| I often hear from amateur golfers about how training | | | | greater efficiency in its ability to control body |
| with weights makes them feel "tight" and it ruin's | | | | movements and center of gravity. |
| their golf swing. Traveling on the PGA Tour I | | | | After you have looked at the flexibility and balance |
| disagree with this point of view completely. It is well | | | | components of a training program for golf, it is time |
| known that the top players on the PGA Tour; Tiger, | | | | to shift gears to the "weight training" side of the |
| Vijay, and Phil workout regularly. They praise the | | | | equation. The golf swing requires the development of |
| benefits of their workouts in the development of | | | | strength within the muscles of the body. You need |
| their golf swing. I am a first hand observer of what | | | | muscular strength to maintain a fixed spine angle, |
| they do in the gym on the days they play. | | | | create an efficient weight transfer, and develop |
| As a result, I see the reasons why amateurs do not | | | | clubhead speed. |
| workout as excuses rather than legitimate reasons. I | | | | The development of strength in the muscular system |
| would guess that the difficulty amateurs have with | | | | is where the amateur commonly makes mistakes. |
| weight training or working out in relation to the game | | | | Remember all the exercises in a cross-specific training |
| of golf is how to do it correctly. This article will | | | | program for golf must revolve around the |
| discuss how to properly workout to improve your | | | | movements of the swing, and create a benefit to |
| golf game. | | | | your play on the course. |
| Weight training is not bad for the golfer if done | | | | Typically, strength training is thought of as a group of |
| correctly. | | | | exercises that create "bulk" and build the "beach |
| Weight training done incorrectly is bad for the golfer. | | | | muscles". Bench pressing 300 and developing biceps |
| This is where the amateur gets sidetracked, | | | | like Arnold does not mean you'll drive the golf ball 300 |
| frustrated, and ends up thinking weight training is bad | | | | yards. |
| for golf. A typical weight training program found at | | | | Developing strength for the golf swing is very |
| many health clubs can be detrimental to the golf | | | | different from "football" or "bodybuilding" strength |
| swing. These types of programs can make you feel | | | | exercises. The golf swing uses the whole the body, |
| "tight", adversely affect your golf game, and leave | | | | from feet to fingertips. As a result, golfers need to |
| you frustrated. | | | | strengthen the entire body cross-specifically to the |
| The reason why these "generic" training programs | | | | movements of the golf swing. A key to strength |
| are counter productive to golf is their inability take | | | | training exercises for golf is to integrate the entire |
| into account what is required of the body in relation | | | | body into the exercise patterns, rather than isolating |
| to the golf swing. | | | | a specific muscle (a.k.a. bicep curls and bench press). |
| Golfers need to be very aware of a few important | | | | For example, bicep curls may make you look great |
| concepts when weight training in relation to the golf | | | | for the beach or fill out your golf shirt, but you do |
| swing. First and foremost, any training program for | | | | not swing the golf club with your biceps only. You |
| golf needs to be cross-specific. A cross-specific | | | | use your entire body, and as a result the strength |
| training program develops the body to the positions, | | | | training part of your program, must incorporate the |
| movements, and requirements of the sport you | | | | entire body. Exercises such as ball crunches, Russian |
| participate in. | | | | twists, single leg squats are beneficial strength training |
| Granted everyone's swing is slightly different but the | | | | exercises for golf. |
| base components are the same. All golfers rotate | | | | Completing the template of a golf specific training |
| around a fixed spine angle, transfer weight forward | | | | program is endurance training. The golf swing is a |
| and back during the swing, generate clubhead speed, | | | | repetitive movement. In a single round of golf the |
| attempt to square the club at impact, and complete | | | | swing is repeated numerous times. A week on Tour |
| the swing in a balanced finish position. | | | | might find players swinging the golf club well over |
| The main goal of a cross-specific training program is | | | | 1000's times. As a result, it is necessary to develop |
| develop your body physically around the golf swing. | | | | the endurance capacities of your muscular system. |
| This induces what is termed a transfer of training | | | | Developing endurance in your muscular system allows |
| effect onto the golf course. Simplified this states that | | | | you to repeat a movement over and over again |
| the training you do in the gym pays off on the | | | | without getting tired, a key component of the golf |
| course in a positive manner. | | | | swing. Once the body becomes tired, the ability to |
| Designing a weight training program for golf is a | | | | swing the golf club properly becomes impeded |
| simple process if done correctly. The best place to | | | | resulting in miss hits, lost distance, and poor shots. |
| start is with flexibility. Golfers need to be flexible. The | | | | Bottom line, you need to make the same swing |
| golf swing requires you to move the club through a | | | | consistently to score consistently. Endurance training |
| long range of motion, thus requiring your body to be | | | | assists in this process. |
| very flexible. Areas of the body that typically require | | | | To summarize; weight training and working out is |
| large amounts of flexibility for golf are; the | | | | beneficial to the golfer, if and only if it is done |
| hamstrings, lower back, hips, and shoulders. | | | | correctly. The wrong choice in the type of training |
| Oftentimes the amateur's swing can improve from | | | | program, exercise selection, or even exercise |
| just adding flexibility exercises to their training | | | | sequence can hinder your golf game. Choosing a |
| program. | | | | training program that is cross-specific to the golf |
| Another aspect of a cross-specific training program | | | | swing and induces a transfer of training effect onto |
| for golf is balance training. Balance is the ability of the | | | | the golf course is best. This type of program |
| body to control its' center of gravity and body parts | | | | incorporates; flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, |
| efficiently. Balance exercises address both the | | | | and power exercises relative to the golf swing |
| nervous and muscular systems of the body creating | | | | providing benefits to your body and golf game. |