Golf

Sean Cochran asked:


Golf exercises used correctly can increase the power, speed, and distance of your tee shots. Through the utilization of what I call golf power exercises the reality of increased distance of your tee shots can occur. I have discussed power relative to developing club head speed in previous articles. If you recall clubhead speed is contingent upon power development in your body, and golf fitness exercises can increase club head speed through increasing the power outputs of your body.

An additional component exists relative to your body, power development, and clubhead speed. The additional component we are talking about is speed. Yes, speed is a critical component of increasing power in your golf swing, and directly related to all of your golf fitness power exercises. Remember, power is the ability of the body to create the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time possible. (Vladimir Zatsiorsky, Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Penn State Univeristy)

If we take this piece of information, the additional information we know about golf fitness training, and incorporate them into our exercises. The exercises within the power development section of our program must be executed at a high rate of speed.

This accomplishes over time the ability of our bodies to generate more force in the shortest amount of time possible. This allows our body to generate more power within the mechanics of the golf swing. The end result is increased cluhead speed, and when the clubhead is traveling at a faster rate at impact with the golf ball. The golf ball has the potential to travel a longer distance (remember swing mechanics also play a part.)

A simple concept once broken down step-by-step but let’s make sure we all understand how to implement speed into our golf fitness exercises. Take the example of the Medicine Ball Side-to-Side Exercise. Speed of movement is a very important component of this exercise.

The Side-to-Side Medicine Ball Rotation requires you to rotate back and forth maintaining the “athletic position” of the exercise. In order to induce a power developing effect the exercise should be executed as fast as possible. This elicits the development of power in the muscles of the core. If-and-only if the form of the exercise is maintained. If you find yourself loosing your technique as you increase the speed of the exercise. Slow it down a little and increase the speed as your body becomes stronger.

Remember, golf exercises in the the specific form of golf power exercises can improve your golf swing, and distance of tee shots. It is through these types of golf fitness exercises within a comprehensive golf training program increased power and speed can occur. Power outputs from the body have a direct effect on clubhead speed. Increase the power outputs of your body and you can drive the golf ball farther. And remember speed is a component of power and must be a principle involved in your golf fitness power exercises.

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 http://www.seancochran.com

Sean Cochran asked:


Golf fitness flexibility programs and golf exercises can be very beneficial to the golf swing. We must keep in mind the golf requires you to draw the club through a long range of motion. In order to complete this athletic requirement of the golf swing correctly, one must have a certain levels of flexibility within certain muscles and joints of the body. If you are lacking flexibility in these critical muscles and joints of the body as it pertains to the golf swing, compensations will occur. To prevent such a situation a golf fitness program with the correct golf flexibility exercises for the golf swing can be of great benefit.

What areas of the body require flexibility for golf? Golf is a sport that is classified as a “Functional Athletic Activity”. A Functional Athletic Activity can be defined as any athletic movement that requires the entire body to be integrated to perform the athletic activity.

What does that mean? Generally speaking, golf requires the entire body from “feet to fingertips” to execute the swing. Further more golf requires the entire body to have the proper flexibility to swing the club efficiently for accuracy and distance.

All to often the majority of golfers have limited flexibility in the shoulder capsule, lower back, pelvis, and hips. All of which hinder the ability to executing the swing.

Knowing the areas of the body requiring attention the next question to ask is; What types of flexibility exercises are best for this sport?

Different types of flexibility exercises exist. Most of you are probably familiar with static stretching; however, it is only one fraction of the exercises in the category of flexibility.

Many of us correlate flexibility to the stretching of muscles. Remember the definition of flexibility is related to joint(s) range(s) of motion. The stretching (lengthening) of muscles is only a portion of flexibility training. Two other types of flexibility training are beneficial as well for this sport.

The three types of flexibility utilized for golf are; responsive, operational, and dynamic. Each category has a benefit to the golfer and utilized together they will provide you the best benefit for your swing.

Responsive Flexibility Exercises: utilize movements that lengthen tissues to their normal resting length from a shorten position. Two types of exercise categories will be utilized: static stretching and myofascial release. Both of these exercise types assist in returning tissue to their normal length.

As an example, when your hamstrings feel “tight” they are in a shortened position. Static stretching and myofascial release techniques will assist in returning the hamstrings to a lengthened position in which they do not feel “tight”.

Operational Flexibility Exercises: incorporate exercises that move your joints through controlled ranges of motion. Operational flexibility exercises utilize your muscle’s ability to move the joints in a controlled manner at a specified rate.

For example, an operational flexibility exercise specific to golf is “hip rotations”. This flexibility exercise actively rotates your hips in a circular manner to prepare your body for the torque created in the golf swing.

Dynamic Flexibility Exercises: utilize the ability of your body to move your joints through full ranges of motion, integrating your entire body into the exercise.

A lunge with trunk rotation is a dynamic exercise that integrates (i.e. incorporates the entire body) the entire body in a golf specific flexibility exercise.

To summarize, a golf fitness flexibility program in addition to other golf exercises can be very beneficial to your golf swing. During the development of a golf fitness program keep in mind the importance of flexibility as it pertains to the golf swing, how the golf swing is a “feet to fingertips” athletic activity, and the different flexibility exercise classifications that encompass a comprehensive flexibility program for golf. Adding the correct golf exercises into your golf training program can make or break your golf swing and the benefits received from your golf training program.

