by Susan Hill
Many of the top touring professionals know that winning on the
tour today takes much more than a great game of golf. The field
is far too competitive to leave any of the key contributing elements
to chance. Preparing their bodies for play is a critical component
to a golfer’s success under the most competitive conditions.
How you structure your golf fitness program is essential to your
overall performance on and off the course. Here are some ways you
can ensure you are getting the most out of training program while
utilizing the strength of your core as a building block for success.
Specific to golf – Get rid of the traditional gym machines
which focus on isolating specific muscle groups and require no
stabilization work by additional muscle groups. Integrate some
old and new fitness tools which allow you to move your body in
a more functional setting. These include cable machines, fitness
balls, medicine balls, balance disks, traditional dumbbells and
don’t forget about the power of using your own bodyweight.
Increase Core Stability – More efficient movement creates
more efficient power. Golfers maintain an athletic posture over
long periods of time and require both trunk and core stabilization
and endurance. By increasing your strength and endurance in the
core region of your body, you provide both a solid base of support
for rotation in addition to the proper transfer of power throughout
the body.
Vary your Planes of Motion - A golf fitness program will have
varying planes of motion as part of your weekly strength routine.
Planes of movement include front to back motions, left to right
and rotational exercises. Some good examples include multi-directional
lunges and medicine ball wood chops.
Integrate Multiple Elements into Each Exercise – Each weekly
workout should address all of the important elements for golf including
flexibility, core development, balance, strength and power. Integrated
training techniques will develop your skills in each of these areas
and produce a whole new level of play. Examples of integration
include a 5 minute dynamic warm up, roughly 30 minute strength
routine, followed by 10 to 15 minutes of stretches. Each workout
can be broken down into strength development for several weeks,
core stabilization for several weeks, and power development as
you move into peak season.
Progress from Simple to Complex - Begin your exercise program
by mastering the simplest forms of exercises first. Progress your
golf training design to increase in complexity as your body grows
and develops and as you learn proper stabilization of your core
region. An example of progression for the legs may be to perform
two leg ball squats prior to performing the one leg version.
Before any golfer, pro or otherwise, picks up a club, they look
at the capability of their body versus the requirements of the
swing. Utilize these 5 tips to create a golf specific program that
brings out the best in you and the best in your golf game. Make
this golf season your most productive yet!
Susan Hill is a CHEK Golf Biomechanic and President of FitnessforGolf.com,
a private, member’s only, online golf fitness website
dedicated to the improvement of golfers worldwide. For more
information on her golf products and services, visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.
