Golf fitness, in particular strength and conditioning is growing at a rapid rate and this is enabling golfers both amateurs and professionals to be hitting further, scoring lower and performing better than ever before. One of the underpinning factors of golf fitness training is power and in particular power generated from the ground up.
Learn how to generate power in the most efficient and effective way possible with our recommended exercises. Watch each video clip and see the improvements come.
LOWER BODY POWER EXERCISES
1. 360 Jump
The golf swing involves large degrees of rotation around your hips and lumbar spine which is combined with the force generation in an upward and rotational motion starting from the ground up. The ‘360 Jump’ exercise combines both of these aspects of a golf swing, working on power from the ground up and full body coordination and rotation.
2. Power Snatch
Getting your body and muscles used to quick and powerful movements around your legs and hips will really help you power through your golf swing into a strong point of impact with the ball. The Power Snatch is an excellent exercise for this powerful motion using your legs, hips and lower back. By integrating this exercise it will also improve your strength in these areas and this will also help you become more stable during your golf swing and therefore more accurate and consistent.
3. Box Jump
Box Jumps are a great way to build your power and this variation of the exercise is more specific to golf due to it involving a 90 degree twist when jumping. Twisting 90 degrees will simulate your body’s rotational force during a golf swing and will influence the way that you start your swing from the ground up. This exercise is also targeting your core with the need to stabilise when landing on the box which will help with your body’s force transfer through your core.
UPPER BODY POWER EXERCISES
Golf is all about rotational power, especially in your upper body and core. This exercise is great for teaching and improving your body’s ability to dissociate your upper body from your lower body, which enables you to generate more power in your swing. During this exercise it is very important to use the correct technique and engage your core to ensure that you don’t injure yourself.
This exercise is very good for improving the impact phase of your golf swing due to the large downward force that your body is generating which replicates your down swing. To get the most out of this exercise a squat has been introduced in order to get more rhythm into the exercise and therefore improving your timing in your swing which is crucial to good ball striking.
Push-Up Drops are designed to develop your force absorption and generation in your upper body and chest. This exercise can also help with the speed in which your upper body can generate force as well as improving your core stability. During this exercise try to control your body’s decent as much as possible and then just as your chest touches the floor explode and push yourself back into the starting position.
It is important to remember that your core is a big part of your golf game as it helps transfer the force you are generating from the ground up, so make sure you dedicate plenty of time to doing good core strength and stabilisation exercises.
Using these exercises can and will lead to measurable results and improvements on the golf course. Golf exercises directly lead to better athleticism during your golf swing, and help you prevent injuries while you’re playing! If you’d like to read another comprehensive guide on golf workouts, head over to our friends at Fairway Approach to read more!
You can also head over to one of our other golf related blogs here.
Written by our resident golfer & Sports Therapist, Danny Barnes
