Swing Fault #1-All Upper Body Swing Many golfers experience what is referred to as an all upper body swing. Keep in mind that power is generated from the ground up. When a golfer misses the opportunity to use his or her lower body efficiently, they also miss out on an opportunity to generate more power and more distance off the tee. Some of the reasons why a golfer ends up with a tendency to swing with mostly their upper body includes: -not enough core strength -tight hips and lower body -poor movement in lower body The following exercise routine includes lower body strengthening and stretching that prepares for better utilization in the lower body. Perform this routine twice weekly for best results.
ALL UPPER BODY SWING Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Bodyweight Squats A2. Bench Bridges Use another weighted object like med ball 12 to 15 12 to 15 Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Hip Flexor Stretch 10 ea side B2. Hamstring Stretch 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again C1. Bench Push Ups 12 to 15 C2. Reverse Pull Ups 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D1. Hip Stretch 10 to 12 D2. Lower Back and Glutes 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again E1. V Ups 12 to 15 E2. Shoulder Stabilizers 10 to 12 E3. Cross Body Plank 3 reps ea side, holding 5 sec Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Squats - Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart. Place the barbell just above the shoulders and resting on the upper back muscles. Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles OR before you lose the natural arch of your back. Slowly stand back up by pushing through your heels. Don t lock your knees at the top of the movement.
A2 Bench Bridges - Lie with your back flat on the floor and your knees bent, feet resting on a bench. Squeeze your glute (butt muscles) and raise your body so that it is in one line from your shoulders to your knees. Lower your body, then repeat. B1 Hip Flexor Stretch - Place your body in a lunge position with your spine angle straight and stomach muscles contracted. Lean forward into the stretch keeping the same straight back.
B2 Hamstring Stretch - Lay on back with both legs straight. Place a long towel or stretch strap around bottom of one foot and gently lift up until you feel tension in the back of your thigh. It is important that you allow your muscles to do the work for you as opposed to you forcing the muscles into positions. Allow the stretch strap or towel to facilitate the action but not drive the action. C1 Bench Push Ups - Begin with your body in good spinal alignment with legs balanced on the bench and palms on the floor. Lower your body towards the floor, then push it back up until your arms are fully extended. Hold the position for a few seconds and then lower your body to repeat the exercise.
C2 Reverse Pull Ups - Lie underneath a squat rack or Smith machine. Grab bar with overhand grip just slightly beyond shoulder width. Place feet close together with heels against floor. Pull your body straight up into the bar, then return to starting position. Make sure you stack heavy weights on each side and/or check the stability of the bar prior to performing this exercise. It should not move from its position to ensure your safety. D1 Hip Stretch - Lay on your stomach while placing your hands folded across the floor and your head and neck relaxed. Knees are bent, but together. Slowly rotate heels outward until you feel slight tension in your hips.
D2 Lower Back and Glutes - Lie on your back and bring your knees towards your chest. Place your arms around your knees and gently pull your knees in creating tension in your low back. Don t force your muscles into position, but rather allow your muscles to do the work on their own. E1 V Ups -Lie down on back with arms and legs extended. Bring your upper and lower body together in the middle by using the strength of your ab muscles. Aim to touch the toes. Return to the start position and repeat.
E2 Shoulder Stabilizers - Lie on the floor on your stomach. Pull your shoulder blades back and extend arms to the side. Point thumbs up and towards the ceiling. Continue retracting shoulder blades until your upper body is lifted up and a T is formed with your extended arms. E3 Cross Body Plank - Start with your hands shoulder width apart on the ground and your upper body elevated. Your feet are also slightly closer than shoulder width apart and lower body is elevated onto your toes. Keep your torso straight and your body in a straight line without slumping or bending in your middle. Take one hand and fold it across your body while keeping your body in the same straight position. Return to the start position, then switch to the other hand.
