A GROIN Exercise GOLFERS Should Try!
The adductors, or more commonly known as the GROIN, reside on the inside of the leg and they help pull your leg in towards the midline.
For example, if you put a watermelon in between your legs, and tried to squish it, you would be using your adductors.
WHY SHOULD I TRAIN THE ADDUCTORS?
First, the adductors play an important role in the transmission of forces from the lower body to the upper body.
They also help support hip stability and strength.
Lastly, and maybe most glaringly, the adductors are often a forgotten muscle group. There are very few exercises that specifically target them, often leaving them out of training programs and therefore weak.
Today, I'll show you an exercise you should be including WEEKLY!
WHY ARE THE ADDUCTORS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR GOLF SWING?
Long story short, they help turn as well as stabilize the hips.
Tight or less-than-ideal functioning groins could effect our golf swing in negative ways.
For example...
We may not be able to rotate our hips due to a lack of stabilization.
We may not be strong enough to produce or absorb forces - limiting the speeds we can create.
We may feel guarded during moments of rotation if they are "tight."
In regards to that last point, what actually is a "tight" muscle?
It's not a knot in the muscle.
It's not a shortened muscle.
It's not even an indicator of a poorly functioning muscle (usually).
Which seems odd because clearly you have this feeling being directed from the muscle and it most definitely feels like "tightness."
However, tightness is most often nervous system related - it's kind of like pain.
It's simply sensitivity to a stress that was previously applied.
Instead of yanking on a muscle with a stretch, we should apply a different light stimulus to the muscle to trigger an adaptation response.
For example... If you have a tight groin and you stretch it everyday... stop.
Instead try strength training. Try completing some split squats, some goblet squats, hip circles, and this exercise I am going to show you.
As another example... If you have tight hammies and do strength train them weekly, change up the exercise or stimulus. Try glute-ham raises or RDLs or hamstring curls in the machine.
Point is, reverse the sensitivity causing the "tightness" by changing the stress being applied.
THE GROIN EXERCISE I WANT GOLFERS TO TRY
Here it is, the groin exercise I want golfers to try!
It's called the Adductor Side Plank.
Why I love this golf exercise.
First, it's scalable. There are multiple levels of regression making it appropriate for all golfers. Find your starting point and slowly begin progressing to the toughest position.
Second, it simultaneously stresses the core (obliques) and the groin which often work together to produce coordinated movement along the anterior oblique sling.
Lastly, it directly loads the groin, which not many exercises do. Squats, lunges, RDLs all have an indirect loading effect on the groin, but don't make it the center of attention.
CONCLUSION
Apply it to your training for a few weeks and see how you feel.
Complete 2-3 sets or 10-15 seconds on each side at least once per week.
Let me know how it goes!
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Carter Schmitz
Founder and Head Coach - SCRATCHGolfTraining.com
CSCS, TPI
Carter is a strength and conditioning coach out of the Milwaukee area working with athletes, in-person and virtually. Having helped hundreds of athletes, ranging from the middle school to the professional level and beyond, Carter brings a breadth of experience and knowledge to every athlete he works with. He launched SCRATCHGolfTraining.com in the summer of 2021 to help empower golfers to greater performance and longevity.
Carter believes ALL golfers are athletes, and they should be training accordingly.
Become a SCRATCH Athlete today, and start training like the ATHLETE you are!