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 http://www.seancochran.com

Sean Cochran asked:


With all the talk about the players on tour getting stronger and more flexible, we hear a lot about exercising for golf from television commentators and read about it in the golf publications. But what exactly are the best exercises for the amateur golfer?

A great question that has a good answer, but before we give you the answer let us provide some background so the answer makes a little more sense to you. First of all, discussing the golf swing for the time being will get us rolling.

What exactly is the golf swing? The golf swing is an athletic movement that requires using of the entire body from “feet to fingertips” in order to complete the swing. Realize that the golf swing is not about the club, not just about your grip, or where your head is during the swing. The golf swing is a movement that requires your entire body to move through a sequence of movements with the correct timing. To perform the “athletic movement” of the golf swing requires the body to begin at address, move through the actual phases of the golf swing and complete it with the follow through. In order to perform this activity with efficiency and repetitively, the body must have certain physical parameters.

These parameters, as I call them, are actual physical categories of the body that need to be developed to a certain level. These categories of the body are the platform from which the body is able to perform the athletic movement of a golf swing efficiently. The categories are probably familiar to many of you, but for the purpose of this article let us briefly run through them.

The body is required to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and power to complete a golf swing. If the body lacks in any of the above categories, then the results will be seen in the golf swing. The results are usually in the form of poor mechanics, bad shots, or poor scores on the course. So, now that we know what the connection is between the “body” and the “swing” let us address the question about the best exercises for golf.

The Best Exercises for Golf

Let’s say you walk into your local health club and see all the fancy machines and aerobic machines at the facility to get you shape. What ones would choose? Would you choose running on the treadmill for 30 minutes, or would it be better to push out a couple sets of bench presses? Well, the answer to our question really lies within the connection between your swing and your body.

I will tell you that exercises meant to “pump you up!” or give you that “six pack” are not necessarily the correct exercises for your golf game. Neither is that weight training program you used back in high school. So, with those thoughts in mind what do you think the best exercises for golf are?

Right now we know, in general terms about the golf swing, what is required of the body for the golf swing and what exercises are not good for the swing. Armed with that knowledge we can decipher what the best exercises for golf are for you.

Beginning with flexibility, we know that the entire body must move through certain ranges of motion to perform an effective golf swing. And what happens if your body is not able to move through the required ranges of motion of the golf swing? The answer: the golf swing will mechanically suffer resulting in shots that are less than optimal. So part of the exercises that are good for golfers are flexibility exercises and, even more so, flexibility exercises that work the muscles used in the golf swing through the movements involved in the golf swing. So first and foremost flexibility exercises should be on the top of your list.

The second category of exercises that would be conducive to the golf swing would have to do with balance. We hear about balance in reference to the golf swing all the time. “Stay balanced through the swing; transfer your weight to maintain balance during the swing…” But what does balance exactly mean? Balance is the ability to control your body through a specific movement pattern. The movement pattern we are discussing just happens to be the golf swing. We know the importance of balance in relation to the golf swing, so how do we train our body for better balance in the golf swing? Before we answer that question we need to know a little more about balance. Balance in relation to the body has to do with the connection between your nerves and muscles. Essentially your nervous system, as a result of messages sent from your brain, tells your muscles how to move to maintain the body’s balance. The more efficient your nerves and muscles are to these messages the greater balance abilities the body develops. So balance exercises train both the nervous system and muscular system to become more efficient at this function. Summing it all up, balance is the second category of exercises that will assist your golf game.

The third category of exercises that are beneficial to golf have to do with your muscles. The golf swing requires the muscles of your body to move through a specific range of motion (flexibility) and help with your balance capacities. In order to perform these actions and others, your body needs certain levels of strength and endurance. The definition of strength is the ability of the muscles to exert force for the given “athletic action” (simplified definition but a good working definition for us). Endurance is the ability of your muscles to do the same activity over and over again for a specific amount of time.

First off, let us discuss strength. The golf swing has one intention of developing club head speed while maintaining balance through the swing. The muscles in your body must have enough strength in them to do both. Now, when we discuss building strength for the golf swing it is NOT the type of strength needed to bench press 250 lbs. Or squat 500! It is strength geared towards the improvement of your swing. I refer to this type of strength as “golf strength.” So when you get to the gym, performing strength exercises like bench press will not help your swing. Exercises that train the body in the positions and through the movements of the golf swing will help your swing.

In addition to strength, we need to develop endurance in your muscles. Think of how many swings you may take over the course of 18 holes. In order for you to be able to swing the club the same way on the 18th hole as you did on the 1st hole. Your body has to have high levels of endurance. This will allow your body to perform the golf swing without getting tired. You develop endurance similar to how you develop “golf strength.” Utilize exercises that train the body in the positions and through the movements of the golf swing. Lighter loads with higher repetitions will be used for these exercises. The end result will be the development of “golf endurance.”

The final segment of exercises beneficial to your golf swing is power training. Power training is geared towards the ability of your body to generate high levels of club head speed. Power development by the body is what allows for greater distance on your shots. Clubs help, golf balls help, but it really comes down to the piece of machinery, your body, swinging those club and hitting those golf balls. Development of power for the golf swing is very similar to the development of “golf strength and endurance.” It is the utilization of exercises that place your body in the positions and move you through movements similar to the golf swing.

Summary

So there you have it, the answer to the types of exercises best for the improvement of your golf swing. I think you now realize it is not one exercise, but a group of exercises that incorporate flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and power. A combination of these exercises is what will enhance your golf swing. Looking for specific exercises? Take a look at our website (See below