What is your preferred back stretch?

[Coluejack]

I have had some troubles after my round ends with a sore back. Do you guys have a preferred stretch or two for me to loosen before and after my rounds?

[mjiafe]

Aside from the obvious twisting stuff, here is one for lower back:

Kneel, then sit on your feet. Bend at the waist and reach forward and to the side as far as you can, then forward and to the other side as far as you can, arching your lower back out while doing so.

I tried to find a picture online but couldn't. Hope this helps.

[Coluejack]

I think I have a pretty good idea of what you were saying mjiafe... Thanks for the suggestion!

[goldfinger007]

Assume your golf posture with both arms outstretched and a club resting across both hands like a tray. From the position described, begin to squat without letting your knees go forward and as your squatting, lift your arms gradually. You should feel some nice stretching in the lower back. I like to do this a few times before teeing off, especially if I haven't had a chance to hit some balls to warm up.

[Coluejack]

[quote name='goldfinger007' timestamp='1285677039' post='2717703']
Assume your golf posture with both arms outstretched and a club resting across both hands like a tray. From the position described, begin to squat without letting your knees go forward and as your squatting, lift your arms gradually. You should feel some nice stretching in the lower back. I like to do this a few times before teeing off, especially if I haven't had a chance to hit some balls to warm up.
[/quote]

Sounds like a pretty simple but effective move goldfinger! Thanks, I look forward to trying it!

[dukeman]

I've never seen this one before until about a week ago, but it really helps golfer's back.

Lie on the edge of a bed or a table with your butt facing the edge of the bed. Move your top leg back slightly, then try to stretch your toe to the floor...alternate stretching your heel to the floor. At the same time, reach your top arm up past your ear and over your head.

If you do this right, you'll feel a stretch all down your side, through your buttocks, and even into your lower abs. All these things together have loosened up my back far better than any "back stretch" that I have ever done.

It's maybe counter intuitive, but it will also help to get your front stretched out.....quads, abs (do "upward dogs"), and chest. These will keep you from getting stuck in a hunched over posture.

Hope these help

[Coluejack]

Another very interesting offering. Thanks Dukeman, I look forward to trying that!

[Headgames]

Another one to try is a simple hamstring stretch. Most people don't realize this, but tightness in the hamstrings can often lead to tightness in the low back. I didn't know myself till I went to PT for a herniated disk and they gave me this stretch.

Put on leg on a raised surface (a step or the back of a golf cart will work) with the other foot on the ground. Keeping both legs straight, then lean forward from the hips till you feel a gentle stretch down the front leg. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch leags. Repeat as often as needed.

[Coluejack]

is it better to keep my shoulders tight during that, or can I use my arms to stretch towards the cart/step/surface?

[InspiredTP]

Good one for the upper back/shoulders that I stole from Paul Casey.

In a golf posture, grip a club with your left hand at the top of a grip, then grip the club with your right hand near the middle of the shaft. Rotate your right hand over as if following thru on a hockey slap shot while keeping your left hand centered in your body, Push your right hand as far out as you can and straighten your right arm and hold.

Repeat for the other side with hand positions reversed.

[Coluejack]

Inspired, should my legs be completely quiet during that stretch?

[InspiredTP]

I've found you get a bigger stretch if you let them follow your body turn, they don't have to be stationary. My weight get moved onto the inside part of my right foot when my right hand is in the middle of the club, like your loading up in a swing

[hoganfan924]

The asian squat, no joke. Push your tailbone to the ground. Great lumbar spine stretch:
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[Sakman]

The P90x "X-Stretch" DVD is worth checking out as well.

[Lefthook]

I've had a soar back on and off for more than 10 years, and for the last 1,5 year it was more on than off. I swithched chiropractor half a year ago, and my new chiropractor gave me a rehersal that, together with a series of treatments has basically elimineted my problems with a sore back. It goes like this:

Lie on the floor, face down. Lift the upper body with the arms until you feel the spine compression in the lower back. Hold for a few seconds and repeat. By slightly adjusting the direction you're lifting from you can move the spine compression up and down the spine and hit the spots that has the most need of improved flexibility.

