Get Control of Your Core For a Powerful Golf Swing!

The core has become a popular area to exercise forpoint. A golfer needs to have control of their core
all kinds of reasons. Sometimes people do coreand the ability to stabilize in the correct sequence of
exercises because they were told to do so, andthe swing. What this does, is allow the energy
others do them because they think it will make themdevelop in the backswing (coil) to be transferred
look better. Core training for sports and fitness hasthrough the body during the downswing and
evolved from the principles that we used in backfollow-through (uncoil). The golf swing is essentially
rehabilitation in the 90's. I won't speak to the entirethe loading and unloading of energy to be imparted
philosophy and detail of core training but I will discussto the golf ball.
it as it relates to the golf swing.The first step in gaining control of your core is to
The core is the muscular area that makes up theperfect these two movements I will describe here.
pelvic and abdominal region of the body. There areYou perform both of these movements in the golf
essentially hundreds of different exercises that focusposture with your arms across your chest. The first
in on the core area. You can do anything fromis pelvic tilts to the front and back. In the golf
muscle specific training we taught back pain patients,posture I want you to think of your pelvis as a
to medicine ball training, to Pilates. The bottom line is,bucket of water and you want to spill the water out
we all need a core that functions correctly and hasthe front & back by tilting the pelvis. Don't let
strength, and endurance.anything else move. Keep the upper body and legs
The importance of a correctly functioning core is,completely still.
that we need it for all other movements our bodyThe next movement is to twist the pelvis left &
goes through. It helps direct functional movementright. Again do not let the upper body move at all.
patterns by controlling and transferring forcesThe knees can move a little with this one but not
through the body.the trunk or shoulders. This is a rotation of the pelvis
Now when it comes to the golf swing this is the keynot a side to side movement.