Summit Chiropractic and Physical Therapy
Summit Moves

Play Better.
Feel Better.

Expert-guided golf fitness from your local chiropractic & physical therapy team. Stretch smarter. Stay on the course longer.

Choose your program
Pre-Round Warmup
Activate the right muscles before your first tee shot
▸ 6 exercises · ~5–10 min
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Off-Season Conditioning
Build strength, flexibility & injury resilience all winter
▸ 10 exercises · 3×/week
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Summit mark
Designed by your care team These programs are built around common golf-related conditions — back pain, hip tightness, shoulder strain — and the functional movement patterns that keep you playing.
Provided by
Summit Chiropractic & Physical Therapy
Waterloo & Jesup, Iowa
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Pre-Round Warmup
Summit Moves · 6 exercises · ~5–10 min
Activate Before You Swing
Don't go from the car to the first tee cold. These exercises prime the key muscles of your golf swing and protect your back, hips, and shoulders.
Pre-Round
Warmup Stretches
A quick 5–10 minutes running through these before you hit the first tee can make a noticeable difference in how your swing feels — and help prevent soreness after the round.
1
Shoulder Cross-Body Stretch
20–30 sec each side · Standing
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Hold one arm straight across your chest and use the other to gently pull it in. Hold 20–30 seconds per side.
Why it matters Loosens the shoulders and chest, which are key for your backswing.
2
Trunk Rotation
10–12 reps each way · Standing
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Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a club horizontally across your chest, and rotate your torso left and right. Keep your hips relatively still. Do 10–12 reps each way.
Why it matters Warms up your core and spine for the rotational movement of the golf swing.
3
Hamstring Stretch
20–30 sec · Standing
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Stand tall, hinge at the hips, and fold forward with a soft bend in the knees. Let your hands reach toward the ground and hold for 20–30 seconds.
Why it matters Tight hamstrings restrict your hip turn, so this stretch helps you achieve better rotation and posture through impact.
4
Hip Flexor Lunge
20–30 sec each side · Standing
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Step into a low lunge and drop your back knee toward the ground. Gently push your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of that back hip. Hold 20–30 seconds per side.
Why it matters Opens up your hips for a full rotation through the swing and prevents lower back strain.
5
Wrist and Forearm Stretch
15–20 sec each position · Standing
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Extend one arm in front of you, palm up, and use your other hand to gently pull your fingers back. Then reverse with the palm facing down. Hold each position for 15–20 seconds per hand.
Why it matters Keeps your grip comfortable and reduces strain on the forearms and wrists during repetitive swings.
6
Seated Spinal Twist
20–30 sec each side · Seated
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Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Cross one leg over the other, then rotate your torso toward the crossed leg, placing your opposite hand on the outside of your knee. Use your other hand to grip the back of the chair for support. Hold 20–30 seconds per side.
Why it matters Targets the thoracic spine and obliques, which are heavily involved in the golf swing — and it's easy to do right on the bench near the first tee.
Summit Chiropractic & Physical Therapy
Pain Changing Your Game?
Back tightness on the back nine. Hip pain after 9 holes. Shoulder soreness that follows you off the course. These are signs worth addressing — not just managing. We specialize in the conditions that sideline golfers.
Waterloo: (319) 232-2100 · Jesup: (319) 827-2223
Summit Chiropractic & Physical Therapy
Waterloo & Jesup, Iowa · summitchiroandpt.com
‹
Off-Season Conditioning
Summit Moves · 10 exercises · 3×/week
Build Your Best Season Yet
The off-season is when real improvement happens. These exercises build the strength and stability your body needs to swing harder, walk farther, and hurt less.
Block 1
Lower Body Foundation
Build the hip and leg strength that powers every yard of distance — and protects your knees and back over thousands of swings.
1
Goblet Squat
3 × 12 reps · Weight optional
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Hold a weight at your chest or clasp your hands together. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out. Lower into a squat keeping your chest tall, elbows inside your knees at the bottom. Drive through your heels to stand.
Why it matters The squat pattern mirrors the athletic setup position in golf. Building strength here improves knee and hip stability and gives you a platform to generate real rotational power.
2
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
3 × 10 reps each side
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Stand on one leg, slight bend in the knee. Hinge at the hip and reach your hands toward the floor while your back leg lifts behind you — like a slow "T" balance. Keep your back flat. Return to standing with control. Use a wall for balance as needed.
