Muscles memory serves a very valuable function, as you might imagine.  If we had to concentrate on every activity that involved movements and the muscles – sitting, brushing hair, putting pressure on the gas pedal of the car, typing on the computer – our brains would probably be in overload every minute of the day.  But at the same time, this muscle memory is a real impediment when it comes to learning new things.  Think of how difficult it might be to move to a country where you had to drive on the other side of the road and so your car’s equipment was now switched!  Your one foot would automatically reach for the proper pedal and hit nothingness while your hands struggled to find the turn indicator, wipers, radio, and so on.

If you’re aware of what you’re fighting, you’ll be much more successful in that fight.  Understanding how muscle memory works and what you’re up against will help you to overcome it.  When you feel yourself doing something automatically and without much thought, you know it’s the muscle memory kicking in and you can resist it.

Here are some suggestions you might want to consider:

Just Stretch

Usually runners and other athletes follow some type of stretching routine in order to loosen up the muscles in their legs and back before they head out.  This is a good idea even for those about to walk, especially for those who are very sedentary throughout the day.  Muscle cramp up very easily and make it difficult to move around when you do want to be active.  You might easily dismiss the idea of stretching in order to improve your golf game, but this would be a mistake.  Loosening up the back and shoulder muscles can help you to maintain the right stance without hurting your back and can make that swing much easier to achieve.

You may remember some basic stretching moves from high school or from an exercise class you’ve attended.  Just sitting with your legs stretched in front of you and stretching your arms out past your ankles will open up your back and sides.  Or you can stand up straight and raise your hands over your head as far as they’ll go and then gently lean forward and touch your toes, or reach as far as your leg muscles will allow.

Gently twisting from side to side will also open up the muscles of the back.  Remember, you need to be gentle as you don’t want to pull muscles or jerk your back and sides around; this is what causes tears, stresses, and strains.

Regularity

Another thing to remember about stretching and getting yourself in good physical shape for your golf game is that you need to do this regularly.  Stretching once a month probably won’t do much to keep your muscles limber and loose.  It’s best to try a quick routine every single day or several times per week for maximum benefit.

At the very least, make sure you stretch out every time you go out golfing.  You may notice a few players on the course holding their clubs horizontally in front of them, twisting back and forth.  Hopefully this is not the only stretching they get throughout the week!  By doing these small things for your body on a consistent and regular basis, you’ll notice a much more relaxed approach to your game and will have a much easier time with your swing.