These yoga poses will increase strength in the muscles supporting the hips and will also challenge your ability to maintain proper posture while executing the exercises. When we work with amateur and professional golfers I perform a twenty-two point assessment program. During the assessment process we uncover mobility, stability, posture and coordination issues. The quality of the movement, the ability to maintain proper posture and core stability is often an indicator of the golfer’s ability to maintain posture during the dynamic phase of the golf swing.

While you practice this series of hip strengthening poses, focus on your core stabilization and maintaining proper posture. Regarding posture, the shoulder blades should be moving together and “down the back”, shoulders are moving down and away from the ears and the mid-back (thoracic spine) is not rounded.

Recommended equipment for these exercises: Yoga Matt and Balance Ball

Standing crescent lunges with arms over the head:

Begin by standing tall and engaging the navel towards the spine and lifting the ribcage off the waist. Lift the arms over the head but do not “scrunch” the shoulders towards the ears. Inhale and lunge the right leg forward (maintain a 90 degree angle in the right knee). Hold this position and pulse the right leg up and down for a count of ten. Return to the starting position and switch sides. Repeat three times on each side.

Power chair pose:



I demonstrate this pose using a balance ball but feel free to incorporate a chair. The purpose of this pose is to activate the gluts, core and maintain your posture. Inhale and engage the core as you move the gluts towards the ball, as if you were sitting in a chair. Do not allow the gluts to touch the ball. Hold for a count of five and repeat five to ten times.

Locust pose on the ball or on the floor:



Place the ball under your hips or place your body on the floor. Draw the navel towards your spine and squeeze the gluts as tight as possible. On the exhalation slowly lift the legs off the floor. Hold for a count of three and repeat five times.



If you want to increase the intensity continue to lift the legs higher. Focus on the glutes and the lumbar spine.

Practice these poses three days a week.

Katherine Roberts is founder and president of Katherine Roberts Yoga for Golfers, a 10-year-old publishing and fitness consulting company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. As a fitness expert and a regular contributor for The Golf Channel, she has appeared on The Big Break, Makeover Challenge, Your Game Night, the PGA Merchandising Show Recap and How Low Can you Go? Katherine is the producer of nine DVDs and author of the ground-breaking book Yoga for Golfers (McGraw-Hill). Roberts’ unique approach to golf conditioning is a hybrid of western biomechanical research and eastern mind/body conditioning for performance. Yoga for Golfers is dedicated to helping people achieve balanced performance both on and off the course. www.yogaforgolfers.com