Golf Seated trunk rotation

Rotation flexibility in the spine and hips is essential for optimal and safe golf. Without it, you can't make a complete, well-balanced backswing and followthrough. Furthermore, compensations that you'll most certainly make as a result will force biomechanical swing flaws such as reverse pivots, lateral sways, and coming over the top. Compensations from a lack of spine and hiprotation flexibility can also create stress in other body areas that aren't designed to rotate. If left uncorrected, this physical limitation will eventually spell disaster by causing an injury.

The next two tests can help you evaluate your rotation flexibility in the spine and hips.

The first test is called the seated trunk-rotation test. Perform this test as follows:

Sit forward in a chair so that your spine is not resting against the back of the chair. Place a golf club across the front of your chest and shoulders (at the collarbone level) and hold the club securely by crossing both hands in front of you. Sit as tall as possible in the chair, with your feet flat on the floor, both knees pointing straight ahead, and turn your upper torso as far as comfortably possible to the right. When you've turned completely, look over your right shoulder and see where the end of the club is pointing behind you. Mentally mark the spot on the wall and estimate the number of degrees of rotation that you've turned to the right. Slowly return to the neutral starting position and then repeat the trunk-rotation test to the left.

Repeat this test in both directions three to five times to get a good estimate of the amount of trunk rotation in each direction and which direction you can rotate farther and/or easier.