Golf is an engagement between you and nature that involves precision shot making coupled with a temperament that can withstand a variety of circumstances. The importance of a solid mental game will not be undermined by anybody who has suffered from golf’s sometimes very unforgiving nature. The majority of players may never realize the optimal psychological part of the game; however, the ideal physical side could be. Proper mechanics involves a complete harmony between balance, flexibility and strength. This article will centre on the importance of functional strength needed in golf and its ability to dictate our outcome.
The constant lengthening of courses can create a dent in your bank account if you make a trip to the golf store each year in an attempt to have technology be your crutch. This modern approach to golf can and should be avoided by maintaining solid muscular balance. Having the strength to achieve long and powerful shots is not dependent on your ability to bench press 300 lbs or squat half a tonne. Being able to hit the ball a sufficient distance has, among other things, a lot to do with your functional strength. Functional strength basically means your ability to activate the golf specific muscles in a fashion as to promote a fluid transition between all the stages of the swing.
It is very common to see people at the gym overworking their “mirror muscles”. These are the superficial muscles, such as your chest, biceps, abs and quads, that people tend to focus on because of their aesthetic appeal. Humans have roughly 650 muscles yet the focus tends to lie in just a fraction of them. Performing constant isolation exercises does not teach your body to work as a team. More focus should be placed on dynamic, multi-joint workouts, as this training protocol will result in a more efficient body.
Multi-joint training can be fun and challenging, especially when you try and choose exercises that directly mimic the sports you love. By practicing the specific movements needed for a game such as golf you can watch your progress increase as the resistance you use becomes easier and easier.
Using exercise equipment that combines balance and strength is ideal because you get the best that both have to offer. Doing a chest press on a fitness ball, for example, is a great way to increase your upper body strength but, in tandem with that, you will reap the benefits of lateral balance training.
There has been some scrutiny in the past as to the role that strength training should play for golfers. Some used to believe that a loss in flexibility and range of motion were certain pitfalls of having golfers follow a strength training regimen. The fact is that if you train using full range of motion techniques your flexibility will actually improve. Resistance training can have a very positive effect on your golf swing, as over time you will develop kinaesthetic awareness. Kinaesthetic awareness is your ability to know exactly where your body is, or should be, in relation to your surrounding area. The direct correlation therefore is that as your sense of surrounding becomes more acute, the easier it becomes to keep your club and body on the correct path and swing plane. Perfecting your swing mechanics will only take you so far, after that, in order to improve there needs to be an increase in your physical self.
The following training routine is designed to improve your overall lean muscle mass while placing extra focus on the biomechanics of the golf swing.
Fitness Ball – excellent for stability, balance and toning
Dumbbells – 5 lbs and up
Medicine Balls – useful for dynamic, multi joint exercises
Exercise 1 – Walking Lunges with Medicine Ball (MB) Axe Chop (leg strength; stability)
In a fairly large room or down a hallway grab a MB or something that weighs 4-12 lbs
Begin by stepping forward with one foot (this foot should be far enough in front of you so that if you drop your back knee to the ground your legs would both be at 90 degrees)
While looking forward the entire set (to ensure proper spine angle) drop your back knee to within an inch of the ground while bringing the MB towards the knee closest to the ground, pause, and then return to the starting position
You are going to lunge forward until you reach the end of the room, then turn around and head back
Do 4 – 8 lengths of the room
Exercise 2 – Fitness Ball Chest Press (chest strength; lateral balance)
Place your head and shoulders on the ball
Start with weights on your chest
Push both weights towards the ceiling while exhaling, pause, and then return weights to the start position while inhaling
Keep your hips elevated and maintain a tight core
Choose a weight that allows only 12 to 15 reps
Remember to push the weights over your chest, not your head
Exercise 3 – Supine Twist on Fitness Ball with a MB (core strength; stability)
Place your shoulders on the ball
Keep your hips elevated and your feet shoulder width apart
Hold the MB straight out, maintain a stable pelvis and slowly rotate your trunk from side to side
Twist side to side at a slow pace 20 to 30 times
Exercise 4 – Diagonal Row to Shoulder Press (back, neck and shoulder strength)
Stand with your feet slightly bigger than shoulder width apart
Hold a dumbbell that is approximately 40% of your normal shoulder press weight with your palm facing forwards and your arm bend 90 degrees
Do a squat and crossover movement while reaching the weighted hand to the opposite foot
Make sure to keep your back in its natural alignment
Have your knees bent as you reach down and rotate the back foot as you squat
Return to the start position and then shoulder press the dumbbell over your head
Aim for 12 to 15 reps per side
Repeat this routine 3 times consecutively
Adding 1 pound of muscle will cause you to burn off 75-100 more calories while at rest
1 pound of fat stores 3500 calories
You can’t choose where you want to lose fat; doing 100’s of crunches doesn’t mean you will lose the fat over your abs