how to tell if your hips are too tight golf swing

The quickest test to see if you have tight hips is, while sitting, squeeze contract the glute muscles on each side of your body as hard as you can. Do you feel tension on the outside of your hips? Bingo. Another telltale sign is how slow/stiff your walking becomes after a long car ride or five-hour day on the golf course.

Full Answer

Are your hips hurting your golf swing?

Trying to clear your hips could be hurting your golf swing As most golfers know, the downswing starts from the ground up. The proper kinematic sequence is as follows: the hips move left and open up to the target, followed by the torso, then the arms and finally the club. Slow-motion video and modern technology has shown us this.

Should you clear your hips early in a golf swing?

Clearing your hips early can cause several faults. Some players will come “over the top,” as clearing early can cause your upper body to open early, pushing your arms out from your body, producing an out-to-in swing path and the dreaded slice.

What happens if the hip turn is not completed in golf?

The swing is completed when the hips and shoulders end up facing the intended target. After impact, the hips continue to rotate until the “belt buckle” faces the target. Without the completion of the hip turn, the swing will lose its rhythm and balance will be affected.

Should your hips open or rotate when you swing?

In reality, your hips shouldn’t just be open but continually rotating to the left until your swing comes to a stop. It takes some trust and rhythm to get it right — kind of what you need when you’re asked to hit the dance floor at either a wedding or a reunion. Here’s a drill that’ll help both.

Do tight hips affect golf swing?

Limited hip mobility hinders the ability to turn in the backswing and downswing. It also makes it difficult to generate speed and power. Essentially, tight hips take away your ability to generate the required rotational force for a powerful golf swing.

How do I know if my hips are too tight?

0:123:29How to to tell if you have tight hips - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo an easy test that you can do here is to just simply put your hip. Into flexion. So if I pull myMoreSo an easy test that you can do here is to just simply put your hip. Into flexion. So if I pull my knee up here. Actually you want to actively pull it up you don't want to touch.

How do I loosen my hips in my golf swing?

2:568:41Golf Swing Hip Turn & Hip Tightness - 3 Flexibility Exercises for HomeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd all these going to do is bring his pelvis forward hold that right and I want him to breathingMoreAnd all these going to do is bring his pelvis forward hold that right and I want him to breathing for twenty or thirty seconds.

Why does my hip hurt when I swing a golf club?

Hip pain from golf can result from swinging the golf club over and over, which puts pressure on the hip joint and surrounding muscles. Pain can be also exacerbated if the swing is not executed correctly or smoothly.

How do you know if your hip flexor is tight or weak?

Lie down flat on the back, bringing one leg to the chest, using the hands. If it is difficult to keep the leg up close to the chest after letting go of it, a weak hip flexor may be the culprit.

How do I loosen up my hips?

You can do this stretch daily to help loosen your hip flexor.Kneel on your right knee.Put your left foot on the floor with your left knee at a 90-degree angle.Drive your hip forward. ... Hold the position for 30 seconds.Repeat 2 to 5 times with each leg, trying to increase your stretch each time.

Can golf cause tight hip flexors?

Hip flexor tightness in golfers (and all people for that matter) is very common and is likely caused in part by the excessive amount of sitting we do, the overuse of these muscles in our various activities, among other reasons.

How do I get more flexible in my golf swing?

These 5 simple stretches will improve your flexibility and help your golf swingTwisting Stretch. Start with your legs wider than your hips. ... Hip Press. Tight hamstrings tend to put a lot of pressure on your lower back. ... Scarecrow Twists. ... Standing Side Stretch. ... Shoulder Flossing.

How do I improve my hip mobility in golf?

0:354:29How to Improve your Hip Mobility in the Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWorking into the hips. And same thing guys when you're doing this make sure you're hitting bothMoreWorking into the hips. And same thing guys when you're doing this make sure you're hitting both sides with it maybe do 10 to 20 each each leg. And really work keeping those shoulders stable.

How to turn your hips to swing?

Here’s how to properly turn your hips to generate power through the swing. Turn — don't slide — your hips through the ball. Even casual golfers understand that at impact the hips need to be open to the target. (Picture your belt buckle pointing to the left of where you want the ball to land.)

How to get your hips square to the ball?

Don’t just slide — try to get your hips square to the ball by the time your left arm reaches parallel to the ground ( above right). Keep the width in your stance, too. Simply sliding your hips negates needed rotation — you’ll never get where you need to be at impact. Stay “low” and focus on continually turning your hips.

Should hips be open when hitting golf ball?

(Picture your belt buckle pointing to the left of where you want the ball to land.) In reality, your hips shouldn’t just be open but continually rotating to the left until your swing comes to a stop.

How to keep your hips closed?

They should strive to keep their hips closed (relative to the target), let their arms swing down and only then allow their hips to clear as the arms swing through.

What happens when you add speed to a swing?

