If you’re a golfer looking to shoot lower scores or participating in other sports that require core rotation and hip/shoulder stability, such as rock climbing or paddle boarding, the first step to improving your performance is an effective golf fitness program. Reach your on-course potential by building your best golf body in the gym with these five exercises.
Warm-Up
A complete warm-up addresses all three planes of motion: front-to-back, side-to-side and rotational movements. Work through this list twice.
- Alternating High Knee Pulls
- Alternating Quadricep Pulls
- High Knees
- Butt Kicks
- Side Shuffles
- Karaoke Shuffle
- Lateral Bound
- Bear Crawl
- 45 Degree Bound
- Lunge with Torso Twist
Workout
Complete three rounds of two sets of each exercise in a circuit style program.
1. Half kneeling chop
2 Sets of 12 Reps
This is a great exercise for increasing club-head speed and stability of the hip.
With your body parallel to the cable, kneel with your right knee forward and left knee back on the floor. Grasp the cable, located over your right shoulder, stay tall and pull it across your chest down to the front of the left hip.
Take a breath then release the cable. Repeat on the other side.
2. Kettlebell arm bar
2 Sets of 12 Reps
This exercise helps increaseenergy-transfer efficiency from the body to the golf club by stabilizing the shoulder.
Begin by lying on your back, holding the kettlebell (KB) with a straight right arm above your shoulder, palm facing in. Bring the right knee up to a 90 degree position and place the left arm directly above your head and flat on the floor.
Roll onto your side using the vertical knee to guide you. Once you’ve rolled over, rotate the palm of the hand holding the KB up towards your face.
Hold the position for 2 seconds, take a breath and return to the starting position. Repeat on other side.
3. Kneeling Hamstring Stand
2 Sets of 12 Reps
The tall kneeling hamstring stand requires hip stability, abdominal activation and shoulder joint control simultaneously.
Begin in a kneeling position with your toes dug firmly into the ground. Anchor a band to a door jamb or post directly behind you so that the band has no slack.
Holding the band, rise up onto your knees and raise your arms above your head. Create tension in your glutes, abdominals and shoulder-blade muscles, resisting the backward pull of the band.
Take a breath and return to the starting position.
4. TRX Split Overhead Reach
2 Sets of 12 Reps
This drill’s difficulty is a 10 out of 10 but will elevate your game by adding hip, core and shoulder stability in a rotated position. Before you can efficiently rotate, you must learn how to stop rotation!
Stand parallel to the TRX with the left leg forward and right leg back. Hold the TRX loops in each hand and rotate your torso away from the anchor point. Reach above your head and lean on an angle, resisting the torsional forces in the abdominal, hip and shoulder regions.
At the end range of motion, take a breath and return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Coaching Tip: The intensity of this exercise increases and decreases with how close your feet are to the anchor point of the TRX. The closer your feet, the harder it is.
5. Upper Body Rolling Patterns
2 Sets of 12 Reps
It might seem simple, but this drill will take your ability to rotate in your golf swing to the next level.
Lying on your back, assume a position with both arms above your head and feet together. Without using your lower body, turn your head to the left, reach across your face with the right arm, rolling over from right to left until you’re face down.
Once face down, take the same arm that rolled you over, lift it up, turn your head over the same shoulder, rolling over onto your back without using your lower body.
Repeat on the other side.
Coaching Tip: If you’re finding you’re stuck and can’t start the rotation, slide a pillow underneath the shoulder of the arm that is reaching across your body.
Photos by Ronald Lee
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