Swing Fault #2-Core Strength Everyone wants a firm midsection. For the golfer, it delivers much more than just a coveted physique. Stronger abdominal muscles convert to better balance and a more powerful swing. But, how do the abdominal muscles differ from the core? Think of the visual part of the stomach muscles you see as the outer layer of an apple. As you peel away the outside, you find a small piece inside called the core. Your body operates in a similar manner. The outside layer of your abs shows your form while the inside layer handles all the function. Strength in these muscles are vital to a golfer s stability and power. Stronger core muscles can also prevent injuries to the hips and back. Those golfers with a weak core are often frustrated with the distance off their clubs. They may even feel a twinge in their lower back muscles because they lack good support from the opposing muscles of the core. Strength may be reduced overall and inconsistency sets in. The golf swing relies upon core strength, endurance and proper engagement in order to see the true benefit of stabilization, control and coordination. Keep in mind, core conditioning is very important for a golfer because all movements in your entire body stem from the strength in this area. Wherever you find a weak core, you find a major source of energy leaks in the golf swing. HOW TO PERFORM THE EXERCISES: Perform each exercise in order. Perform the number of repetitions listed, followed by the recommended rest period. This program can be performed 2 to 3 times weekly.
CORE STRENGTH Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Sets Rest Exercise Photo Hamstring Curl Place feet on top of bench or foot stool 10 to 12 1 1 min Wall Squats Place back against a wall and squat to 90 degrees 12 to 15 2 1 min Single Leg Balance Place back on a bench or end of bed 6 to 8 ea 1 ea side side 1 min Hip Bridge with Knee Lift 8 to 10 1 ea side 1 min Ball Push Up 8 to 10 2 1 min Side Bridge with Knee Lift 6 to 8 1 ea side 1 min Superman This may be performed on the floor 10 to 12 1 1 min
Abdominal Roll Out 3 reps, 3 sec hold ea rep 2 1 min Shoulder Y Lift This may be performed on the floor 8 to 10 1 1 min Forward Lunge Place golf club across shoulders 12 to 15 1 1 min Lateral Lunge Place golf clubs across shoulders 12 to 15 1 1 min
Exercise Descriptions 1 Hamstring Curl - Lie on your back with your arms at your side. Place your legs on top of an exercise ball. Raise your hips up until they are in line with your shoulders and ankles. Bend your knees and roll the ball towards your body. Remember not to drop your hips. 2 Wall Squats - Stand with the ball between your lower back and the wall. IPosition your feet about shoulder width apart. IPlace your hands at your waist and squat no lower than 90 degrees. Always place your feet far
enough forward so that when you squat your knees do not extend over the top of your feet. Your knee should be aligned with your second toe as you bend. 3 Single Leg Balance - Lie across a stability ball with your head and neck supported on the ball. Make sure your body is in good alignment with hips raised and knees bent. You can hold your arms out to your side or for more challenge fold them across your chest. Begin the movement by extending one leg straight out to the level of your knee. Try to hold this position for up to 3 seconds while maintaining your balance. Return to the start position and repeat. 4 Hip Bridge with Leg Lift - Lie down on the floor on your back. Bend your knees and place your hands at your side. Lift your toes off the ground with heels remaining. Engage your abdominals and glutes, then slowly lift your hips off the
ground while extending one leg up. Keep the extended leg in alignment with your opposite knee. Don t let the glutes touch the ground while you perform repetitions. 5 Ball Push Up - Place your hands in the push up position on the ball with fingers pointed down. Contract ab muscles and keep spine in one line. Slowly lower your body until it comes close to touching the ball. Slowly push your body away from the ball until your arms are extended. Always avoid any sagging or arching of the spine. Keep your belly button drawn in towards your spine. Maintain control of the ball throughout the movement. 6 Side Bridge wi
- Lie on your side on the floor with your elbow directly under your shoulder. Place one foot on top of the other in a slightly staggered position. Push off your elbow and feet as you support your midsection in the air. Keep the body position in a straight line from shoulder to heel. Lift your bottom leg and bring your knee in towards your chest. 7 Superman - Lie on your stomach on top of a Swiss ball. Your feet and hands are both touching the floor. Squeeze your glutes, then elevate one leg straight up towards the ceiling. Extend opposite arm straight up with palms facing in and thumb towards ceiling. Continue alternating opposite arms/legs. Keep head and neck level with upper back. Do not overextend neck.
