With everything else in golf, finding balance and a happy medium will be the key to a successful fitness program. There is such thing as being too flexible or too strong in the golf swing that will hurt your performance just as having deficiencies in strength and flexibility will. You never want to overdo a good thing with your workouts.
All golf fitness programs should focus on three major muscles groups to add power, consistency, prevent injury and improve overall golf performance.
- Core Muscles
- Hamstrings and Glutes
- Flexibility
Primary Core Muscles Used In The Golf Swing
The core is the body minus the legs and arms. The core muscles are the engine that drive your golf swing. Your Power originates from the center of of your body and is transferred out to your arms and hands in a chain reaction that multiplies in force. The transition from backswing to downswing is a very dynamic move that requires the core muscles to tantalize the spine and pelvis. Lower back pain is an all too common injury amongst golfers. Strengthening thereby stabilizing your center will help reduce the strain put on your lower back.
Strengthen all area of your core
- Abdominals or Rectus Abdominus: (six pack abs)
- Obliques (sides)
- Lower back
- Upper back
- Lower Body (hips and legs)
Hamstrings and Glutes Muscles Used In The Golf Swing
If you have a hard time maintaining posture in the golf swing strengthening your glutes and hamstrings can help solve this problem. You will also get the added benefit of increase power and prevent lower back injury. My favorite exercises for the lower body include squats, dead-lifts, and plyometrics.
Flexibility
The golf swing requires a lot of movements that are tough on the body. You can seriously injure yourself as a result of putting yourself in difficult position. Ideal positions in the golf swing require a fair amount of flexibility. With poor flexibility you may never have the capability of reaching these position no matter how hard you practice and as a result your game suffers. Increased range of motion with added strength will allow you to hit the ball more consistent are farther with less effort.
Golf is a total body motion. Yoga exercises with stretching is great for targeting all areas of your body and is great for your golf swing.
Stay Motivated
Everyone’s body will response differently to training, find a fitness program that gives you results and stick with it. I like to focus on adding strength in the off season and maintaining muscle and flexibility when tournaments start. P90x workout program is a great option that builds your core, flexibility, and everything else you could need for golfers just getting started with fitness.
