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Make no mistake about it, golf is a sport and it demands a certain amount of athleticism. That being said, there are certain aspects of playing golf that can be improved through targeted exercise. Most of these exercises are designed to improve overall performance, while others are designed to help prevent injury.
golf swing
While walking and climbing on a golf course with a bag of clubs slung across your back provides a decent workout in itself, it’s the golf swing that tests the limits of what the human body can do. Many golf experts will be quick to point out that the golf swing is kinetically opposite of how the human body normally works. To create a good golf swing, a golfer has to retrain his body to go against his conventions.
Golf Training Tips
The exercises that will benefit a golfer the most focus on strength and flexibility. The strength exercises will focus on the arms, legs and back, while the exercises aimed at improving flexibility will target the joint areas, that is, the knees, hips and shoulders.
Strength Exercise Tips for Golfers
1. The legacy – Power in a golf swing comes from hip rotation and leg strength. Leg exercises such as leg presses and jogging will improve the endurance of the legs and help the golfer maintain stability and drive the ball better. Additionally, exercises that target the hamstring will strengthen that muscle and help prevent injuries that can occur when going up and down hills or in sand traps. Remember, you are not looking to build mass, you just want to tone muscle.
2. Arms and wrists – The best exercise for arms and wrists would be dumbbell curls. To avoid building mass, you may want to use lighter weights with higher reps. Any type of isometric arm exercise would also be helpful.
3. The back – The golf swing puts a lot of force on the lower back. The best exercises for the lower back and stomach muscles would be waist curves and abs. By varying the speed of these exercises, you can help tone your lower back muscles without building mass. This also improves flexibility and helps prevent injury.
Flexibility Exercise Tips for Golfers
1. The knees – During your golf swing, your knees should move from side to side. Any type of pivot exercise will help tone the muscles around the knees, helping to keep them stable.
2. The hips – The most important part of your body during the swing is your hips. The rotation of the hips. it will dictate how you get to the ball on the downswing, which determines whether or not you can control your direction. Any isometric exercise that tones your upper body should help you gain the “core” strength you need to swing consistently.
3. Shoulders – The limitations of the range of motion of your shoulders will be tested with a golf swing. Exercises that emphasize circular motion of the arms will help keep the shoulders flexible and stable during the swing.
The warm-up
Between walking and swinging golf clubs 200-250 times per round (practice swings included), every part of your body will be used and tested throughout the day. As with any other physical sport, it’s important to stretch key parts of your body before picking up a golf club. You can come up with a good warm-up routine by practicing the same routine before any workout you use to improve your overall golf performance. A good warm up is the key to preventing injuries that will ruin your day of golf.
