, as if stepping over a hurdle, then bring your foot back to the ground. Repeat this motion in reverse, focusing on keeping your upper body still and moving slowly and controlled. This exercise can be done with a golf club for balance.
All-Fours Hip Lift:
Start on all fours with your knees wider than your hips and your butt resting on your heels. Keep your knees firmly on the ground and your back straight, then lift your hips while simultaneously lifting and rotating one foot off the ground and away from your body. Return your foot to the starting position and lower your hips. Repeat this on both sides, doing 2 sets of 8 reps on each side.
Backswing Hip Rotation:
Get into your golf address position without a club. Make a mock backswing, letting your arms flow freely while rotating your hips and shoulders. Drive your left hip rotationally, focusing on getting your hips square to an imaginary ball by the time your left arm is parallel to the ground. Keep your stance width consistent throughout the motion.
By incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, you can improve your hip mobility, leading to better golf swings and fewer injuries.
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Frequently asked questions
The hips are responsible for the transfer of power from the lower body to the upper body. If your hips are not rotating properly, you will lose power and speed in your swing.
Throughout the golf swing, your hips should be moving primarily around the central axis of your body, with no exaggerated lateral movement. As you initiate your backswing, you internally rotate your back hip as the hips close. As you move through your downswing, you internally rotate the front hip as both hips open toward the target.
You can improve hip rotation by performing exercises that target the hip joints. One example is the 90/90 stretch: sitting on the floor, place one leg in front of you at a 90-degree angle and your other leg out to the side at a 90-degree angle. Use your hips to sit up tall over your front leg, using your hand for support as needed. Sit back down and rotate to the other side, repeating 10-12 times.
Another exercise to improve hip mobility is the step-over: stand tall with your feet together, then pick one leg up behind you and take a large step as if stepping over a hurdle. Bring your foot to the ground and repeat the same motion in reverse. Keep your knee flexed and limit movement in your upper body. Focus on moving slowly and through a big range of motion. Repeat on both sides.