8 Abdominal Roll Out - Begin in a kneeling position with your hands and elbows on the ball. Make sure your abs are contracted and your back is flat. Slowly begin rolling the ball forward allowing your body to extend forward as well. Your lower back will have a natural tendency to make to want and you must keep your abs tight to see the true benefit of this exercise. Hold the final position for approximately 1 to 2 seconds and return to the start position. 9 Shoulder Y Lift - Lie facedown over the top of the ball with abs in the middle. Chest should be off the ball and feet are on toes. Lift your arms above your head with hands clinched and thumbs up. Extend arms up and out as far as you can comfortably (forming a Y at the top).
10 Forward Lunge - Place a wooden dowel or golf club across your shoulders and behind your neck. Stand with good posture and feet shoulder width apart. Begin the move by stepping forward with one leg, bending at the knee. Make sure you take a nice big step forward, double checking to make sure your forward knee does not extend beyond your forward foot. Your upper body will not lean forward, but will stay centered in the middle. Hold and then push off, returning your forward foot to the starting position. 11 Lateral Lunge
- Place a wooden dowel or golf club across your shoulders and behind your neck. Stand with good posture and feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Begin the move by stepping to the side with one leg, bending at the knee as shown. As your bent leg lands, assume a squat position as you sit back on your bent leg. Hold and then push yourself back into the starting position.
Swing Fault #3-Hooking the Ball Hooking or pushing the ball is another common complaint among golfers worldwide. Not only is it a highly common swing flaw, but it can be detrimental to your overall game as well.. A hook is characterized by an in to out swing path. If you are looking for verification of this pattern, take a look at your divots on the fairway or on the driving range. If you happen to notice your divots pointing to the right of the target with consistency, you are hitting the ball with an in to out swing. To correct this swing fault from a physical perspective, we will focus on opening up the chest and shoulders, gaining full hip mobility and strengthening your core. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed.
FIX YOUR HOOK Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Squat 12 to 15 A2. DB Side Plank 12 to 15 ea way Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Mid Back Stretch 10 ea side B2. Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch 10 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again C1. Fit Band Cross Body 10 ea side C2. Fit Band Cross Body Pull 10 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D1. Hip Stretch 10 to 12 D2. Hamstring Stretch 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again
E1. Squat to Row Use cable or fitness band 12 to 15 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again E2. SB Push Ups 10 to 12 E3. MB Double Crunch 15 to 20 Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Squat - Stand with a shoulder width stance. Grasp dumbbells with each hand and place on top of shoulders. Sit back and down allowing your hips to reach the same height as your knees. Make sure your knees do not extend too far forward. Push through your heels to return to your start position. A2 DB Side Plank - Begin in a push up position with feet together while holding a dumbbell with your right hand. Elevate your body onto your left side keeping your body in alignment from your shoulders to your ankles. As you elevate to one side, lift the dumbbell across your body and extend from your shoulder.
