Your Guide To Golf Fitness
Each year the average golfer takes their clubs out of storage from a long hiatus and heads to the course to “dust off the cobwebs.” Some of us succeed, and for the rest of us, we never get rid of the rust. We often blame our equipment for our on-course woes, but never take into consideration WHO is swinging the club. Instead of spending unnecessary money on the newest hardware, why not dedicate time to our bodies? Having a golf fitness program is a great way to work on specific areas that are affecting your golf game. Golf fitness training should include mobility work and exercises that focus on areas that need improvement and that are going to translate to your swing. Your program should include these four components: balance, stability, rotational strength, and power exercises. Before you head out to buy more equipment, add these exercises below to fix some of those kinks in your swing.
Balance Training:
Balance starts from the ground up, much like a golf swing. If a golfer has poor balance, it is going to be hard for them to have control of their swing. Proper balance is important because a golf swing is very asymmetrical, meaning we put more stress on one side over the other depending on if we swing right or left handed. Add a Single Leg Stance Variation to your program to improve balance.
Single Leg Stance on Airex
Stability Training:
Stability and balance go hand in hand, if one is off it will affect the other. Think of stability as how well we can maintain control during the movement of our swing. If a golfer lacks stability, whether it is through the hips or core, their swing is going to be compromised. Add a Single Leg RDL to your program to focus on improving stability and working on areas such as hamstrings, glutes, and core that are pivotal for a smooth golf swing.
Single Leg RDL
Rotational Strength Training:
It is no secret; a golf swing requires a TON of rotation. If a golfer lacks rotational mobility or strength, they may compensate and get this movement elsewhere. This compensatory movement usually stems from the lower back, increasing chance of injury. It is important for golfers to be strong through their core as they rotate throughout their swing. Add Stability Ball Cable Rotations to your program to focus on rotational strength and core stability. Substitute with a heavier resistance band if you do not have access to a cable machine.
Stability Ball Cable Rotations
Power Training:
Power is something every golfer desires. We all want to add more yards off the tee and to our irons. Adding power exercises to a workout regime is a great way to gain that extra yardage. Add a Medicine Ball Side Toss to your program to increase your power, specifically while rotating, a two for one for golfers. Since we are focusing on “power,” make sure you are putting maximal effort into this exercise. You are only going to get as much out of it as you put into it!
Medicine Ball Side Toss
Next time you want to improve your golf game, think what you can do from a physical standpoint rather than an equipment change. Focus on the four main components of a golf fitness program, meaning balance, stability, rotational strength, and power exercises. If you are interested in golf performance training, meet with one of our TPI Certified Trainers who will develop and program specifically for you. Fix those kinks in your game and get back to playing the way you want!
Pat Sturdahl worked in an outpatient physical therapy setting for over seven years before joining Olympia Fitness. He enjoys working with clients to help improve their mobility, stability and strength. Pat has experience working with local high school teams where he previously ran “Speed Schools.” This training focused on sport specific movements and plyometric drills.