Up Your Club Head Speed with Mobile Hips
Gaining additional yardage on your irons or 20 plus on your driver doesn’t require extra swing thoughts. The effortless power you seek from your golf swing is yours by unlocking the power in your hips. Hip mobility influences how the transfer of energy—POWER—travels from the ground, through your body, into the club head, and propels the ball 300+ yards down the fairway.
When many people think of hip power, they imagine Rory McIlroy’s pelvis “snap”. His hip mobility creates separation between his upper and lower body which generates tremendous amounts of speed. To maximize your “snap”, free your hips and pelvis of the tightness that inhibits your swing. Opening the muscles in this area offers freedom in your back swing, smooth transitions into the slot, and the strong finish you desire. How do you open your hips and free knotted tissue before you step back onto the course?
Self-applied pressure is the key to opening the power of your hips. Self-applied pressure, commonly referred to as myofascial release, is a hands-on technique that applies gentle pressure to the connective tissues of the body to reduce pain and restore motion. By applying gradual, sustained pressure throughout the tissue of your hip region, you pull fluids into the glutes, TFL, IT band, hip flexors, adductors, and quads. This fluid consists of water, minerals, nutrients, and acts as a lubricant. This allows your hips to move more freely and increases the fluidity between your upper and lower body.
Increased hip mobility means:
- Increased distance with every club in the bag,
- Faster hips, club head speed, and more control, and
- Decreased hip, lower back, and knee pain.
Target the outside of your lead hip (for right-handed golfers this is the left hip) and the front of your trail hip for three to five minutes before your next trip to the course. Tune your hips and discover your source of power. Check out the images below for a shortcut to work your hips. For a more complete approach, check out the WAVE5 app, WAVE5: Compass, in the App Store and Google Play store.
