Pilates for golf: Planks with press ups

Targets

Planks develop core stability and upper body strength.

Do

Planks are great exercises to practice every day to increase blood flow to legs and arms and wake up your core.

Start by doing the plank for five to 10 seconds at a time.

Then add three small press ups during the five to 10 seconds. Press further down once your shoulders and arms get stronger.

Technique

Step 1 – Start on all fours with your knees directly under your hips and wrists under shoulders. Keep your spine in line from head to tail with your lower back almost flat.

Breathe out to lengthen the legs and simultaneously engage your tummy muscles keeping shoulders away from ears and head in line with spine.

Step 2 – Breathe in to bend your elbows slightly and breathe out to push back up. For a variation, start on your knees with your feet up or down.

Linda Segerstam is a Body Control Pilates Level 3 and PGA Level 1 coach who specialises in golf-specific Pilates exercises targeting core strength, flexibility and alignment of joints. She worked with Body Control Pilates, the largest Pilates teaching organisation in Europe, developing their Pilates for Golfers teaching programme. The Intelligent Core offers Pilates private lessons, classes and interactive movement training workshops.

Visit theintelligentcore.com | Twitter @TIC_core | Instagram Pilatesforgolf

Images: Stefan Dahl