Your
body is the most important piece of equipment you will ever own.
Your
body is the most important piece of equipment you will ever own.
Musculoskeletal
Demands
Golf is an exercise
in static and dynamic balance. Golfers need to be able to stabilize their bodies
along the longitudinal axis while swinging a golf club at a high rate of speed over a
relatively large range of motion. Being able to maintain a balanced stance while shifting weight throughout the entire
swing allows for more consistant ball placement. Golfers need the flexibility to be able to move through
a large range of motion without having to rely on musculoskeletal compensations that can
lead to poor performance or injury. Being able to swing through a full range of motion
typically improves golf club head speed and allows the athlete to hit the ball further.
Golfers need endurance to be able to repeat their
swing several times in a single game or match. Golfers must be able to function in all planes of movement. This
requires strength, flexibility, power, and endurance throughout the
entire kinetic chain. While most golfers focus on flexibility and lower back strength,
many training programs ignore upper body strength, grip strength, core strength that includes the hips and shoulders,
strength exercises in all threes planes of motion, and explosive
power. You are only as strong as your weakest link!
Common Muscle Imbalances
Although every individual is different, there are common muscle
imbalances seen in regular golfers. Athletes tend to always swing either right or left handed, leading to imbalances in the
hip rotators, trunk, and shoulders. Muscles that are commonly tight and
need to be stretched include: hip flexors, pectorals and anterior
shoulder girdle, wrist flexors, piriformis, and lats. Muscles that are commonly weak and need to be
strengthened include: trunk stabilizers such as spinal erectors and
abdominals, posterior shoulder girdle and scapular stabilizers, wrist extensors, and hip rotators.
Imbalances may need to be addressed not only to improve golf
performance, but to prevent injury.
Training Components
Components of a properly designed golf program include flexibility, core stability,
strength and power training, static and dynamic balance, musculoskeletal endurance, and aerobic cardiovascular fitness.
It is preferable to do most training in a standing position.
Common Golf Injuries
Many common golf injuries occur because of fatigue at the end of the
day as a result of poor muscle endurance. Poor posture or muscle imbalances that force the athlete to rely on compensatory
movement patterns repetitively throughout the game can lead to overuse injuries.
Most common injuries are sprains and strains of the low back,
elbows, and rotator cuff.
Injuries can also be minimized by working with a golf pro to ensure proper swing mechanics, proper fitting of golf clubs, and a
proper progression of gradually increasing the number of swings after a long off season.
Option 1.The most effective
option is to work one on
one with a professional Strength and Conditioning Coach to ensure that
you are doing the most efficient exercises correctly. You will first
have an assessment
to determine your current cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and
muscle strengths and weaknesses prior to beginning a training program.
K's Body Shop will then utilize that information to design a customized
program that determines appropriate exercises and intensities so that
you can maximize your golf performance and minimize the chance for
injury. Since there are no contracts, you can work with your trainer as
often or as little as you please.
Contact
K's Body Shop to schedule your appointment or get more
information.
Option 2. If you have a group of golfers in the Twin Cities area who are interested in having a professional Strength and Conditioning Coach oversee your small group strength training workouts, contact K's Body Shop. This is a great option for training partners to contain costs while still getting some professional instruction. Prices vary depending on number of athletes and location of sessions.
Option 3. The least expensive option is to follow a pre-designed strength and conditioning program. These programs are "as is" and do not include additional coaching. Customers simply pay for the program of their choice via PayPal and it will be delivered as 8 different PDF files via email, typically within 24 hours (usually faster) of purchase. PDF readers can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com. All programs include pictures and/or descriptions of each exercise; such as dynamic warm-up, strength training exercises, stretching exercises, cardiovascular conditioning, and cool down. See sample to get a general idea of the format.
We currently offer 2 different levels of strength and conditioning programs for golfers based on the athlete's strength training experience. These programs are available for purchase here or in the Program Catalog. Each program includes 5 different workouts: 2 day off-season rotation, 2 day pre-season rotation, and 1 in-season workout. Also included is a dynamic warm up, self myofascial release, and flexibility exercises. Athletes who will benefit the most from this option are self motivated and already have basic weight training experience.
Please review our terms of service before purchasing a pre-designed program.
Level 1: should have some basic strength training experience, be in good health and injury free. Workouts use free weights, stability balls, medicine balls, cables, and body weight. Self myofascial release exercises are performed using a biofoam roll.
Level 2: should be post-puberty with a minimum of 2 years of current regular strength and conditioning experience, be in good health and injury free. These workouts use the same implements as level 1, but are more demanding and include higher intensity power exercises.
|
Training Program |
Program Info | Target Population | Price | Purchase |
| Strength Training for Golf Level 1 | Off Season A: 10 exercises Off Season B: 9 exercises Pre Season A: 10 exercises Pre Season B: 10 exercises In Season: 11 exercises Dynamic Warm Up: 11 exercises Flexibility: 10 self myofascial release exercises 15 stretches |
Recreational golfers of all abilities who are interested in improving strength and flexibility for golf. | $19.97 | |
| Strength Training for Golf Level 2 | Off Season A: 10 exercises Off Season B: 9 exercises Pre Season A: 10 exercises Pre Season B: 10 exercises In Season: 10 exercises Dynamic Warm Up: 11 exercises Flexibility: 10 self myofascial release exercises 15 stretches |
Golfers with some basic strength training experience who are serious about improving golf performance. | $19.97 | |
| Strength Training for Golf Levels 1 & 2 | Golf Levels 1 & 2 | Buy Both and Save! | $34.97 | |
| Flexibility for Golf | 10 self myofascial release exercises 15 stretches |
Golfers who are only interested
in improving flexibility. Already included in strength training programs. |
$9.97 |
Golf Links
Pinehurst Golf
With CaddyTips you can learn to play your favorite golf courses like a pro.
With our printable pocket sized guide, you will have a stroke by stroke strategy to help lower your scores.
Call today and get started on a fitness program designed just for you!
