Take up yoga for course benefits

Summer is rolling on and soon we will be observing the month of Ramadan and golf will be even more challenging and so will our fitness routine.

How do we stay golf-fit? Add some ‘Om' to your pre-shot routine and rule the day. Yoga practice forges the mind and body into an instrument of the will. Beyond flexibility and balance, you create the ability to relax and focus effortlessly.

Thinking you can't do yoga because you're not a pretzel? Not true - it's not crucial that you touch your toes or perform the complicated yoga positions of seasoned yoga practitioners, but gaining flexibility, balance and whole body strength through yoga will improve your form, efficiency and power.

Dig deeper

At first glance the similarities between yoga and golf might seem non-existent, but once the layers of each activity are peeled away, the core basics of each begin to show a series of complementary effects and once a person can get past the belief that the two are mutually exclusive, the potential for improvement is guaranteed.

Yoga may require you to stand on your toes, while bending this knee this way, and keeping that leg straight and locked while also extending this hand out in front of you and that hand over your head, while also keeping your back straight and looking to the rear. Don't forget to breathe only through your nose and, of course, keep your balance.

Sounds vaguely familiar?

All these help develop solid muscle control and stabilisation of the lower body.

A big part of yoga is meditation and focus. Whenever you're performing yoga, you are supposed to clear your mind, focusing only on the postures and those independent motions that make up the postures.

I think this is probably the most valuable benefit to your game. You ever hear the expression that golf is a game of inches, the inches between your ears? As you know, this is the seemingly simple yet most difficult aspect of any player's game. For a person like me, whose mind races at a hundred miles a minute, my mental game can and has ruined a round.

Different class

So? In an attempt to improve my golf over the summer, I've signed up for yoga classes, I feel great and full of energy. I plan on doing three classes a week and will be monitoring my progress.

I started pondering what impact yoga might have on my golf game and, after doing some research, it turns out that there are benefits derived from yoga that can really help your game and it's because the two activities are similar.

In both yoga and golf, you must train your body and mind to focus on many independent yet related motions and combine them into one seamless movement.

Contrary to the popular belief that golf is not a strenuous but ‘gentle' and relaxing sport, because of the complex nature of the golf swing and the fact the muscles and joints of one side of the body are used more vigorously than the other side, golfers often experience injuries.

With just a little more attention to these potential powerhouse muscles, you'll be able to get your swing in shape in no time!

Next time you're tempted by the newest piece of titanium, remember a strong, flexible body will give you more distance than any piece of equipment.