Braddah Greg | 
05 21st, 2009| 
Have you ever wondered what workout/exercises you should be doing when toning your body up for golf? I’m trying to put together some new golf workouts to get your body ready, and what I mean by ready is to get it strong and flexible. I thought I’d highlight some other workouts that my help you prepare for other springtime/summertime activities.
Warm Up Exercises
These exercises I’m about to mention are intended to warm up the entire body with a focus on abs, back, arms and hips. Always take a few minutes before your game to warm up and stretch. You’ll protect yourself from injury as well as improve your range of motion for that ‘killer’ golf swing. It’s always good practice to warm up 5 minutes before hitting the links and to use one of your clubs to help in going through your exercises/stretches.
- Arm Circles – This is to warm up the shoulder rotators and arms. Take the right arm straight up in front of you and circle it back and around in a full circle. Start slowly and, as you feel warmer, speed up to make the move more dynamic. Repeat for 20 reps, switch sides and then circle both arms at the same time for 20 more reps.
- Trunk Rotations – Warm up those abs and back. Hold the golf club behind the upper back, holding the club on either side. Rotate the torso to the right, just as you would to take a swing, rotating it back and all the way through to the left. Focus on keeping the lower body stable and all movement in the torso. Repeat as necessary.
- Side Bends – Stretch and strengthen the torso. Hold the golf club with hands wider than shoulders and take it up over the head, arms straight. Lean to the right, taking the club as far as you comfortably can, feeling a stretch in the left side of the body. Come back to center and repeat to the left for 20 reps.
Golf Strength Training Workout
This section targets the entire body with a specific focus on the muscles you use the most in golf – the abs, back, rotators and hips. Working on overall strength, you’ll increase the strength and power of your golf swing while protecting your body from the injuries that can happen with repetitive movements. Try to do these workout 2-3 times a week, with at least one day of rest in between and incorporate regular cardio exercise for a healthy heart.
- Barbell Deadlift – Hold a heavy barbell in front of the thighs, knees slightly bent. Keeping abs in and shoulders back, tip from the hips and lower the weight towards the floor, stopping when you feel a stretch in the hamstrings. Squeeze the glutes to stand back up, repeating for 2 sets of 12 reps. This exercise strengthens the lower back, glutes and hamstrings, muscles that provide strength and stability for your golf swing.
- Reverse Fly – Sit on a chair or bench and hold weights under your bent knees, back flat and abs engaged. Lift the arms up to shoulder level, squeezing shoulder blades together and keeping the elbows slightly bent. Repeat for 2 sets of 12 reps. This move strengthens the rear shoulders and the rhomboids (muscles between the shoulder blades), muscles that protect the rotators and work during the follow through of a golf swing.
- Tricep Dips – Sit on a chair or bench with hands next to the hips. Lift up and take the hips in front of the chair. Bend the elbows and lower down until elbows are at 90-degree angles. Keep the hips close to the chair to protect the shoulders and keep the shoulders down and away from the ears. Repeat for 2 sets of 12 reps. This move strengthens the triceps, which helps keep your arm straight on the follow-through.
More Useful Exercises
The following exercises that may also help you with your golf game are challenging ones. Moves that target the entire body, specifically the core.
- Back Extensions – Lie face down with hands behind the head. Lift upper body off the ground a few inches, keeping head and neck in alignment, then lift feet off the ground keeping legs straight. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
- Back/Shoulder Stretch – Stand in front of ball and place the side of the right hand on the ball (thumb pointing up). Roll the ball towards the left while keeping the hips square. Hold for 3-5 breaths and switch to the other side.
- Wood Chop with Band/Dumbbell – This move targets the entire body, especially the abs and back. Attach one end of a resistance band to something sturdy, grasp band and dumbbell in both hands and begin in a lunge position. Keeping the arms straight, rotate the body towards and sweep the arms up on a diagonal. Repeat for 12-16 reps on each side.
Hopefully by following some of these helpful hints in prepping your body for a good golf game, you’ll be able to lower that score little by little until finally your the “top dogg” of the group. I myself, with this valuable information may be able to take down our so called ‘top dogg” that we have in our daily saturday golf game.
