In order to improve your golf game, it’s important to incorporate golf-specific strength exercises into your training plan. Focusing on the legs, hips, core and shoulders are a great place to start as these body parts all work simultaneously during a golf swing. Exercises for your golf game can be broken into two categories: range of motion or flexibility. Range of motion exercises allow an improvement of motion at a specific joint, while also strengthening and training the muscles to move through a pattern. Flexibility exercises allow the muscles to warm up, stretch and cool down. Below are a few exercises you can incorporate into your routine today. Before beginning any exercise program, please speak to your primary care doctor, as well as a certified personal trainer who can demonstrate these exercises.
Try these exercises before beginning your golf game:
Kneeling hip flexor— Excellent for loosening the muscles which can become tight from sitting.
Standing hip openers— Opens up the hip allowing for greater range-of-motion (and ultimately power) from the hips during the back swing. Perform 8-12 repetitions on each leg; rest for 30 seconds; repeat for two sets.
Lunge with twist— Like the trunk rotations, hold a golf club straight in the air to create a minimal amount of resistance. The lunge does not need to be deep, simply step forward with either leg, hold the split stance position and rotate away from the forward leg. Perform 8-12 repetitions on each leg (alternating legs); rest for 45 seconds, repeat two times.
Try these exercises two to three times a week to help improve flexibility, strength and power in golf:
Standing wood chop — A great exercise for integrating the movements of the hips, back and shoulders. Requires the use of a medicine ball or dumbbell (if using a dumbbell, hold it horizontally with both hands around the ends of the weight). Perform 8-12 repetitions; rest for 30 seconds; repeat 1-3 times.
Lateral lunges — Effective for improving the range-of-motion, strength and power of the hips by using them in a different plane of motion by going to the side. Make sure to focus the work in the hips by pushing your tailbone back as you lower over your leg. Alternate legs, perform 8-12 repetitions; rest for 30 seconds; repeat 1-3 times.
Try these flexibility exercises to improve range of motion during your golf swing:
Perform these stretches AFTER the previous strengthening exercises. Doing static stretches after a workout can help to lengthen the involved muscles, which improves the range-of-motion of the affected joints.
Hip flexors: Hold for 20-30 seconds, alternate legs; repeat 1-3 times.
Child’s pose: Hold for 20-30 seconds; repeat 1-3 times.
Cobra: Hold for 20-30 seconds; repeat 1-3 times.
If you do not know how to perform any of these exercises, try using YouTube as a resource for demonstrations.
Resource: acefitness.org
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