Fatigue makes cowards of us all. It also makes us poorer golfers. Getting tired on the back nine is no fun. Inexplicably, it seems, you find yourself making mistakes on the back nine you didn’t make on the front nine, costing yourself strokes. Preventing fatigue is why you see more and more professional golfers getting in shape these days, including Tiger Woods, who works as hard at it as anyone.
Here are five keys to improving golf muscles:
* Focus on flexibility
* Work on balance training
* Exercise for symmetry
* Avoid bulking up
* Include cardiovascular training
The secret to developing your golf muscles is focusing on three things: flexibility, balance, and symmetry. Combining a workout routine emphasizing these there elements and cardiovascular conditioning, like running, swimming, or power walking, strengthens not only your golf muscles but also your whole body. Together, they lower your scores while they prolong your life.
Before a round, focus on exercises emphasizing flexibility, like stretching the back and shoulder muscles, and the rotary muscles of the hips, torso, and rotary cuffs. After a round or when you’re not playing in the winter, concentrate on strength and balance training, like imitating the golf swing using a weighted club or resistance bands to increase range of motion.
Keep in mind, however, that the key with strength and balance training is symmetry. That means doing exercises in both directions to develop both sides. For a left-handed golfer that entails swinging a weighted club from both the left and the right sides. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a strong left side and a weak right side, creating the peak conditions for an injury.
Performing exercises on one leg instead of two also improves balance. But remember to switch legs. Assuming a golf-swing posture as you go through your routine helps. Also, don’t bulk up too much if you’re into resistance training. Bulking up hurts the stretching you’ve done.
And don’t forget to add a cardiovascular workout to your routine. Your heart is a muscle, too. It needs exercise to strengthen itself just like your arms, hips, shoulders, and back. Work at staying in shape and you’ll not only post lower scores, you’ll lead a healthier life.
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Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly working with professional golfers, most notable PGA and Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness exercises and training programs go to Core Golf Fitness
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