Golf fitness exercises in the form of weight training can benefit the golf swing. The professional golfer utilized golf exercises in the form of weight training to improve the golf swing. Unfortunately an information gap exists for the amateur player on what are the proper weight training exercises and techniques to utilize for the sport of golf. All to often an amateur will utilize a general fitness or football orientated weight-training program to improve their golf game. The utilization of such programs may provide some benefit to the amateur golfer and their game, but these are not the ideal weight training programs to utilize for golf.
Golf as with any sport, requires the athlete to place the body in specific positions, execute certain functional movements, and develop specific forces. For example; A lineman in football must place themselves in a 3-point stance, extend forcefully from this position into their opponent, and attempt to move an individual weighing anywhere from 250-300 lbs. in a specific direction. The physical requirements to execute this set of athletic movements are quite different than athletic actions involved in the golf swing. As a result the training of a lineman for football is very different than fitness training for a golfer.
This is the reason why a football based or general fitness program are not the ideal programs to utilize for the sport of golf. The key component of weight training for golf is the following; Train the body to the anatomical positions, ranges of motion, and physical requirements of the sport. This will create a “transfer of training” effect of the weight-training program onto the actual golf swing.
The golf swing requires you to maintain a set spine angle, rotate around this fixed spine angle, and generate power during the swing. The weight training exercises utilized for golf should focus upon these three components of the swing.
In order to efficiently execute these actions, certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required. Weight training exercises can assist in the development of these physical parameters for the golf swing. Flexibility and balance training do not typically utilize external resistance (i.e. dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls). But the components of muscular strength, endurance, and power will absolutely utilize resistance training.
Common weight training exercises utilized in a golf fitness program entail rotation, the development of core strength, and endurance. A few exercises I commonly utilize in this section of my golf fitness programs are Medicine Ball Rotations, Rotational Dumbbell Lunges, Alternating Cable Chest Presses, and Single Arm Lat Pull Downs. Again these are only a few exercises that can be utilized in such a program.
Remember, training for the sport of golf is different than training for football or general wellness. The sport of golf requires you to train to the positions, requirements, and physical outputs of the sport. If you keep this principle in mind when choosing the strength training exercises in your program, the benefits will show in your golf swing and on the course. That being said, golf fitness exercises in the form of weight training can be a very beneficial component of a golf fitness program.