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    Golf Mobility: The Pre-Round Warm-Up Every Golfer Should Steal

    Most amateur golfers skip the warm-up, and it shows on the first three holes. Here's a 7-minute fix.

    5 min read · Updated 2026-05-19

    Why a warm-up actually matters

    Your swing is a full-body rotation move. Walking from the car to the first tee doesn't prepare your body for that. A short, focused warm-up gets your hips, spine, and shoulders moving in the directions you're about to ask them to.

    You don't need much. You need consistency.

    The 7-minute warm-up

    Block 1, Wake up rotation (3 minutes)

    Use the BendyBar at light to medium tension.

    • Slow shoulder pass-overs, 10 reps
    • Thoracic rotations standing, 8 per side
    • Half-kneeling rotations, 6 per side

    Block 2, Hips and base (2 minutes)

    • Standing hip circles, 6 each direction, each leg
    • Lateral lunges, bar held across chest, 6 per side

    Block 3, Swing pattern primer (2 minutes)

    • Slow chops, bar high-to-low across body, 8 per side
    • Mock backswing / follow-through with the bar, 10 per side, gradually increasing speed

    How to use it

    Do it in the parking lot, on the practice green, or beside the cart. The whole point is that the bar travels, there's no excuse to skip it.

    A note on speed

    Speed comes from smoother rotation, not just from swinging harder. If you only have time for one drill, make it the half-kneeling rotation, it teaches you to rotate from the rib cage instead of the lower back.

    Disclaimer

    This is a general warm-up, not injury rehab. If you're working through a current injury, follow your clinician's guidance first.

    Common questions

    Will this actually help my drive distance?

    It won't add yardage on its own, but better rotation tends to translate to more consistent contact, which is usually where lost yardage actually comes from.

    Can I use this as a daily mobility session, not just a warm-up?

    Yes. Many golfers run it 3–4 times a week as off-day mobility work.

    Exercises in this guide

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