The rehersal doesn't feel like a muscle stretching exersice. It feels a bit brutal, because the stretching compresses the back side of the spine. It felt like the wrong thing to do initially. But it stretches those little muscles that support the spine and have become too tense.

This rehersal has improved my spine flexibility to a point where i forget to do the rehersal because I don't get any reminders anymore. My back is basically cured. I can even do a bridge now (although not a tall one). Good results started to appear almost immediately.

Disclaimer: Consult with your physio / med / chiro before you do it. For all I know this rehersal may be damaging if something in the back is broken.

[WorkingOnIt]

The stretch that Lefthook is talking about is the same one that helps me.

[vernon]

I like the "Superman" stretch. Sounds like it might be somewhat similar to the above only incorporating the lower body also. Lie flat, face down with arms extended above your head (just like Superman flying). Now, raise both arms and both legs off of the floor at the same time. Stretch both upwards, compressing the lower spine. Something that also helps me a great deal is to alternate raising the left arm/right leg then right arm/left leg separately. I will often do 5-10 reps each of one arm one leg and then 10 reps of all together a la Superman. This also works well using a balancing ball although the Superman is much more challenging this way. This drill and an inversion table (Teeter Hangups is by far the best) has enabled me to play on days that I otherwise couldn't and also provided significant pain relief when my back just plain hurts.

[TGrube]

30 years a tileman an an avid golfer.I learned long ago the benefits of stretching..I have a simple routine I do when I get out of the shower every morning.Without it I probably would not be able to walk by now..
Most of it revolves around the simpler moves of yoga.I learned this watching a yoga class ON Demand not long ago..
If you have cable get one of the kids to find it for ya if you can't do it yourself.It's free 24 hrs a day.
Anyaways when doing these moves or any move strtching it is imperative to keep your lower back acrhed or straight..If you don't you will impare the muscles of the lower back..Hold your moves for as long as you can.You will get strengthening benefits after time.
Some not so obvious strength building moves are Planks both downwards an reversed with (your belly up).
Your back gets out of synch cause your core is tired.You have to do what you can to build up your core muscles.If you can get through the slow routine of simple yoga there's tougher classes on demand also.Take some of the moves and work em into a daily routine.Even if it is only five minutes it will help.Its the kind of thing you don't really notice any major changes.Like you don't get ripped or lose weight.But in a years time you will look back an say... you know what I have not had any back troubles..
Good Luck..

[clutchfan]

"I've never seen this one before until about a week ago, but it really helps golfer's back.

Lie on the edge of a bed or a table with your butt facing the edge of the bed. Move your top leg back slightly, then try to stretch your toe to the floor...alternate stretching your heel to the floor. At the same time, reach your top arm up past your ear and over your head.

If you do this right, you'll feel a stretch all down your side, through your buttocks, and even into your lower abs. All these things together have loosened up my back far better than any "back stretch" that I have ever done."

This stretch is awesome once you figure how to do it!

[russc1597187869]

[quote name='vernon' timestamp='1285846993' post='2721296']
I like the "Superman" stretch. Sounds like it might be somewhat similar to the above only incorporating the lower body also. Lie flat, face down with arms extended above your head (just like Superman flying). Now, raise both arms and both legs off of the floor at the same time. Stretch both upwards, compressing the lower spine. Something that also helps me a great deal is to alternate raising the left arm/right leg then right arm/left leg separately. I will often do 5-10 reps each of one arm one leg and then 10 reps of all together a la Superman. This also works well using a balancing ball although the Superman is much more challenging this way. This drill and an inversion table (Teeter Hangups is by far the best) has enabled me to play on days that I otherwise couldn't and also provided significant pain relief when my back just plain hurts.
[/quote]

This is not really a stretch but a very good back strengthening exercise.I do this on a bosu ball and hold it for 2 minutes.
Being able to do this exercise, while maintaining your balance on a ball indicates great core development and is among the hardest of all core exercises, so congrats.

the classic back stretch is to lie on your back and grab one knee at a time. alternate knees .then grab both knees ,lie back and hold.The great thing about this stretch is that you can hold it for a protracted period of time and is very relaxing .
it also a good idea to stretch the opposing side of your body, the abs.Lie on a balance ball face up.then slowly bend back so that your hands and head are on the ground and hold up to a minute.