B1 Mid Back Stretch - Begin by placing one hand on the back of your head and the other on your thigh. Bend forward from the waist into a comfortable position. Start the stretch by lifting your bent elbow back and up. You should feel a good stretch across your mid back. Pull your navel to your spine throughout. Hold and then return to start, releasing the stretch. Make sure your low back is making the movement and you are not just allowing your elbows to lift. Keep your right side stable as you turn into it. B2 Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch - From a seated position, extend your right leg out and bring your left leg in with foot touching your opposite thigh. Take your right hand and place it on your left knee. Take your left arm, bend it at the elbow, and place it behind your neck. To begin the stretch, reach down your back moving your hand
along your spinal column. Hold this position, then release the tension and come back to start position. Repeat. Try to reach a little further with each repetition. C1 Fit Band Cross Body Shoulder Pull - Stand with good posture with knees slightly flexed and feet shoulder width apart. Place one end of a fitness band underneath your foot and place the other handle in your opposite arm. Palm is facing down. Beginning from a low cross body position, bring your arm up and across your body extending up over your shoulder blade. Return to the starting position and repeat. C2 Fit Band Cross Body - Stand with good posture with knees slightly flexed and feet shoulder width apart. Place one end of a fitness band underneath your foot and place the other handle in your opposite arm. Palm is facing up. Beginning from a low cross body position, bring your arm up and across your body extending up over your shoulder blade. Return to the starting position and repeat. Perform a separate set for each side.
D1 Hip Stretch - Lay on your stomach while placing your hands folded across the floor and your head and neck relaxed. Knees are bent, but together. Slowly rotate heels outward until you feel slight tension in your hips. D2 Hamstring Stretch - Lay on back with both legs straight. Place a long towel or stretch strap around bottom of one foot and gently lift up until you feel tension in the back of your thigh. It is important that you allow your muscles to do the work for you as opposed to you forcing the muscles into positions. Allow the stretch strap or towel to facilitate the action but not drive the action.
E1 Squat to Row - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees flexed into a partial squat position. Place one end of a fitness band around an object a few feet away while you hold the other end with your palm facing down. To begin, push through your heels to move up and out of your squat position, and rotate your wrist 180 degrees as you pull the band back into a row. The palm will be facing up while at the top of the row position. The shoulders should remain down and back and you should feel this in the back of your shoulders and in your back muscles. Slowly release the tension and return to the start position, rotating your wrist back so that palm faces the floor again. E2 SB Push Up - Place your hands in the push up position on the ball with fingers pointed down. Contract ab muscles and keep spine in one line. Slowly lower your body until it comes close to touching the ball. Slowly push your
body away from the ball until your arms are extended. Always avoid any sagging or arching of the spine. Keep your belly button drawn in towards your spine. Maintain control of the ball throughout the movement. E3 MB Double Cr - Lie down on the floor with your knees bent. Hold a medicine ball between your knees. Lift your upper torso off the ground with your head and neck in alignment. Make sure to lift your shoulder blades completely off the ground. At the same time pull knees towards the Medicine Ball.
Swing Fault #4 Drive Distance-Power Program Increasing drive distance and creating more power throughout the entire golf swing are among the most elusive qualities many golfers are looking for. Golfers are looking to make really good quality solid contact with the ball and to do it repeatedly, and over a period of time. By studying biomechanics, we have learned that power comes from a kinetic chain of well built and conditioned joints and muscles. This starts from the ground up which means that power begins with your feet and ankles providing a solid base of support for your body and then following the sequence up-stability of the knee, hip strength, core strength, shoulder and mid back mobility and into the hands and wrists. This program was designed to make sure you are building good strength from the ground up without neglecting any of the muscles or joints that affect the golf swing or your ability to make a good connection with the ball. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed.
DRIVE DISTANCE - POWER Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Plank to Row 12 to 15 ea arm A2. DB Split Squat 12 to 15 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Mid Back Stretch 10 ea side B2. Hamstring Stretch C1. Hip Adductor Walks C2. Bench Push Ups D1. Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch 10 to 12 ea side 12 to 15 ea way 10 to 12 10 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D2. Back, Glutes, Hamstrings 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again
E1. Cable Rotational Row Use fitness band 8 to 10 ea side E2. Cross Body Shoulder Raise Use light weights 12 to 15 E3. W eighted Crunch 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A Plan - Assume a push up positio and body elevated onto toes and hands. Place each hand around a dumbbell. Begin by lifting right elbow up toward ceiling while squeezing your shoulder blade. Keep elbow in close to your body. Return the weight to the floor and then repeat with opposite hand. A2 Dumbbell Split Squat - Stand with dumbbells grasped to each side. Place one foot forward and other foot behind on a bench. Squat down by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position by pushing through your forward foot. Repeat.
