7 Best Hip Mobility Exercises For Golfers
Firstly let’s talk about mobility VS flexibility. In simple terms I like to think about them as follows:
Mobility is how good your range of motion is AROUND a joint so think about how well your hips move around in their socket.
Flexibility is the range of motion you have between joints so think about trying to keep your legs straight and touch your toes. Now just because I have separated the two doesn’t mean you can only do one or the other to get better at each in fact a combination of the two combined will often get you great results.
The next thing I want to touch on before sharing all of the exercises is frequency of doing them as it is a question I get very commonly. It would be easy for me to give you some arbitrary set and rep number and say this is going to work for you but that wouldn’t be completely honest of me.
What it really comes down to is what your mobility currently looks like and then how consistently you’re planning on doing the exercises. For example if you do them twice a day (like you brush your teeth) you’re going to probably see better results than someone doing them only once per day.
On the other hand if your hip mobility is already quite good you will probably not see as much benefit as someone who has poor hip mobility and is giving these a try for the first time, they will have more room to make improvements and progress will come faster for them. So keep these things in mind as you get started with the exercises.
So as promised here are the best hip mobility exercises I like to program for golfers:
1. 90/90 Hip Switch
This would have to be my favorite hip mobility exercise. It takes the hips through both internal and external rotation which is key in the golf swing with different demands on each at different positions in the swing.
In the video I explain a couple of different levels to doing the stretch as it can be tough when just starting out with limited mobility.
2. Quadruped Hip Circles
A nice easy hip mobility exercise. The key to getting the most from this one is to imagine you have a crayon attached to the knee which is drawing the circles and trying to draw the biggest circle possible with it. Due to the kneeling position it is quite an easy one to get started with but can feel a bit pinchy or restrictive because you can get quite a large range of motion through the hips.
3. Standing Hip Circles
This hip mobility exercise is best done with a golf club or some other implement to help you balance so your sole focus can be creating as big a circle as possible with the hips.
In the video I show only rotating the hip in one direction but for bonus points you can do it this way and then back in the opposite way.
4. Internal Hip Rotations
Mobility through internal range of motion is something a lot of golfers struggle with which is a common cause for back pain.
The reason being for a right handed golfer to complete the downswing and get all the way through the ball the lead leg (left leg) needs to internally rotate, if you cannot something else in the chain will take up the slack and this is commonly the lower back which gets overloaded easily and then unfortunately causes the pain.
5. Hip Airplanes
This hip mobility exercise also requires great balance. If you find it difficult when starting out you can either use something to support yourself like a golf club and use it like you do in the standing hip circles exercise OR you can just limit the range of motion you go through and slowly increase it over time as your mobility and balance improve.
6. Kneeling Hip Circles
This hip mobility exercise requires a little more strength and range of motion than the standing hip circles as your hips do not have as much room to rotate around with them being closer to the floor.
For bonus points you could do away with the golf clubs to balance yourself and give it a try unsupported, it is hard but a great test of your balance and mobility.
7. The Hip Complex
This is one I have been doing for many years and is not only a great hip mobility exercise but also great for the hamstrings and lower back.
I use it before I do any deadlift or squatting sessions in the gym and you can also use it before you play golf. By taking the hips, hamstrings, upper back and lower back through a good range of motion you’re actually hitting quite a few areas of the body from a simple exercise. If you want to make it a little more dynamic and get the heart rate up you could even try doing 5-10 reps per side in quick succession and see how you go.
Give these stretches and try and commit to them daily and I know you will make significant progress in not only your mobility but also your golf game. At the end of the day though this information is a start point and implementing it and making it a habit you consistently stick to is another thing.
This is where I see real value in hiring a coach or committing yourself to a program.
If you want help with the commitment and support on your journey you can take me up on a 7 day free trial of the Fairway Performance Training App which is the medium I use to help golfers around the world improve what their bodies are capable of so they have the potential to play better golf. There are mobility programs and strength and conditioning programs in there for golfers at any level of play and experience in the gym and guides which will help you decide at which point is best for you to start.
You will also be able to direct message me through the app for any additional questions you have along the way!
If you have any other questions you can contact me in these ways:
Email: shaun@fairwayperformance.com
Instagram: @shaun.diachkoff
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