Internal Hip Rotation/Early Extesnion

Early extension or loss of golf posture is the primarily caused by poor internal hip rotation. When we are hitting shots right, left or simply topping the ball, we often blame it on” not keeping our head down.”  Most of the time we do keep our head down, but our entire body is standing up to help create room for our hips to rotate. In today’s Golf Blog article, I will give you 3 exercises that will help you gain stability and mobility in your hips.

The 3 exercises listed below all target your hips, and when performing the exercises you need to do them in order, 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on both sides. You might feel some cramping in your hips or find that you have no range of motion to begin with.  Stick with it and it will improve.

Exercise 1- Clam Shell

Exercise 2- Reverse Clam Shell

Exercise 3- Elevated Reverse Clam Shell

 

Clam Shell

Lying on the ground (on your right or left side), start by creating a straight line with your body. Next, maintain that straight posture and simply pull your feet in towards your hamstrings or lower buttocks. This will feel almost like a fetal pose, but with more posture involved. (See picture). From here all you are going to do is tighten your butt and move your knee on top away from the lower, making a clam shell opening movement.

 

Reverse Clam Shell-

Getting into the same position on the ground as before. This time, keep your knees together, and move the top foot away from the lower foot. You will feel this in your hip if you are tight.  (See picture)

 

Elevated Clam Shell

This exercise setup is identical to the reverse clam
shell, with one change.  You will just elevate your top knee (LEG) and perform the same movement with that top leg in that elevated position.  By having your leg elevated it just helps increase the ROM in that hip socket. Some might even get a “pop” sound, and notice a greater ROM.  Make sure to keep you leg in the same position and just rotate your legs.

 

Do these exercises daily, 1-3 time a day. Then in 2 weeks go back to the previous article and go through the tests, so that you can see if your ROM has improved.