Well Curtis is certainly motivated and already has the right tools and the right attitude, so here we go. Curtis we are going to use your disadvantage to our advantage. The biggest first problem I usually run into is our human instinct to 'hit it hard' once we can get a program started again. The fact that you won't be able to over stress your hand with heavy weight, in the beginning, will make it easier for you to swallow my suggestion that you don't lift anything heavy for the first two weeks. This is when you should be evaluating your form and seeing how your body functions work together. Once you put the heavy weight information into the mix it's hard to think about the details. A perfect example is that when I decide to go into heavier training, and that's now, I always get a spotter especially on one exercise, the flat bench butterfly. As I go into weights above my natural strength threshhold the scoliosis rears it's ugly head and I can think I am synergistically creating an equal spread on the left and right side of the pectoralis muscle but the visuals will tell you different; this is one exercise you really can't see yourself doing. Always the spotter will point out that my right pec is not as open as my left and from a feeling standpoint I would absolutely swear that they are. This is my willingness to recognize that I have some significant spinal 'issues' that interfere with the communication between my mind and my muscle; ok, it's nurology but lets not be technical.
Once the spotter has assisted me in refining my form it clarifies the bio-mechanical connection and I can begin to perform this exercise in a safer and more effective manner on a consisten basis; the body learns magnificently. Now this is not to just talk about myself but I wanted to point out that no amount of knowledge or experience overcomes this phenomenon. It is only my willingness to really pay attention the the numerous other imbalances I pay attention to and correct that keep me in a pain free body. I have belabored my history on other threads so I won't go into it now but trust me if I can untangle this body so can you.
First, make sure your flexibility program is sound and significant in your training protocol. Muscles either contract for power or elongate for appropriate tensor response that give you the ability to engage your muscle without negatively impacting your joints (and remember the spine is just 27 consecutive joints). They are two sides of the same coin. Your form must be very specific, which is why my description are so lengthy. Every golfer I have ever met, recreational or pro, has a group of stretches he does and I have yet to see anyone perform the motions strictly and mindfully enough to get the results they should receive relative to the time they spend. So, here's the order to bring to your flexibility strength:
1. During your work be mindful of the stretch you are doing and why. What muscles will be effected and how you execute the motion concisely.
2. Maximize the effects of your stretch by maintaining strict form even if it means that you create very little movement. You are trying to increase tension not large motor skill movements. Often here, less is truly more.
3. Never go into a stretch so severely that you grimice and groan and certainly feel pain in the extreme position.
4. Find the place that you are in definite stretch, more than just feeling the muscle but less than painful and can hold for 30-90 seconds. It takes appx. 20 seconds for the chemical process that tells your muscle that the work it is doing is elongation as opposed to shortening (contraction). This not only immediately works the muscle but you are now training the muscle to become effecient in recognizing this capability (more on that later)
5. Breathe deeply. Oxygen is critical to creating the energy you need for a working muscle. One of the primary reasons for fatigue is shallow breathing. In weight training you are forced to breathe and often people hold their breath during stretches and wonder why they can't hold the position. It's because there's not enough oxygen for this 'work'. So breathe in slowly for four and out completely for six. If you expell all the air in your lungs you will be forced to breathe deeply on the second breathe.
6. Exit every stretch in a passive manner. That is to say don't take the stretched muscle and use contraction to get out of the position. Stretches reach deep, small, often unfathomable connections and contraction could cause strain. Most injury in stretches happen here!!! All of my descriptions address the exit plan . . . it's as important as the form you use in the stretch. I can't emphasise this enough.
So here is my standard initial protocol. It has been delivered in a myriad of forms on many threads relative to the orginal author. This one is more comprehensive since we all have the benefit of Curtis' present information about his good health and his challenges.
Now for those of you that are thinking, WHOA! that's too much. You're right, but that's the list. In the beginning you begin with the first six stretches then after four days you begin to add two more every four days. By this time you are getting good at what you are doing, truly understanding he how's and why's, you a foundation for the rest of the work. Yes the order matters. By the time you have reached the end you will be aware of which stretches you need and when, and can often split them up between each day or alternate days.
I Strength train four days a week (I only do one body part per workout) and have a full stretch day twice when I am addressing a body change. In the beginning of your training you should reverse this and do two full body resistance training workouts per week with four flexibility days.
You should spend a minimum of 30 minutes a day on your preventive health program an it will probably take an hour if you are addressing rehabilitative health, as in this case. So, yes you read right Six days a week. Now remember that you are also trying to keep your heart healthy. So a minimum of three days at 20 minutes to address heart health and more if you are trying to change your body composition; ie loose fat. I always combine my stretch and cardio.