When we add speed to the swing, centrifugal force will take over if you allow it, and our hips and body will naturally clear as we swing our arms. The downswing does not need to be a consciously controlled movement, rather an instinctive move toward the target.

Where does the downswing start?

As most golfers know, the downswing starts from the ground up . The proper kinematic sequence is as follows: the hips move left and open up to the target, followed by the torso, then the arms and finally the club. Slow-motion video and modern technology has shown us this.

Why do amateurs get in trouble?

Amateurs often get in trouble when they try to re-create still images that were taken at full speed from tour players; for example, open hips at impact.

Can you clear your hips early?

Please try again later. Clearing your hips early can cause several faults. Some players will come “over the top,” as clearing early can cause your upper body to open early, pushing your arms out from your body, producing an out-to-in swing path and the dreaded slice.

Do you need to hit your hips when hitting a golf shot?

In my experience, golfers who consciously try to get their hips open at impact by aggressively clearing them from the start can create timing issues… and the dreaded two-way miss. Yes, for maximum speed, golfers still need to hit shots using their hips, but they need to make sure they use them at the correct time.

Do hips rotate when golfing?

To golfers with over-active hips, this will feel like more of an arms swing, but they will still notice their hips have rotated. Once you have the feeling of the correct downswing timing, you will instantly notice how much more effortless your swing feels.

What is the instruction to turn your hips?

To summarise, Malaska contends that: The instruction to “turn” your hips is confusing golfers, particularly in the backswing. The instruction (and motion) for the backswing should instead be to move your right hip back in a straight line away from the ball (as if you were stepping backwards). As the downswing progresses your right hip should stay ...

When is Mike Malaska's next golf swing?

October 30, 2020. August 31, 2020. Mike Malaska has been putting out some great videos on his YouTube channel recently. This one with Eric Cogorno, in which he breaks down what should actually be happening with the hips in the golf swing was particularly illuminating. To summarise, Malaska contends that: The instruction to “turn” your hips is ...

Why are hips important in golf?

Your hips also help you maintain your posture through your swing so you can deliver the clubhead to the golf ball at impact.

How to get more mobility in golf swing?

With your arms locked out, rotate away from your body. This will translate extremely well to your golf swing. Make sure you keep your arms locked and choose an appropriate weight for this exercise. Doing these exercises three times a week will help you see massive mobility and strength gains come spring. fitness.

How to determine hip mobility?

To determine the quality of your hip mobility, you can do an at-home hip internal rotation assessment that will help you figure out just how much mobility you have in your hips. To do this you will need a foam roller and a chair. Sitting on a chair, place a foam roller between your knees. Your femur should be at a 90 degree angle when you do this.

How to tell if Bubba Watson has a good golf swing?

Here’s how to check for a better golf swing. You can tell from Bubba Watson's hip turn that he has excellent hip mobility. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Hip mobility is crucial to a powerful, fluid golf swing. Your hips not only help you rotate effectively through your swing, but also help you generate power as you do.

How far should your femur be when you roll your knee?

Your femur should be at a 90 degree angle when you do this. Then slowly rotate your knee toward the foam roller as far as you can. Ideally, you should be able to get about 45 degrees of internal rotation. Anything less than that means you probably need to work on your hip mobility to improve your golf game.

How to get hips to move?

Basically, you place a band around your hip joint and rotate your foot outward. Once you’ve gone as far as you can, you hold this position for two minutes. Then switch sides and repeat. This exercise will help you improve the mobility in your hips.

How does mobility improve strength?

Improving mobility and improving strength go in hand in hand. You need the mobility to move through your full range of motion and you need the strength to support your joints as they move through that range of motion.

What happens when you hit the golf ball from the inside?

If you appear to have fast hips and you struggle to attack the ball from the inside, the chances are that you’re mistakenly trying to generate power in your golf swing with your arms and shoulders. When you initiate the golf swing with your upper body, the angular momentum of the golf club forces the club head out away from your body on ...

Which muscles are used to swing a golf swing?

Core muscles, which describes the muscles that run the length of your trunk and torso. Gluteal muscles, which describes the “glutes” — the three muscles that make up the buttocks, and how they power the golf swing kinetic chain through the core. Kinetic Chain, which describes how the different parts of your body act to transfer energy from ...

How does golf loopy work?

No matter what your current ability, Golf Loopy will teach you how to move your body most effectively in the golf swing, by using the large muscles in your legs and core, in the correct sequence, for maximum power, accuracy, consistency and safety.

What happens when you use your legs to push into the ground?

When you learn to use your legs to push into the ground, your apparently fast-rotating hips will slow down automatically through impact, and your club head will begin to attack the ball from the inside more easily.

Where does the ball rotate in basketball?

Players who appear to have fast hips and struggle to attack the ball from the inside are rotating predominately through the joints in the lower back with minimal rotation actually occurring at the hip joint. This lower-back-centred movement is especially stressful on the spine and supporting muscles. The wear and tear eventually will lead ...