B1 Mid Back Stretch - Begin by placing one hand on the back of your head and the other on your thigh. Bend forward from the waist into a comfortable position. Start the stretch by lifting your bent elbow back and up. You should feel a good stretch across your mid back. Pull your navel to your spine throughout. Hold and then return to start, releasing the stretch. Make sure your low back is making the movement and you are not just allowing your elbows to lift. Keep your right side stable as you turn into it. B2 Hamstring Stretch - Lay on back with both legs straight. Place a long towel or stretch strap around bottom of one foot and gently lift up until you feel tension in the back of your thigh. It is important that you allow your muscles to do the work for you as opposed to you forcing the muscles into positions. Allow the stretch strap or towel to facilitate the action but not drive the action.
C1 Hip Adductor Walks - Stand where you have room to move 10 to 15 feet laterally. Place a mini band around your feet and ankles so it creates tension around your lower legs. Stand with good posture and knees bent slightly. Begin the movement by taking steps to the side while placing emphasis on your outside hip muscles. Try to make the steps progressively larger. Perform a separate set for each side. C2 Bench Push Ups - Begin with your body in good spinal alignment with legs balanced on the bench and palms on the floor. Lower your body towards the floor, then push it back up until your arms are fully extended. Hold the position for a few seconds and then lower your body to repeat the exercise.
D1 Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch - From a seated position, extend your right leg out and bring your left leg in with foot touching your opposite thigh. Take your right hand and place it on your left knee. Take your left arm, bend it at the elbow, and place it behind your neck. To begin the stretch, reach down your back moving your hand along your spinal column. Hold this position, then release the tension and come back to start position. Repeat. Try to reach a little further with each repetition. D2 Back, Glutes and Hamstrings - Lie on your back with your arms extended to your side and left leg straight. Cross your left leg over your right thigh keeping your leg straight. Place your right hand on your left leg and pull it slowly toward the floor, until you feel a stretch on the outside of your left hip and low back. Keep your shoulders in contact with the floor.
E1 Cable Rotational Row - Position a cable machine at a low level. From a kneeling position, grab the handle with your outside hand and position elbow next to your side. Pull the cable back as you rotate slightly away from the cable machine. E2 Cross Body Shoulder Raise - Lie sideways across a stability ball with your upper body and arm resting on the ball. Position your feet so they are staggered on the floor for support. Contract your stomach muscles. Hold a light dumbbell in your hand and point your extended arm towards the ground with your palm facing in. Begin the movement by raising your arm up and away from your body. Do not allow this arm to move beyond your shoulder joint. It should not extend beyond a normal range of motion. Lower the weight back to the start position.
E3 Weighted Crunch - Lie on your back with a weighted plate on your chest. Flex your waist forward while squeezing your abdominal muscles. Return to your start position and repeat.
Swing Fault #5-Need More Separation Between Upper and Lower Body Most golfers are now aware of one of the most critical ways to get more distance - the x factor. The x factor is the simple equation noting the difference between the amount of hip rotation as compared to the amount of shoulder turn a golfer can get in their backswing. In an interview done with Tiger Woods long time coach, Butch Harmon, he claimed (when referring to the swing of Tiger Woods), "The shoulders are past 90 degrees and hips turn only about 30 degrees. This combination of a big shoulder turn and modest hip turn creates power. At this point of the swing, he's like a rubber band wound tightly. His great flexibility keeps him in balance." This program will focus on helping you get a better shoulder turn as well as achieve better separation between the upper body and lower body. It will include both exercises and stretches that can be performed up to several times weekly. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed.