If you will allocate just One of your precious 24 hours a day to address your health you won't believe the results. The workouts can be broken up into sessions, one in the a.m. and one in the p.m. One 15 minutes and one 45 minutes. You can design this thing in the way it best serves your life and your health. Here are a couple of powerful combinations
Strength 30 min, Cardio 20 min, Stretch 10 min
Cardio 30 min, Stretch 30 min
Strength 45 min, Stretch 15 min
You get my drift. Once you become comfortable with the exercises you can multi-task. I often do my flexibility work while I watch and listen to the news.
It's not advisable in the beginning while you are learning the moves, and some positions require that you only listen and not look at the anchor, but once you are confident this will often keep you from missing this important part of your training. Also it's something that you can do without being away from the family. Don't worry, they'll get used to it. Little children will crawl all over you in the beginning but eventually start mimicking you. Older kids may not participate but example may be the best way you can impress the importance of health on them, especially if you have a junior golfer - wow what an advantage. Spouses will be glad you are within ear shot and, in my experience usually get the fever. Spouses are also often good spotters if you wonder if you are doing the exercises correctly. They will be glad to see you taking care of yourself.
Ok, that's one side of the training coin. I always start here because it's the part that winds up being diminished. I will post the exercises tonight. Yes, folks the TGM is getting the basis of a manuscript I am working on. That is how much I believe in this golf science so pain-stakingly collected by Homer Kelly so brilliantly taught by Lynn Blake. I will allow you to digest and then go to resistance later in the weekend.
Curtis thanks for starting this thread and allowing me to talk broadly for the many readers who will benefit from your willingness to expose your issues.
Thanks Vickie for your time and also thanks to you Lynn for having this site. If you really want to make this a learning experience for everyone you have my permission to post my pics(if that's possible). Just cut my head off or something, not sure if I'm ready for the world to see my ugly mug. Thanks again.
Remember that there is only about a 4 degree range of motion in the vertebrae and the other body joints don't have the large motor capability of the muscles so small increases in tension are often ENOUGH. The details matter so my suggestion in starting a new exercise is to read the exercise . . . perform the exercise . . . and then immediately read it again to see if 'how you feel' matches the details of the motion. Soon you will be able to 'feel' if you are perform correctly and the list can just be a reminder. Remember the exit plan on a stretch is just as important as proper form during the work. This insures safety and continued progress. Be sure your stretch is sufficient to feel you are in the muscles and breath throughout but if you are grimicing and groaning then you are doing someone elses program or trying out for the Atlanta Ballet.
1.
Passive Back
Lie down on the floor supine (on your back).
Have an ottoman on chair in front of your feet.
Lift your legs and lay them on the surface scooting your buttocks
forward so that your thighs are perpendicular to your hips and your
shins are parallel to the floor.
Rotate from the shoulder so that your palms face the ceiling.
Your neck should be straight and your face should be looking at the ceiling.
You should feel the weight of your head on your occiput (the bulb on the back of your skull.) as opposed to a lifted chin, looking back over your head. Tuck your chin if you need but your neck must be relaxed.
*If your shoulders are significantly rounded you may need a very narrow
pillow under the back of your head in the beginning. As your alignment
improves you should be able to lay your head down completely.
Lie completely relaxed (no turning your head) for 3-5 minutes.
Breathe deeply and slowly.
To exit, just push yourself away from the support.
Key: Don’t discount the value of this position. Gravity provides 5lb of pressure for every square inch of body surface. This can take you a long way in lengthening your spine. It’s a great way to prepare your body for more dynamic stretching.
2.
Shoulder Stretch Deltoid / Rotator Cuff Joint/Ribs
Lie on the floor on you back, with your feet flat and your knees bent, arms by
your side with the palms down.
Your shoulders should be down and your lower back will have a natural
curvature, in some cases keeping your low back off the floor.
Do not allow your back to change position through out the movement.
Lift one arm completely straight up, around, and over the shoulder to lay it
along the side of your head with the palm facing the ceiling.
Keep your arm straight through the elbow and hand and only stretch as far
as the shoulder joint will allow without bending the elbow. Never force it or just let the hand fall to the floor.
In the early stages (or on tense days) your arm may not go to the floor but with time it will comfortably rotate around.
Hold for 20 seconds then engage your shoulder to lift the arm around
to the starting position.
Check to be sure your torso is flat and relaxed. Repeat on the other side.
