With the evolution of the athletic swing (a term coined by famed golf coach, David Leadbetter) - the golfer places increased emphasis on the body's ability to torso rotate or shoulder turn or whatever term you may have heard used to describe the movement of the upper half of the body.

Fig. 1

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  Fig. 2
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  Fig. 3

Three dimensional, kinematic measurement has now highlighted exactly how much pelvis rotation range of motion the best players in the world actually have. The top players have between 40 and 50 degrees of pelvis rotation during their takeaway. This is matched with 90 to 95 degrees of shoulder turn or upper torso rotation. The difference between these two is known as the X-factor and is a major component of the power source in the modern swing.

Correct stretching of the torso or trunk area will improve your consistency with this essential movement and should lead to a greater ability to store energy and thus increase your length.

Stretch One and Two

• Sit with your legs spread to about 45 degrees
• Flex your left knee to 90 degrees and allow your right leg to slightly flex to release those tight hamstrings. This position allows you maintain a stable pelvis
• Place your left elbow above your head and gently tip sideways to the right
• Alter this slightly by turning to have your right shoulder point at your right knee
• Tip gently in toward the right knee
• For each stretch - hold for 30 seconds, twice on each leg

Stretch Three

• Assume the same position as above to start
• Turn slowly away to the right side - to mimic takeaway
• Raise your left arm slowly to the shoulder level and clasp the leg of a table or a doorway
• This will increase your feeling of tightness
• Gently deep breath and on each expiration try to increase the turn
• For each stretch take a number of breaths to equal a 30 second hold
• Repeat twice each side at least

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