I’ve always been interested in Yoga and it’s benefits on a person’s golf game, so when I received the email from Tony DiMaggio to review his new golf yoga DVD, I jumped on the opportunity. The timing couldn’t be better, since I’ve just began a series of Golf Fitness blog posts.

Tony is the producer of “The Golfer’s 21 Minute Yoga Warm-up” DVD and as the name might imply, it’s 21 minutes of pre-game stretches designed to optimize your body for maximum results on the golf course.

Todd Olson, is the man who walks you through the different yoga poses. He used to suffer back pain that was so severe that he couldn’t complete a golf swing. Through the yoga and stretching techniques he demonstrates in the DVD, he was able to get his body back in golf shape and now plays our beloved sport, pain free.

The Benefits

More Distance – It is impossible to guarantee more solid drives, but we do guarantee improved flexibility.  You have heard “get your back to the target” and “load up your weight on your right side”.  This video will help you get it done.

More Consistency – The only way for a not flexible person to take the club back to parallel is by disconnecting the arms from the body, creating a flawed, difficult to repeat swing. This video will also improved consistency through:

• Improved Posture
• Calmer Nerves
• Better Balance
• Improved Timing

Less Back Pain – Nobody’s spine is strong enough to comfortably absorb 70 to 100 MPH of swing speed. Is that what you thought happened? PGA studies have shown that stiffness in other parts of the body, especially the lead hip are key factors in back pain among golfers.  The Golfer’s Yoga is designed to prepare all the key golf muscles to absorb this golf specific torque lessening the stress on the back.

So I woke up especially early on Saturday, popped in the DVD and went through the exercises. Whilst I was working through the DVD, OGB Jr. came downstairs and as four year old’s tend to do, proceeded to point out every flaw in my poses… 🙂

The exercises were pretty easy to do and I was a little disappointed in that, but then I realized that was probably the intent, to make a warm-up DVD that golfers of all ages & fitness levels can use.

I didn’t time it, but I think it was pretty close to 21 minutes, once you get through the intro. I finished the workout with only some slight perspiration on my brow, got my golf duds on and headed to the course.

I played all eighteen with the usual mix of awesome moments and horrible moments and I couldn’t really tell and difference in my distance or consistency, but I did notice a huge difference in my flexibility. It actually sucked at first, because I was TOO loose and it was throwing off my swing. Once I adjusted to it and stopped swinging the full extent of my “enhanced” backswing, I was playing some pretty stellar golf.

Lower back pain isn’t a consistent problem for me on the course, but my right knee is and usually around the last four holes it starts aching and screwing with my head. I would try and change my swing path to avoid tweaking the knee and causing a sharp pain. Which would typically cause some bad shots on the home stretch.. Not this round, the knee didn’t hurt at all, which I was pretty impress with and grateful for.

Overall, I think the golf yoga warm-up is a good thing to incorporate into your pre-round routine and even a couple times a week when you’re not playing. I’m guessing that the increased distance and consistency will come into play the longer you work on the poses and improve your flexibility.

If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of the DVD, they’re selling them for $34.94 and they have a 90 day satisfaction guarantee, where if you return it within the allotted time frame, they’ve give you a full refund, no questions asked.

If you have some similar pre-game routine, I’d love to hear about it, leave a comment!

-Dave