Key. Your goal is not to lay your hand on the floor, Your goal is to create enough flexibility capability in the shoulder joint that the arm bone can smoothly complete a 180 degree rotation that results in the floor getting in your way.
3.
Hamstring/Ankle Stretch
Stand facing the stairs with both feet facing forward.
Put your right leg on the second step, your left will rotate outward just slightly.
Keep your back straight and your hips square to the steps
Your standing leg should remain straight throughout the work.
Push the hip of your right leg back which allows your torso to lean forward slightly while you lengthen the hamstring.
You may feel like your knee wants to bend forward which tells you that you are at the limit of your stretch for this moment. That is the insertion point of the hamstring and part of the stretch.
Do not allow your shoulders to round or your waist to bend. It should feel like you are trying to put your chest on your toes (not your nose on your knee).
Continue to create that directional intent as the hamstring lengthens for 1full minute.
You should feel this most profoundly in the middle of the back of your thigh.
To exit, relax your standing leg and lean in to bend the right knee before you bring it back to the floor.
Repeat on the other side .
Key: There are so many hamstring stretches but this one is my favorite as, in golf, our problems arise often when we are standing.
4.
The Passive Frog Inner thigh /Adductor muscles / Hip flexors
Lie on the floor with your back relaxed, your knees bent and your feet flat.
Let your knees fall away from your center and press the soles of your feet
together stretching the inner thigh passively.
Bring your feet in toward your torso as your flexibility will allow.
Lie comfortably for 30-60 seconds.
Use your finger tips to give a hoist to the outside of the thigh and bring your
knees together.
Key: This exercise can surprise you as the intensity increases in the first couple of workouts while you are learning to completely relax the hip joint. Some days will be easier to hold than others.
5.
Torso Twist Spinal Torque & Lengthener / Pectoralis & Hip Stretch
Lie on the floor with your back comfortably and completely elongated.
Begin with your knees bent, feet flat, and your arms stretched out perpendicular to the shoulder and your palms to the ceiling.
Lift your feet, one at a time, off the floor to bring your thighs perpendicular to the floor.
Keeping head straight and shoulders stationary, lift one hip to drop your knees off to the opposite side feeling the back twist and stretch.
As the tension builds be aware of the opposing shoulder trying to lift off the floor.
Just as it begins to lift, allow the bottom leg to continue to the floor but only allow the top leg to lower to an appropriately comfortable position.
As you hold this position and it becomes more comfortable, slowly allow the top leg to twist over more by lifting the hip and bringing the knees in line.
After a short rest in this position, bring your top knee toward your shoulder slightly. Place your hand on that side on your knee and increase the tension without lifting the opposite shoulder.
Key: Do not force this movement. It will improve weekly.
6.
Bridge Lower Back Relaxer / Neutralizer/Glute engagement
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
Engage your abdominal wall, place your navel on your spine and distribute your weight evenly on your heels. Tighten your buttocks (glutes) and lift your back off the floor slowly in one motion to make a straight angle from the knees to the shoulders.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Bend at the flexors and lower your back smoothly toward your heels until you reach the floor. You will be arching slightly
This will bring your shoulders up to your ears if you relax into the stretch.
Now tighten the lats and pull both shoulders low along the floor toward the hips.
Feel how long your back and your neck feel.
Key: Create an opposing force against the torso during the lift and against the hips as you lower.
Copying these exercises to the site didn't translate seamlessly. For that reason there are no easy indentions or italics. I recommend you cut and paste these exercises into a word program and then create something more readable. I use bold print on the titles and large fonts (relative to the vision of my client) on the text just to make it easier to use during the workout.
Way to go Curtis! I recommend doing these exercises twice a day for a few days and then begin to repeat them twice atleast once. After a week we will add the other exercises. How did they feel? Any insights?
Yes, you should be doing cardio. 3x per week for 20 minutes to maintain heart health and more for body composition changes.
Strength will have to weight until your hand heals. We don't want to encourage inappropriate scar tissue because we get in too big of a hurry. You can take care of this initial protocol and add the strength training after a couple of weeks of recovery.
Time is a big factor in creating a balance program while still maintaining a balance with your objectives.
Hi Vickie, they felt fine. I've also been doing some planks and supine bridges for core strength. Cobra's for the shoulders and also chin tucks/neck stretches. Let me know if I should stop these. THANKS
Curtis, Sorry for the delay. I thought the site was down because I couldn't log in. Our site administrator fixed it with one easy email.
Bridges, as you see are on our list. I do them a little differently primarily to build in more decompression of the whole length of the back. I will be on tonight to post the rest of the stretches.
