Squaring the Golf Club Face, the Rotator Cuff, and Golf Fitness Exercises
We all know the clubface must be square at impact and the club releases thereafter. Generally speaking a large amount of swing mechanics are centered upon returning the clubface to square at impact. In order to square the clubface at impact a combination of separate but connect components work together.
The first of these components is your golf swing mechanics. The biomechanics of the golf swing are an intricate series of movements, in a sequential order, and executed with a specific timing. The golf swing mechanics if performed correctly allow for the clubface to return square at impact. In conjunction with golf swing mechanics the body executes these biomechanics.
In relation to the body, specific muscles are very active in returning the clubface to square. The golf swing is a "total body" activity involving the entire neuromuscular system in the execution of the golf swing. Looking at a specific part of the body and squaring of the clubface, we can see a significant connection to certain muscles. During certain phases of the golf swing we see a rotation of the clubface in the backswing, returning of the clubface to square at impact, and release of the club in the follow through. These three actions within golf swing require rotation of the arms.
The action occurring within the arms is elevation, internal, and external rotation. This allows the club to rotate, return to square, and release during the follow through. That being said, there are specific muscles involved in the rotation of the arms. Again, these are not the only muscles involved in squaring the clubface, but from an anatomical perspective, these muscles are active in the internal and external rotation of the arms. Going back to squaring the clubface, internal and external rotation of the arms is required. The muscles we are talking about are the rotator cuff muscles. Yes, the rotator cuff.
Not necessarily a group of muscles that go "hand-in-hand" with the golf swing and probably more thought of when we talk about baseball and pitching. Nevertheless, these muscles are an active in the golf swing. The rotator cuff is a reference to four muscles in the shoulder complex. For those of you who love the science behind this stuff, the four muscles that comprise the rotator cuff are; supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.
The rotator cuff has a couple primary functions when it comes to the shoulder complex. First off, they act to stabilize the shoulder capsule. The skeletal structure comprising the shoulder is a ball and socket joint. The "socket" part of this joint is very shallow, and the rotator cuff muscles help to stabilize and essentially keep the arm from coming out of the joint. The rotator cuff provides tension during movement to keep the shoulder joint stabile. The rotator cuff creates what is called a musculotendinous joint for the shoulder, stabilizing the shoulder.
Secondly, these four muscles are actively involved in elevating, internally, and externally rotating the arms. All of which are movements involved in the golf swing. Utilize a picture of the golf swing and the actions involved in the phases of the golf swing to create the connection. During the backswing, downswing, and follow through these muscles assist in the biomechanics of the golf swing. The rotation of the arms in the backswing, squaring of the clubface at impact, and release of the club during the follow through are some basic components of the golf swing where the rotator cuff is involved in the golf swing.
The shoulder joint and rotator cuff muscles are subject to overuse and early degeneration. The repeatable action of the golf swing, and involvement of the rotator cuff in the golf swing add to this situation. These two factors; the repeatable nature of the golf swing, and subject of the rotator cuff to over use injuries point to the need of injury preventative rotator cuff exercises. Injury preventative rotator cuff exercises should be a part of a comprehensive golf fitness program. The goals of a golf fitness program are two fold; number one to prevent injury to the body from the stresses placed upon it by the golf swing. Number two is performance improvement.
Rotator cuff exercises within a golf fitness program fall into category number one. These types of golf fitness exercises develop additional strength and endurance within the rotator cuff muscles. The purpose of the added strength and endurance is to prevent overuse injuries from occurring. The added strength and endurance allow for the golfer to execute the biomechanics of the golf swing over and over again without fatigue or comprise the joint structure of the shoulder.
During my years on tour, I have never seen someone injure a cuff muscle from swinging a golf club. I have seen rotator cuff injuries impede a golf swing, and if you have ever injured your rotator cuff, you know how debilitating an injury it can be. The point being this: The rotator cuff muscles are actively involved in the golf swing. The biomechanics of the golf swing are a repeatable athletic action, stressing the muscles of the rotator cuff every swing. In order to combat a rotator cuff injury from occurring, the implementation of rotator cuff exercises in a comprehensive golf fitness program can be beneficial. These types of golf fitness exercises are injury preventative.
Assisting to develop high levels of strength and endurance in the muscles of the rotator cuff. Preventing breakdown from over use. Injury to rotator cuff can be very debilitating to your golf swing or any activity for that case. And I suggest regardless if you are avid golfer or a weekend warrior. Implementing a series of rotator cuff exercises to them healthy is a good idea.
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