Strength Training: Done Right!
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2015-12-30
If you are a golfer that still questions why, consider this: the speed and power of the golf swing is similar to that of the baseball bat swing, the fastball pitch, striking in martial arts, the serve in tennis and the slap shot in hockey.
Athletes in each of these sports condition for their sports, why wouldn’t golfers? Yes, that’s right, golfers are athletes too.
Image Caption : An Excellent Golf-specific Strength Training Exercise Is The Rope Swing. Every avid golfer should condition for golf.
Strength training is a component of a comprehensive golf performance fitness program. A program consists of cardiovascular, posture, balance, flexibility, endurance, strength, stability and power training.
To develop strength it must be done the "right way" to improve the golf swing. When done properly, the strength training program will have a direct benefit on the performance of the golfer’s swing. Generic strength training exercise can yield results in swing improvement. However, golf conditioning exercises and golf-specific exercises will achieve the greatest performance improvements.
Golf conditioning exercises will train muscles and joints involved in the golf swing but are not specific to the swing, therefore they condition physical components of the golfer’s body for the swing.
This exercise must be performed in address stance and the hands and rope must travel on the plane that the golf club would travel in the golf swing.
Golf-specific exercises will resemble the swing in body position, movement planes and muscle activation; it is not possible to mimic the golf swing with strength training exercises. It is important to distinguish the difference between these exercises and use them strategically in a program.
Utilization of golf-specific strength training exercises that are cross-specific to the golf swing is the greatest strategy for the golfer to condition the body to swing the golf club and improve performance.
Training the body (muscles, joints and nerves) to the positions, movements and physical requirements of the golf swing will result in a transfer-of-training effect onto the course.
An excellent golf-specific strength training exercise is the Rope Swing. This exercise must be performed in address stance and the hands and rope must travel on the plane that the golf club would travel in the golf swing.
The goal of strength training, if done right, is to develop high levels of strength relative to the golf swing, hence the specificity of the exercises relative to the swing. Golf-specific strength training will increase the stability of the body providing the golfer the ability to maintain adequate spine angles, creating a consistent, efficient golf swing.
Golf-specific strengthening will also lead to greater stamina, more consistent and accurate shots, maximize balance capacities and improve distance of drives. Moreover, it will decrease the risk of injury and is the precursor to power in their swing.
Dr. Ryan Emmons is a Sport Chiropractor and certified Golf Performance Therapist. He is the developer of the GOLFITT Golf Conditioning Program and is the developer and instructor of the GOLFITT Golf Performance Trainer certification. Dr. Emmons is based out of Calgary and can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..