15 Best Exercises for your Golf Swing Revealed

There are so many exercises that would be useful to add into an exercise programme for a golfer. They would vary by age, gender, handicap, previous medical history, goal and the list could go on with endless variables. But in this article I’m going to reveal the best 15 that I’ve found to be the most useful for almost every golfer.

Squat
Jefferson Curl
Pallof Press
Woodchoppers
Medicine Ball Oblique Twists
Shoulder Rotator Cuff
Dead-bugs
Squat Jumps
Medicine Ball Throwdowns
Goblet Squats
Bent Over Row
Pull-up
Push-up
Single Leg Deadlifts
Land mine Press

WHY SHOULD GOLFERS EXERCISE?

Movement and stability (strength) through out the swing is vitally important. It affects how you swing the club. Poor mobility and/or strength will impact adversely on your golf swing.

Therefore the less mobile and weaker you are, the more your injury risk increases.

A strong and mobile golfer will, in theory, be able to deliver power throughout the golf swing more efficiently than a golfer who does not possess these characteristics. Crucially more power equals more distance off the tee.

WHAT DO I NEED TO WORK ON?

1. HIPS

The hips generate power in the golf swing. So it’s important to couple some of the strength moves with some mobility drills. I like Goblet Squats and Glute Bridges for power and Pigeon Pose and the Standing Hip Flexor Hip Drill for improved hip mobility.

Activation of the hips is critical in maintaining posture in the golf swing and it enables you to tap into the power from the ground through the legs which is the secret of true distance.

2. THORACIC SPINE

Another important aspect of the golf swing is your ability to adequately load the back swing by achieving a full turn through the upper back. Golfers that struggle with this tend to have problems with distance or the golfer having to make compensations to try and get a fuller back swing, like a reverse pivot.

I like Palof Presses and Woodchoppers as well as Cat Camel and Thread the Needle Mobility Drills

3. LEGS

The power house.

Strong legs will enable us to use the mobility generated through the hips to connect with the ground and give us the “from the ground up” power move.

I like Jumping Squats and Single Leg Deadlifts here.

4. SHOULDERS

The inherent mobility of the shoulder joint is what gives us the ability to move with freedom in the golf swing. We need to be able to externally rotate the shoulders in order to set the club on the right “path”

Golfers with tight, stiff and weak shoulders either have a “path” that is either too steep or too shallow. Both these positions can lead to issues within the golf swing.

I like shoulder exercises like Cable External Rotation and the landmine press as well as Wall External Rotation Stretch and Pectoral wall stretches.

DOES PLAYING GOLF IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS?

We have seen how we can improve our golf by working on our strength and mobility, but the actual act of playing golf is very beneficial for our health and fitness too.

If we choose to walk, we will cover between four and six miles each round that we play which equates to 1200-3000 Calories burnt (less if you make a smash and grab raid on the halfway hut!) So this means we will give our cardiovascular system a great workout.

The muscles used during the golf swing, walking and pushing your trolley will all receive a good workout over the course of a round.

Conclusion

I’ve revealed the best exercises out of the 1000’s that you could choose. I would choose one exercise for each of the four body parts that I’ve identified as being crucial for the golf swing. Start there. Do the exercises 3 – 4 times per week. I like to recommend starting with 10-12 repetitions of each exercise, completing 2-3 sets of each movement.

See how you feel and how your body reacts. Remember that if these exercises are new to you, that you may feel some stiffness or achey muscles after you’ve performed them. Do not let this deter you!

Finally, it will take you anywhere between 4-8 weeks in order to start noticing the affects of your endeavours. Don’t give up! We are developing a bullet proof body that will help you to gain more strength, stability and movement generally but which will benefit your golf swing greatly.

Good luck!

Get in touch with MT Phsyio Clinic if you have any questions.