NEED MORE SEPARATION Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Lunge to Rotation 12 to 15 A2. Kneeling Cable Rotation Use a fitness band 12 to 15 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Mid Back Stretch 10 ea side B2. Hamstring Stretch 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again C1. Single Arm Chest Press 12 to 15 ea side C2. Plank to Rotation 6 to 8 ea side C3. DB Row 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1, C2 and C3 again D1. Lateral Stretch 10 to 12
D2. Back and Glutes E1. Side Plank 10 to 12 6 to 8, hold plank 20 sec per side Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again E2. Windmill 10 to 15 E3. Weighted Ab Crunch 15 to 20 Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Lunge to Rotation - Begin by standing with good posture and feet shoulder width apart. Lower your body into a lunge position. As you approach the bottom of the movement begin rotating your upper body towards your forward bent knee. Push off your front foot and return to your start position. A2 Kneeling Cable Rotation - Position a cable machine at a low level. From a kneeling position, grab the handle with your outside hand and position elbow next to your side. Pull the cable back as you rotate slightly away from the cable machine.
B1 Mid Back Stretch - Begin by placing one hand on the back of your head and the other on your thigh. Bend forward from the waist into a comfortable position. Start the stretch by lifting your bent elbow back and up. You should feel a good stretch across your mid back. Pull your navel to your spine throughout. Hold and then return to start, releasing the stretch. Make sure your low back is making the movement and you are not just allowing your elbows to lift. Keep your right side stable as you turn into it. B2 Hamstring Stretch - Lay on back with both legs straight. Place a long towel or stretch strap around bottom of one foot and gently lift up until you feel tension in the back of your thigh. It is important that you allow your muscles to do the work for you as opposed to you forcing the muscles into positions. Allow the stretch strap or towel to facilitate the action but not drive the action.
C1 Single Arm Chest Press - Lie on your back on a stability ball with your knees bent. Your head and neck should be supported by the ball. Elevate your hips so they are even with your knees. Hold a dumbbell in one hand. Elbows start out at 90 degrees from shoulders. Begin the chest press motion by pressing hands directly up over the top of the chest until the arms are almost fully extended. Return the arms to the starting position and repeat. C2 Plank to R - Begin in a houlders. Contract your abdominals. Start the movement by rotating your entire body so that your trunk is now facing forward and your arm is straight up forming a T across your shoulders. Concentrate on stabilizing your body and driving the motion through your midsection. Return to the start position and repeat.
C3 DB Row - Assume a staggered stance and bend your knees. Bend forward at the waist supporting your body with one hand on a bench. Pull the dumbbell up towards your body while retracting the shoulder blades. Keep your shoulders level as opposed to turning at the waist. D1 Lateral Stretch - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your back straight. Place your left hand behind your head and allow your right arm to rest at your side. Slowly bend your body over to the side extending your straight arm down your leg and towards the ground until you feel a stretch in your side muscles.
D2 Back and Glutes - Lie on your back with your arms extended to your side and left leg straight. Cross your left leg over your right thigh with knee bent. Place your right hand on your left thigh and pull it slowly toward the floor, until you feel a stretch on the outside of your left hip and low back. Keep your shoulders in contact with the floor. E1 Side Plank - Lie on your side on the floor with your elbow directly under your shoulder. Place one foot on top of the other in a stacked position. Push off your elbow and feet as you support your midsection in the air. Keep the body position in a straight line from shoulder to heel. Start the movement by picking up your top leg and lifting it up. Lower the top leg to the start position and repeat.
E2 Windmill - Balance on one leg while keeping both knees slightly flexed. Reach both arms straight out to your side. Begin the movement by bending forward from the hip raising your lifted leg behind you. Slowly rotate your entire trunk and upper body so that one hand touches the same side foot while the other arm rotates up towards the ceiling. Hold and then return your body to the start position. Alternate legs and the direction you rotate within the set. E3 Weighted Ab Crunch - Lie on your back with a weighted plate on your chest. Flex your waist forward while squeezing your abdominal muscles. Return to your start position and repeat.
