Fitness For Golf

Exercises for your golf game takes an understanding of how the muscles are involved while swinging and how they can be improved. There are four components to golf-specific conditioning training:

• Strength Training
• Flexibility
• Cardiovascular Endurance
• Nutrition

Neglecting any of these components will ultimately slow down your progress.

Strength Training

At Address – the knees are flexed, which takes adequate strength in the quadriceps muscles and you are bent at the hips which takes strength and flexibility to maintain your posture throughout your swing.

Being in your address position also takes a lot of abdominal strength to maintain your upper body angle. Carrying extra weight in the mid-section of your body will pull you forward, which will result in a very unstable golf swing and undue tension in the lower back. A weak lower back will make it difficult to maintain posture and cannot withstand the physical demands of the golf swing.

With stronger abs, hamstrings, upper and lower back muscles you will be applying maximum clubhead speed into the ball. You will also avoid coming out of your swing to completion if these muscles are strong and flexible enough.

Flexibility

The combination of strength training and flexibility for optimal golf performance is vitally important to be able to execute the proper swing mechanics. Strength training without stretching develops tight and restricted muscles for the golf swing.

Your hamstrings are under tension and your lower back is susceptible to undue pressure and strain when you’re in the address position. If your hamstrings are loose enough, you will be able to maintain the proper position with little or no tension on your lower back.

Your hamstrings must be flexible enough to allow you to maintain your spine angle; your torso and lower back have to be capable of attaining the position of the upper body turned over a stable lower body. Your entire left side, up through the back of your left shoulder should be flexible enough to create maximum stretch and torque for the downswing. If you are restricted in these areas you will compensate by lifting your arms, instead of turning your shoulder and you will come over the top with your upper body to compensate for the lack of flexibility.

Strength and flexibility in your torso, legs and upper body (back, chest and shoulders) will enable you to maintain perfect body positions past impact and create long straight drives and hit accurate shots.

Cardiovascular Endurance

Golfers need cardiovascular conditioning to maintain energy and focus throughout the round. Just walking the course a couple of times a week isn’t enough to improve your aerobic capacity for optimal golf, you need to do your cardio sessions at an intensity that is slightly higher than when you walk the course. You’ll need up to 3 cardio sessions a week or walk the course at a faster than normal pace, at least 10 percent faster, for an extended period of time to really see a benefit.

Nutrition

You perform from what you eat. Your body needs both carbohydrates and protein. With proper nutrition knowledge, you will make wise food choices and maintain a healthy weight and feel energized throughout the day. Following a healthy balanced diet will benefit you both on and off the course.