The plank is a great abdominal exercise if it is done correctly. I have seen it represented by the most respected trainers, golf and otherwise, incorrectly more often than not. This is an exercise that came out of pilates. So let's just review the form for people who aren't familiar with it.
Lay prone on the floor (facing the floor). Place your elbows directly under your shoulder joint; neither too far forward or out to the side. Your feet should be together. Tighten your lats to bring your shoulders down toward your hips. You are presently in a hyper-extension; a position not all people can accomplish comfortably due to poor back flexibility. Your coming up into position should be accomplished by tightening your navel into your spine and then lifted under your rib cage. This should give you the path to bring your hips off the floor. Your back should be straight though not level. Your face should look to the floor but your neck should be in line with the rest of your spine. There will be a slight decline from the shoulders to the heels. Your back should not be rounded at the shoulders and your buttocks should not be lifted in an inverted 'v' position. People will suggest that this modification is a beginner's posture but that is false. You must, for safety's sake, do the exercise perfectly and then hold it as long as you can maintain the posture. In the beginning it can be a humbling 10 seconds. You want to build up to a full minute with steady breathing.
Based on some feedback I have changed the exercises up to include a very valuable stretch for a little muscle that attaches from the leg bone to the hip; the periformis stretch. I'll give you a week to work with these exercises and then move into the last exercises. Let me know how you are all doing.
7.
Quadratus Upper Hip / Lower Back
Stretch your right leg out of your hip and as far off to the side as you can without moving your hips, rounding your back, or bending your right knee.
Place your right hand on your extended knee. Your goal will be to increase the area between your left knee and your torso as you lean to the right.
Slide your hand down your leg as far as you can. Grip your leg at this point and hold as if your arm was a tetter and your left side is just relaxed in the stretch. Hold
Slowly bring your elbow down, under, and around so that it can sit on your leg. Your left shoulder should still be open not rounded toward the floor. Hold.
Twist your rib cage t bring your left hand and shoulder around to place your left hand across your right arm at the elbow joint or above and breath and relax into the stretch. Hold.
Come out of this movement by taking first your left hand and then your right over toward the left hip (before you ever begin to move the torso).
Lean forward and bring your chest close to the floor as you rotate around to your left, taking your hands over the left leg.
Gently lift your chest toward the ceiling, drag your hip up and rotate your right knee on the floor. Your back will be comfortable arched. Hold.
Rock your right hip down to come back to neutral.
Key: At any time in this exercise if you feel an urgency to release the stretch you MUST move slowly and follow the exit protocol as closely as possible. As valuable as this stretch can be it exposes you to greater risk of injury if you are careless.
8.
Outer Thigh Stretch Adductor muscles / focus: outer hip
Lie on your back, knees bent feet flat and slightly wider than shoulder width..
Relax your hips and drop your knees toward one another allowing your foot to roll onto the instep.
Hold for 1 minute without forcing them to come together.
Rock side to side pushing down the hip which brings the knees passively apart.
Bring your feet one width apart again and repeat.
Key: Do not force the knees together in the beginning even if one is noticeably straighter that the other. They will correct themselves naturally over a few workouts.
**I will add an expanded version of this with the next tier of exercises.
9.
Hurdle’s Stretch Full Hip Flexor
Kneel on both knees with your body erect and your arms by your side.
Step 1:
Bring your right foot forward but place your foot a full shoe length further out than your knee.
Lean forward with a flat back to try and place your knee over your ankle.
Take care not to hyperextend your back by dropping your hip too far forward.
Lean back to upright and continue to step 2.
Step 2:
Keep your right leg, the forward leg, stationary as you begin to turn your body away.
As you move the left leg, the support leg, will open simultaneously.
As soon as your right, forward, knee or foot begins to roll inward stop your rotation.
Keeping your body tall push your weight over the right heel to stretch the inner thigh of both legs, especially the left side.
Return to start, bring your knees together and sit back on your heels to rest a moment.
Repeat on the other side
Key: The biggest error in this exercise is not keeping your torso lifted out of your hips.
10.
Passive Periformis Stretch
On all fours.
Cross your left knee over your right knee and let it rest on the floor
Begin to stretch out your left leg which will stretch the right hip.
Slowly lower your elbows to the floor, increasing the stretch.
As the stretch happens, let your left leg stretch out even more.
Stay on one leg for 45-60 seconds.
Flex your left ankle and push yourself back to an all fours position.
Repeat on with the right leg.
Linear Mode
