A day of golf can be a mentally- and physically-challenging endeavor. You likely have to drive to the track you’re playing that day. Then you’ll take some time to warm up the body before actually swinging your club dozens of times during your game. But what about recovery? This post-golf yin yoga class is designed to guide you back to balance in 60-minutes on your yoga mat.
This is one of my favorite sequences to do if there is a longer-than-usual drive to a golf course. This was the case during my trip to St. George, Utah. While the golf there was incredible, we decided to trek an hour southwest to Mesquite, Nevada.
The reason for this?
Wolf Creek Golf Club. It was course 16 out of 100 on my great golf adventure and, more importantly, it was like Disneyland for golfers. The cart paths have near vertical climbs and descents. There are surprises at almost every tee box and green. And the stunning scenery throughout the entire round is breathtaking. Did I mention they have the tallest flagstick I’ve ever seen due to the elevation change from tee to green on Hole 3? This course really is a must-see if you’re in the St. George or Las Vegas area.
After two pars and a birdie to close out my round at Wolf Creek, we still had a long drive back to our VRBO in Utah. This post-golf yin yoga sequence was icing on the cake to a perfect day in the desert. You can download the class PDF here.
Photo Credit: Doug Blesse
(1) RECLINED BOUND ANGLE
Purpose: Let’s start by getting grounded. You’ve just been out in the elements, walking or riding and talking and moving. It’s time to transition that movement into some stillness.
Length: 3 minutes
(2) SUPPORTED BRIDGE
Purpose: Now that you’re more settled in the body and with your breath, we’re going to amplify the relaxation response in the body even more with this simple inversion.
Length: 3 minutes
(3) HIP FLEXOR STRETCH
Purpose: We’re going deep into resetting the nervous system with more time upside down. Only this time we’re going to add a more intense to the front side of the hips. By hugging one knee into the chest, and potentially straightening out the other leg for a deeper stretch, you’ll get into the psoas more efficiently.
Length: 1-3 minutes each side
Note: Keep one foot on the floor to make this stretch easier. You can even loop up your strap around your shin if grabbing your top knee or shin is a challenge. Keep in mind that you want to be able to have the back of your pelvis relaxed on the block the entire time. If you find yourself tensing up by extending the lower leg, back off a bit. This yin yoga for golfers class is designed to relax the nervous system, not cause more strain on it.
(4) DOWNWARD FACING DOG
Purpose: While downward dog is still a mild inversion, with the head below the heart, this is a nice way to keep that trend going while activating the body slightly.
Length: 1 minute
(5) LOW LUNGE, RIGHT LEG FORWARD
Purpose: Low lunge, also known as lizard pose, is a great way to open the front of the hips. This is the second time we’ll get into these hip flexor muscles that tend to get tight and weak. If you sit for long periods of time, while driving or sitting at your computer, this is especially true.
Length: 3-5 minutes
Note: You can rest your elbows on a block if reaching the floor intensifies the stretch in a way you can no longer breathe comfortably. Also, you can flip your palms so that your fingers face your body. This opens up the forearms after gripping a golf club during your round.
(6) PIGEON, RIGHT LEG FORWARD
Purpose: The outer hips also tend to be a tight region for many individuals. This works to your benefit so you can walk, run, and be stable in your pelvis through a variety of movements. This includes the golf stance and golf swing. Yet we want to unravel any excess tension that may have accumulated during your round. We’ll do so with pigeon.
Length: 3-5 minutes
Alternate Pose: If this is uncomfortable or painful, you can recline on your back and take a figure four shape with your legs. This is also available to do at the wall if you want to do even less work while opening up the outer hips.
(7) SEATED TWIST
Purpose: You twisted and compressed the spine during the golf swing. Now it’s time to lengthen the spine again in this gentle twisting pose.
Length: 2-3 minutes
(8) REPEAT POSES 4-7 ON THE SECOND SIDE
Purpose: It’s time to bring balance to the right and left sides of the body by repeating the previous three poses. Downward facing dog will be a resting, symmetrical pose. Child’s pose is also a great alternative. Then, the outer hips and spine will get a rinse with pigeon and a seated twist.
Length: 7-11 minutes, matching the length you chose on the first side
(9) SUPTA PADANGUSTASANA
Purpose: We opened the front of the hips in bridge and low lunge. Now we’ll elongate the hamstrings on the back side of the legs. Keep in mind that if you extend the bottom leg, you’ll get even more of a stretch on the hip flexors of that bottom leg, too. Just pick an intensity that allows you to relax the body into the floor and keeps your breathing at a simple, effortless pace.
Length: 2-3 minutes each side.
(10) SAVASANA
Purpose: Savasana is the way we end this yin yoga for golfers sequence. It’s a way to have the body in a symmetrical position, allow the nervous system to reset, and have the tissues of the body memorize these lengthened positions.
Length: Set your timer for 3-7 minutes to enjoy this leisurely close to your practice.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Golf is a wonderful sport that requires balance, strength, flexibility, and control. You amplify all of these elements with a steady yoga practice. And, in preparing the body on the yoga mat, you can enhance your performance on the golf course. What often gets missed, however, is the benefit of a post-golf yin yoga class. This is when you get to relax the nervous system, reset the body’s tissues in a longer position, and calm the mind.
Take Action Now:
- Download this sequence and use after your next round of golf.
- Set aside time after play to give this sequence a try.
- Then, notice the difference in your body and mind as a result of using this post-golf yin yoga class.
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