According to My Life Site, more than five million people over 65 played golf in 2019, with numbers expected to increase every year.
And while golf is a great way to stay active, as we age, flexibility and strength can decline. What can help? Incorporating the right exercises.
Today we’re taking a closer look into golf exercises for seniors that boost flexibility and lower injury risk, allowing you to keep enjoying the game!
Senior Golf Fitness: Flexibility Exercises
Flexibility is key to improving your golf swing and reducing stiffness. As we age, muscles and joints tend to become tighter, which limits movement.
The hamstrings play an important role in the golf swing, providing support for your lower body. When they’re tight, it can limit your ability to bend and rotate.
A simple seated hamstring stretch helps loosen the muscles, making it easier to move and reducing lower back strain. This exercise is gentle, yet effective, and can be done daily.
Calf Stretches
Strong and flexible calves are essential for maintaining balance and stability while swinging. Tight calves can affect your posture and stance, which are crucial in golf. Stretching the calves regularly helps prevent stiffness and keeps your movements smooth during the game.
Side Bends
Side bends are great for loosening up the muscles around your torso and waist. These areas are heavily involved in the twisting motion of a golf swing. By increasing flexibility in this part of your body, you can improve your ability to rotate fully, which will enhance the power and accuracy of your swing.
Exercises For Elderly Golfers: Strengthening Exercises to Prevent Injury
Strength is a key part of injury prevention, especially for seniors who play golf regularly. By adding safe golf exercises for seniors that build strength, you’ll get muscle endurance and stability. This will help protect your joints and prevent common golf-related injuries.
Some key areas to focus on when it comes to strength are:
- Bodyweight squats
- Resistance band rows
- Wall push-ups
Bodyweight Squats
Bodyweight squats are an effective way to strengthen your legs, hips, and core, because these muscles play an important role in maintaining stability during your golf swing. By building strength in these areas, you’ll have better control over your body’s movements, which reduces the likelihood of injuries.
Squats are a safe and effective exercise that seniors can do at their own pace without the need for weights.
Resistance Band Rows
Resistance band rows target the upper back and shoulders, two areas that are heavily used in golf. Strengthening these muscles helps with posture and provides better control over your swing.
Rows are a great low-impact exercise that’s easy on the joints while building the strength needed to protect them. Using resistance bands makes this exercise accessible and adaptable to different fitness levels.
Wall Push-Ups
Wall push-ups are great for working on upper body strength. Plus, you can do them without overly exerting your wrists or shoulders. The exercise engages the chest, arms, and shoulders, helping to maintain strength in areas that are often prone to strain during a golf game.
Wall push-ups offer a safe alternative to traditional push-ups, allowing seniors to strengthen these muscles in a controlled and gentle manner.
Golf Exercises for Seniors: Balance and Core Exercises for Stability
Good balance is the foundation of a stable golf swing. Without it, movements can become unsteady, making it harder to hit the ball with accuracy.
Balance exercises help seniors keep their body stable throughout the swing, allowing for smoother and more consistent movement. Simple exercises, like single-leg stands or heel-to-toe walks, can make a big difference in how steady you feel during a game.
Core Strength Provides Control Over Movement
Your core muscles play a key role in controlling how your body moves. These muscles support the spine and help you twist and rotate effectively during your swing.
Strengthening the core allows for better control over the upper body, improving swing power and accuracy. Simple core exercises, like seated leg lifts or pelvic tilts, help build strength without putting too much strain on the body.
Both Reduce the Risk of Falls and Injuries
Strong core muscles and good balance work together to prevent falls, which can lead to injuries both on and off the golf course. By practicing these exercises regularly, seniors can improve their overall stability and reduce the chances of accidents. This not only helps with golf but also improves day-to-day mobility and safety.
Cool-Down Stretches to Aid Recovery
After a round of golf, it’s important to help your muscles recover by incorporating cool-down stretches. These stretches relax the body, reduce muscle tension, and can prevent soreness later on. Cool-down exercises are gentle and allow your muscles to return to their normal resting state.
Neck rolls are a simple and effective way to release tightness in the neck after a game. This stretch can relieve any built-up tension from holding your head in a fixed position during swings. Slowly rolling your neck in both directions helps increase blood flow and ease any discomfort.
Shoulder Shrugs to Relax the Shoulders
Golf can place a lot of strain on the shoulders, so it’s important to stretch this area after a game. Shoulder shrugs involve raising and lowering your shoulders, which helps loosen the muscles and relieve tightness. The movement also encourages better posture and helps you avoid stiffness the next day.
Quad Stretches to Loosen the Legs
The quads are heavily engaged during golf, especially during walking and swinging. A simple quad stretch helps lengthen these muscles and prevents them from becoming stiff.
Stretching the quads can make a big difference in how your legs feel after a game and ensures they remain flexible for the next round.
Golf Workouts For Seniors
By incorporating golf exercises for seniors into your routine, you can improve flexibility, build strength, and reduce the risk of injury.
At Aston Gardens at Sun City Center, we do things a little different than other retirement communities. We have a mix of a great location, spacious apartments, and a host of resort-style amenities. And for the golf loving senior residents, our putting green is a great way to practice their game!
Get in touch today to find out how we can help with your retirement living needs!
