What Are The Best Exercises For The Golfer?

all the talk about the players on tour gettingswing…” But what does balance
stronger and more flexible, we hear a lot aboutexactly mean? Balance is the ability to control
exercising for golf from television commentatorsyour body through a specific movement pattern.
and read about it in the golf publications. But whatThe movement pattern we are discussing just
exactly are the best exercises for the amateurhappens 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, butso how do we train our body for better balance
before we give you the answer let us providein the golf swing? Before we answer that
some background so the answer makes a littlequestion we need to know a little more about
more sense to you. First of all, discussing the golfbalance. 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 ismuscles. Essentially your nervous system, as a
an athletic movement that requires using of theresult of messages sent from your brain, tells
entire body from “feet toyour muscles how to move to maintain the
fingertips” in order to complete the swing.body’s balance. The more efficient your
Realize that the golf swing is not about the club,nerves and muscles are to these messages the
not just about your grip, or where your head isgreater balance abilities the body develops. So
during the swing. The golf swing is a movementbalance exercises train both the nervous system
that requires your entire body to move through aand muscular system to become more efficient
sequence of movements with the correct timing.at this function. Summing it all up, balance is the
To perform the “athleticsecond category of exercises that will assist your
movement” of the golf swing requires thegolf game.
body to begin at address, move through theThe third category of exercises that are beneficial
actual phases of the golf swing and complete itto golf have to do with your muscles. The golf
with the follow through. In order to perform thisswing requires the muscles of your body to
activity with efficiency and repetitively, the bodymove through a specific range of motion
must have certain physical parameters.(flexibility) and help with your balance capacities. In
These parameters, as I call them, are actualorder to perform these actions and others, your
physical categories of the body that need to bebody needs certain levels of strength and
developed to a certain level. These categories ofendurance. The definition of strength is the ability
the body are the platform from which the bodyof the muscles to exert force for the given
is able to perform the athletic movement of a“athletic action” (simplified definition
golf swing efficiently. The categories are probablybut a good working definition for us). Endurance is
familiar to many of you, but for the purpose ofthe ability of your muscles to do the same
this article let us briefly run through them.activity over and over again for a specific amount
The body is required to have certain levels ofof time.
flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and powerFirst off, let us discuss strength. The golf swing
to complete a golf swing. If the body lacks in anyhas one intention of developing club head speed
of the above categories, then the results will bewhile maintaining balance through the swing. The
seen in the golf swing. The results are usually inmuscles in your body must have enough strength
the form of poor mechanics, bad shots, or poorin them to do both. Now, when we discuss building
scores on the course. So, now that we knowstrength for the golf swing it is NOT the type of
what the connection is between thestrength needed to bench press 250 lbs. Or squat
“body” and the500! It is strength geared towards the
“swing” let us address theimprovement of your swing. I refer to this type
question about the best exercises for golf.of strength as “golf strength.” So
The Best Exercises for Golfwhen you get to the gym, performing strength
Let’s say you walk into your local healthexercises like bench press will not help your swing.
club and see all the fancy machines and aerobicExercises that train the body in the positions and
machines at the facility to get you shape. Whatthrough the movements of the golf swing will help
ones would choose? Would you choose running onyour swing.
the treadmill for 30 minutes, or would it be betterIn addition to strength, we need to develop
to 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 theswings 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 toclub the same way on the 18th hole as you did
“pump you up!” or give you thaton the 1st hole. Your body has to have high levels
“six pack” are not necessarily theof endurance. This will allow your body to perform
correct exercises for your golf game. Neither isthe golf swing without getting tired. You develop
that weight training program you used back inendurance similar to how you develop
high school. So, with those thoughts in mind what“golf strength.” Utilize exercises
do you think the best exercises for golf are?that train the body in the positions and through
Right now we know, in general terms about thethe movements of the golf swing. Lighter loads
golf swing, what is required of the body for thewith higher repetitions will be used for these
golf swing and what exercises are not good forexercises. The end result will be the development
the swing. Armed with that knowledge we canof “golf endurance.”
decipher what the best exercises for golf are forThe final segment of exercises beneficial to your
you.golf swing is power training. Power training is
Beginning with flexibility, we know that the entiregeared towards the ability of your body to
body must move through certain ranges ofgenerate high levels of club head speed. Power
motion to perform an effective golf swing. Anddevelopment by the body is what allows for
what happens if your body is not able to movegreater distance on your shots. Clubs help, golf
through the required ranges of motion of the golfballs help, but it really comes down to the piece of
swing? The answer: the golf swing willmachinery, your body, swinging those club and
mechanically suffer resulting in shots that are lesshitting those golf balls. Development of power for
than optimal. So part of the exercises that arethe golf swing is very similar to the development
good for golfers are flexibility exercises and, evenof “golf strength and endurance.”
more so, flexibility exercises that work theIt is the utilization of exercises that place your
muscles used in the golf swing through thebody in the positions and move you through
movements involved in the golf swing. So firstmovements similar to the golf swing.
and foremost flexibility exercises should be on theSummary
top of your list.So there you have it, the answer to the types of
The second category of exercises that would beexercises best for the improvement of your golf
conducive to the golf swing would have to doswing. I think you now realize it is not one
with balance. We hear about balance in referenceexercise, but a group of exercises that
to the golf swing all the time. “Stayincorporate flexibility, balance, endurance, strength,
balanced through the swing; transfer your weightand power. A combination of these exercises is
to maintain balance during thewhat will enhance your golf swing.