| With all the talk about the players on tour getting | | | | maintain balance during the swing..." But what does |
| stronger and more flexible, we hear a lot about | | | | balance exactly mean? Balance is the ability to |
| exercising for golf from television commentators | | | | control your body through a specific movement |
| and read about it in the golf publications. But what | | | | pattern. The movement pattern we are discussing |
| exactly are the best exercises for the amateur | | | | just happens to be the golf swing. We know the |
| golfer? | | | | importance of balance in relation to the golf swing, |
| A great question that has a good answer, but | | | | so how do we train our body for better balance |
| before we give you the answer let us provide | | | | in the golf swing? Before we answer that |
| some background so the answer makes a little | | | | question we need to know a little more about |
| more sense to you. First of all, discussing the golf | | | | balance. Balance in relation to the body has to do |
| swing for the time being will get us rolling. | | | | with the connection between your nerves and |
| What exactly is the golf swing? The golf swing is | | | | muscles. Essentially your nervous system, as a |
| an athletic movement that requires using of the | | | | result of messages sent from your brain, tells |
| entire body from "feet to fingertips" in order to | | | | your muscles how to move to maintain the |
| complete the swing. Realize that the golf swing is | | | | body's balance. The more efficient your nerves |
| not about the club, not just about your grip, or | | | | and muscles are to these messages the greater |
| where your head is during the swing. The golf | | | | balance abilities the body develops. So balance |
| swing is a movement that requires your entire | | | | exercises train both the nervous system and |
| body to move through a sequence of | | | | muscular system to become more efficient at |
| movements with the correct timing. To perform | | | | this function. Summing it all up, balance is the |
| the "athletic movement" of the golf swing | | | | second category of exercises that will assist your |
| requires the body to begin at address, move | | | | golf game. |
| through the actual phases of the golf swing and | | | | The third category of exercises that are beneficial |
| complete it with the follow through. In order to | | | | to golf have to do with your muscles. The golf |
| perform this activity with efficiency and | | | | swing requires the muscles of your body to |
| repetitively, the body must have certain physical | | | | move through a specific range of motion |
| parameters. | | | | (flexibility) and help with your balance capacities. In |
| These parameters, as I call them, are actual | | | | order to perform these actions and others, your |
| physical categories of the body that need to be | | | | body needs certain levels of strength and |
| developed to a certain level. These categories of | | | | endurance. The definition of strength is the ability |
| the body are the platform from which the body | | | | of the muscles to exert force for the given |
| is able to perform the athletic movement of a | | | | "athletic action" (simplified definition but a good |
| golf swing efficiently. The categories are probably | | | | working definition for us). Endurance is the ability |
| familiar to many of you, but for the purpose of | | | | of your muscles to do the same activity over |
| this article let us briefly run through them. | | | | and over again for a specific amount of time. |
| The body is required to have certain levels of | | | | First off, let us discuss strength. The golf swing |
| flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and power | | | | has one intention of developing club head speed |
| to complete a golf swing. If the body lacks in any | | | | while maintaining balance through the swing. The |
| of the above categories, then the results will be | | | | muscles in your body must have enough strength |
| seen in the golf swing. The results are usually in | | | | in them to do both. Now, when we discuss building |
| the form of poor mechanics, bad shots, or poor | | | | strength for the golf swing it is NOT the type of |
| scores on the course. So, now that we know | | | | strength needed to bench press 250 lbs. Or squat |
| what the connection is between the "body" and | | | | 500! It is strength geared towards the |
| the "swing" let us address the question about the | | | | improvement of your swing. I refer to this type |
| best exercises for golf. | | | | of strength as "golf strength." So when you get |
| The Best Exercises for Golf | | | | to the gym, performing strength exercises like |
| Let's say you walk into your local health club and | | | | bench press will not help your swing. Exercises |
| see all the fancy machines and aerobic machines | | | | that train the body in the positions and through |
| at the facility to get you shape. What ones would | | | | the movements of the golf swing will help your |
| choose? Would you choose running on the | | | | swing. |
| treadmill for 30 minutes, or would it be better to | | | | In addition to strength, we need to develop |
| push out a couple sets of bench presses? Well, | | | | endurance in your muscles. Think of how many |
| the answer to our question really lies within the | | | | swings you may take over the course of 18 |
| connection between your swing and your body. | | | | holes. In order for you to be able to swing the |
| I will tell you that exercises meant to "pump you | | | | club the same way on the 18th hole as you did |
| up!" or give you that "six pack" are not | | | | on the 1st hole. Your body has to have high levels |
| necessarily the correct exercises for your golf | | | | of endurance. This will allow your body to perform |
| game. Neither is that weight training program you | | | | the golf swing without getting tired. You develop |
| used back in high school. So, with those thoughts | | | | endurance similar to how you develop "golf |
| in mind what do you think the best exercises for | | | | strength." Utilize exercises that train the body in |
| golf are? | | | | the positions and through the movements of the |
| Right now we know, in general terms about the | | | | golf swing. Lighter loads with higher repetitions will |
| golf swing, what is required of the body for the | | | | be used for these exercises. The end result will |
| golf swing and what exercises are not good for | | | | be the development of "golf endurance." |
| the swing. Armed with that knowledge we can | | | | The final segment of exercises beneficial to your |
| decipher what the best exercises for golf are for | | | | golf swing is power training. Power training is |
| you. | | | | geared towards the ability of your body to |
| Beginning with flexibility, we know that the entire | | | | generate high levels of club head speed. Power |
| body must move through certain ranges of | | | | development by the body is what allows for |
| motion to perform an effective golf swing. And | | | | greater distance on your shots. Clubs help, golf |
| what happens if your body is not able to move | | | | balls help, but it really comes down to the piece of |
| through the required ranges of motion of the golf | | | | machinery, your body, swinging those club and |
| swing? The answer: the golf swing will | | | | hitting those golf balls. Development of power for |
| mechanically suffer resulting in shots that are less | | | | the golf swing is very similar to the development |
| than optimal. So part of the exercises that are | | | | of "golf strength and endurance." It is the |
| good for golfers are flexibility exercises and, even | | | | utilization of exercises that place your body in the |
| more so, flexibility exercises that work the | | | | positions and move you through movements |
| muscles used in the golf swing through the | | | | similar to the golf swing. |
| movements involved in the golf swing. So first | | | | Summary |
| and foremost flexibility exercises should be on the | | | | So there you have it, the answer to the types of |
| top of your list. | | | | exercises best for the improvement of your golf |
| The second category of exercises that would be | | | | swing. I think you now realize it is not one |
| conducive to the golf swing would have to do | | | | exercise, but a group of exercises that |
| with balance. We hear about balance in reference | | | | incorporate flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, |
| to the golf swing all the time. "Stay balanced | | | | and power. A combination of these exercises is |
| through the swing; transfer your weight to | | | | what will enhance your golf swing. |