“It has to do with two key things farmers in the 1800s did
that we no longer do as often…”
Life on a farm in the 1800s was not easy.
Farming tools were mostly simple, hand-held iron devices.
One of them being a scythe (a sharp curved blade at the end of a pole used to harvest grain, and now in modern times some people use it to mow their lawn).
In the early 1800s most farmers worked an average of fifty acres. It would take 300 hours of labor to produce 100 bushels of wheat.
To put that into perspective, today with the use of a modern combine harvester, you could harvest one thousand bushels of wheat in just ONE hour…while sitting on your backside.
Talk about efficiency!
By the middle of the 1800s most Midwestern farmers lived in single room log cabins constructed from nothing but trees, using only an axe or saw.
To make the cabin, the farmer would clear the land, find & cut the logs, build the walls, add finishing touches like windows (covered with greased paper) or a fireplace.
This would take one man a few weeks to complete, a bit faster if he had help.
Today with the help of 3D printing, you can have a 650 square foot house consisting of a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and shaded porch in under 24 hours… and you don’t even have to be there while it’s getting built!
Talk about a major advance in technology.
So what does this have to do with achieving a more powerful, efficient, and consistent golf swing?
It has to do with two key things farmers in the 1800s did that we no longer do as often.
Major advances in technology have given us the gift (or curse depending on your view) of efficiency.
This allows many of us to sit on our backsides for hours per day.
Something farmers rarely did.
The two key things they DID do on a daily basis were…
Lateral and rotational movement.
And lots of it!
This consistent lateral and rotational movement of their bodies for several hours throughout the day would have naturally given them a strong & flexible hip flexors.
Hip flexors are the engine through which your body moves.
They control our balance, our ability to sit, stand, twist, reach, bend, walk and step.
Everything goes through the hips.
Making them crucial to any golfer’s kinematic sequence.
So, why do many golfers struggle with their golf swing?
Because they LACK a proper kinematic sequence (the movement starting with the hips, followed by the upper trunk, followed by the arms, then the club.)
In other words, lateral and rotational movement.
All of which depend heavily on having strong & flexible HIPS leading to a balanced and functional body which is the key to executing a powerful and consistent golf swing.
So what’s the problem?
Well, due to prolonged sitting for hours every day, for YEARS at a time…
Most people tend to suffer from some degree of Hip Dysfunction…
In simple terms this refers to having misaligned, tightened, and/or shortened hip flexors.
This can cause a series of other issues for your overall health and lifestyle, not just for your golf swing.
For example if you’ve experienced any of the following…
Nagging joint pain in your legs, lower back or hips…
Walking with discomfort.
Sluggishness due to inactivity or poor sleep
Circulatory issues (including loss of sexual performance)…
And a lagging, draggy golf swing…
Then you are most likely experiencing the consequences of a tight psoas major muscle…
Sitting within the well of your hip and lower spine is the psoas major muscle.
It is the only muscle in the human body connecting the upper body to the lower body.
A functioning psoas muscle creates a neutral pelvic alignment, stabilizes the hips, supports the lower spine and abdomen, supports the organs in the pelvic and abdominal cavity and gives you greater mobility and core strength.
So how can one fix a tight psoas muscle and how long does it take?
There are some shortcuts to this…
However, I recommend you focus on proven principles that have stood the test of time.
Establish a routine & remain consistent.
Unlike the farmers in the 1800s, you don’t have to spend hours per day with a scythe or axe (unless you want to)…
Instead, you can begin to loosen your psoas muscle with a simple set of movements done on a consistent basis…
A combination of dynamic stretches, core stability exercises, mobility exercises, and a few others done in a specific sequence to both…
Maximize effectiveness and reduce your risk of injury.
The focus is not on how long you spend doing the exercises & stretches each day…
Even 15 minutes when done consistently…
…will naturally give you stronger, more flexible hips.
If you want a powerful, efficient, and consistent golf swing…
If you want to stop losing distance each year…
If you want to reduce nagging pain…
And if you want to avoid walking with discomfort, sluggishness in day to day life, and a loss of performance in bed, among a host of other issues…
Even if you don’t ACT on this today, simply consider making the CHOICE to do something about your tight hips…
Most people think about this choice a few times a year…
Especially around New Year’s, when people say… “this year will be different”…
They start an exercise & stretching program…
At first, it seems like they get some momentum, and then one small choice to miss a day…
Becomes a missed week…
And slides from there.
For this reason, in Chapter 4, we’ll take a closer look at a number of specific PROBLEMS, that once solved, will make it almost effortless to get into a routine and remain consistent…
…even if you feel like your bad habits have already been set in stone and that it’s already too late for you.
Click Here To Continue
-Benjamin Arnold M.D.
Founder of GolfBodyRx
P.S. Have you ever decided to improve your fitness or flexibility, picked a plan, started it and then dropped it for one reason or another? I’d love to hear your story about what got in your way. Email support@golfbodyrx.com and let me know!
Oh and one more thing…
Some people have reached out with a variation of the following the message…
“Ben, I’m enjoying the series… I know I need to get more flexible and want to start a program… but which program should I do?”
All I’ll say for now is… stay tuned as I have a special surprise for you within the next few days.
It’s something brand new that I’ve been working on diligently for the past few months to help golfers increase their functional flexibility and regain their strength..
It’s different than my 28 yards in 28 days program that my subscribers are familiar with.
So keep an eye on your inbox for Chapter 4!