Why neglecting the cool down can lead to poor posture and pain
By Tania Haas
“I would say the biggest mistake golf and tennis players make is an improper cool down,” says Brendan Fox, Head Fitness Trainer at Medcan.
The golf swing, or the tennis swing for those who favour one side, demands asymmetrical rotation. That repeated twisting can lead to spinal compression, muscle imbalance, uneven posture or back pain. Fox says it’s like doing 100 arm curls on only your left side, dropping the weights and walking out of the gym.
How to offset the imbalance: a sufficient cool down will even out muscle tension. Restored muscle tension will improve recovery and allow your body to be balanced for your next round or match.
It’s understandable to avoid stretches when the far more appealing post-game revelry awaits, but Fox says injuries can be avoided with a simple 5 to 10 minute routine.
Try this mini-routine (modelled by fitness trainers Tremayne Mischey and Alan Kerr-Wilson) after your next game.
Standing side bends. To mobilize obliques and quadrates lumborum.
Stand tall, feet wide apart, with one arm wrapped overhead
Push hip out to the side of the raised arm, bend the torso to the side of the down arm
Return back up switch sides and repeat, alternating sides
To increase intensity, use free hand to grab wrist of overhead arm, to help pull it into a deeper side stretch
Noodle arm twist. For thoracic rotation.
Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Twist torso side to side, allowing your arms to swing like wet noodles.
Allow elbows to bend naturally, wrapping around your body, to slap back of hand to low back
Generate the whipping action in the arms by rotation and pivoting with foot and rotating hips and trunk
Stay relaxed , let the arms enjoy the ride. Keep a tall spine, don’t hunch forward.
Remember to alternate directions for the rotation, and to alternate which foot swivels.
Seatbelt arm swings. For shoulder flexion, internal rotation, adduction and posterior cuff.
Do a one arm diagonal raise, grabbing the seatbelt (arm up across opposite shoulder, palm faces back) to fastening the seatbelt (arm beside same side hip, palm faces back).
Complete all reps before changing sides.
Progression: go with both arms at the same time, crossing them in front, alternating which arm is on top.
Fox has customized programs for golf and tennis players with five to 15 exercises depending on their needs and interests. Speak to your fitness trainer to create a specialized warm up and/or cool down to match with your chosen sport or activity.