Why it matters Single-leg balance and hamstring strength are critical for the weight transfer in your downswing. This also directly improves fall prevention — the same balance system that keeps you upright on uneven fairways.
3
Lateral Band Walk
3 × 15 steps each direction · Band at ankles
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Place a resistance band around your ankles. Stand with knees slightly bent and step sideways, maintaining tension in the band throughout. Keep your toes forward and don't let your feet come together. Complete all reps in one direction, then return.
Why it matters Hip abductor strength is one of the most under-trained aspects of golf fitness. Strong hips stabilize your pelvis, protect your knees, and reduce the lower back compensation that causes so many chronic golf injuries.
Block 2 — Core & Rotation
Block 2
Core & Rotational Power
Build the stable, powerful core that lets you rotate hard without injuring your spine. This is where speed is made — and where injuries are prevented.
4
Pallof Press
3 × 12 reps each side · Band or cable
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Anchor a band at chest height to your side. Stand perpendicular, feet hip-width. Hold the band at your chest and press straight out in front of you — resist the band's pull to rotate you. Hold 2 seconds extended, return to chest. Keep your core braced throughout.
Why it matters The Pallof press builds anti-rotation stability — exactly the core strength needed to transfer power through your swing without loading your spine. It's one of the most sport-specific core exercises that exists for golf.
5
Med Ball Rotational Throw
3 × 8 reps each side · Med ball or band
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Stand sideways to a wall (or use a band). Load into your trail hip, then explosively rotate and throw (or pull) through — initiating from your hips, not your arms. Focus on a sharp hip turn followed by core and arms. Control the eccentric return.
Why it matters This trains the exact sequence of rotation your body uses in a golf swing — ground force up through the hips, core transfer, then arm acceleration. Power built here shows up on every drive.
6
Bird Dog
3 × 10 reps each side · Hands & knees
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From hands and knees, brace your core and extend your right arm and left leg simultaneously. Hold 3 seconds — keep your back flat and hips level. Return with control and switch sides. Quality over speed.
Why it matters Bird Dog builds spinal stability through coordinated limb movement — protecting the lumbar spine under load. It's a cornerstone exercise for low back rehabilitation and prevention alike.
Block 3 — Upper Body
Block 3
Shoulder & Thoracic Strength
Build the resilient upper body that holds up over 18 holes, 4 rounds per week, and a lifetime on the course.
7
Band Pull-Apart
3 × 20 reps · Light band
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Hold a resistance band with both hands at shoulder height, arms extended. Pull the band apart by squeezing your shoulder blades together, until the band touches your chest. Return slowly. Keep your core tight and avoid shrugging.
Why it matters Posterior shoulder and rotator cuff strength is the most effective way to prevent the shoulder injuries that end golf seasons. It also improves posture — directly affecting your swing plane and ball contact.
8
Wall Angels
3 × 10 reps · Against wall
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Stand with your back, head, and elbows against a wall. Arms bent at 90°. Slowly slide your arms up overhead (like a snow angel), keeping contact with the wall throughout. If you can't keep contact, that's the resistance. Slide back down.
Why it matters Limited thoracic extension and shoulder mobility directly affects your backswing range and follow-through. This exercise addresses both simultaneously while building the postural strength to hold your setup position without fatigue.
9
External Rotation with Band
3 × 15 reps each arm
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Hold a light band anchored to your side. Elbow at 90°, upper arm against your body. Rotate your forearm outward (away from your body) against the band's resistance. Hold 1 second, return slowly. Keep your elbow tucked throughout.
Why it matters External rotation strength is the primary defense against rotator cuff injuries. Golfers who do this consistently have dramatically lower rates of shoulder pain — and better club control through the entire swing arc.
10
Forearm Plank with Reach
3 × 8 reps each arm · Floor
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Hold a forearm plank with perfect form — body in a straight line, core braced, hips level. Slowly reach one arm forward, hold 2 seconds, return. Alternate arms. If your hips rotate or drop, reduce the reach distance.
Why it matters This is whole-chain stability — it trains your shoulders, core, and hips to work together under load. That coordination is exactly what your nervous system needs to produce a consistent, powerful, injury-free swing.
Summit Chiropractic & Physical Therapy
Ready to Play Your Best Season?
Whether you're recovering from last season's injury or want to get ahead of one, our team specializes in the conditions that affect golfers — back pain, hip problems, shoulder injuries, and more. Let's build a plan for you.
Waterloo: (319) 232-2100 · Jesup: (319) 827-2223
Summit Chiropractic & Physical Therapy
Waterloo & Jesup, Iowa · summitchiroandpt.com