As a result I have merely paid the briefest lip service to the concept of warming up and have, through the unusual mechanics of the golf swing, used muscles that until now have been idly twiddling their metaphorical thumbs. Thankfully these are merely niggles rather than full on snaps, tears or ruptures: an early warning sign of which I intend to take full notice.
Luckily for me rather than draining the bank balance I'm merely required to take an ear bashing from my qualified physiotherapist better half, who has already proclaimed that golf does not count as 'proper exercise'. To be fair she has a point but I am no longer sure whether it is my MS, my reluctance or my golf obsession that is preventing me from maintaining a wider keep fit regimen. Nonetheless she has prescribed a series of strengthening exercises to help prevent either niggle becoming chronic.
The first is my left groin, a taboo body area in men's locker room chat, unless in reference to some hot buxom brunette massaging it back to health. Sadly that is not the proposed solution. Instead, amongst other things, I lie on my back, knees bent and attempt to squeeze a doubled over cushion between my legs. In an 'ideal' world this would also form part of my pre round warm up. As liberal minded as my club is, I think the sight of me, lying prostrate on the first tee appearing to hump a living room accessory may well be a step too far.
The second problem area is the lower left hand side of my back. No doubt a reaction to my back swing coil. Interestingly, I am taking all three niggles as a positive sign. It means that my swing is getting fairly repeatable as I'm consistently stressing the same areas. I just need to work on strengthening up. It also perhaps explains my passionless practice yesterday. Perhaps my brain was sending me an early warning sign. Anyway must dash, I think the cushion just winked at me...