Swing Fault #6-Poor Balance Having and maintaining good balance throughout your golf swing is one of the cornerstones to success. Your program will focus on building strength in your core as well as developing strength from the ground up. You will notice a lot of exercises that require you to balance on one leg at a time while performing different movements. As you perform each exercise, make sure you use good posture by engaging your abdominals and keeping your back flat. Take advantage of this opportunity to get as many muscles working for you as possible so you can develop strength through a full range of movement. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset.
POOR BALANCE Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Single Leg Squat Use another weighted object like med ball 12 to 15 A2. Lateral Lunge 12 to 15 Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Hip Flexor Stretch 10 ea side B2. Hamstring Stretch 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again C1. Spiderman Push Ups 6 to 8 ea leg C2. MB Bridges 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D1. Standing Stretch 10 to 12 D2. Single Leg Reach 10 to 12 ea leg Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again E1. MB Cross Body Rotations 12 to 15
E2. Ab Roll Outs 5 to 8 E3. SB Arm Lifts 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Single Leg Squat - Balance yourself on one leg with the opposite leg extended behind you. Hold a medicine ball in front of you with your arms slightly extended. Begin the movement by sitting back and down into a squat. Go only as low as you can control the movement. Push through your heels to return to the start position. Perform a separate set for each side. A2 Lateral Lunges - Place a wooden dowel or golf club across your shoulders and behind your neck. Stand with good posture and feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Begin the move by stepping to the side with one leg, bending at the knee as shown. As your bent leg lands, assume a squat position as you sit back on your bent leg. Hold and then push yourself back into the starting position.
B1 Hip Flexor Stretch - Place your body in a lunge position with your spine angle straight and stomach muscles contracted. Lean forward into the stretch keeping the same straight back. B2 Hamstring Stretch - Lay on back with both legs straight. Place a long towel or stretch strap around bottom of one foot and gently lift up until you feel tension in the back of your thigh. It is important that you allow your muscles to do the work for you as opposed to you forcing the muscles into positions. Allow the stretch strap or towel to facilitate the action but not drive the action.
C1 Spiderman Push Ups - Keep the abs braced and body in a straight line from toes (knees) to shoulders. Place the hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower yourself down until you are 2 inches off the ground. As you lower yourself, slowly bring your right knee up to your right elbow. Keep your foot off the ground as you do so. Push through your chest, shoulders and triceps to return to the start position, and return your leg to the start position. Alternate sides until you complete all repetitions. Keep your body in a straight line at all times and try not to rotate at your hips. C2 MB Bridges - Lie down on the floor on your back. Bend your knees and place both feet on top of a med ball while arms are at your side. Engage your abdominals and glutes, then slowly lift your hips off the ground. Don t let the glutes touch the ground while you perform repetitions.
D1 Standing Stretch - This routine begins with a dynamic warm up geared perfectly for golf! Start by warming up those hips and glute muscles. Stand with good posture and knees slightly flexed. Begin the movement by bringing one knee in towards your chest and wrap both hands just below your knee. Hold and then return the bent leg to start position. Be sure to pull the navel towards the spine throughout. Keep the eyes and chest lifted. Alternate legs. D2 Single Leg Lift and Reach - Balance on one leg with hands clasped in front of you. Contract your abdominals. Begin the movement by leaning forward from the hip, extending one leg back while simultaneously reaching forward with your arms. Work hard to stay balanced and maintain good body position. Return to the start position, but try
and keep your foot off the ground at all times for an increased challenge. Repeat. Perform a separate set of repetitions for each side. E1 MB Cross Body Rotation - Stand with your feet apart about shoulder width. Hold a medicine ball in both hands above your head. Contract your abdominals and hold them tight throughout movement. Move the ball across your body from high to low in an easy repetitive motion. E2 Ab Roll Outs - From a kneeling position, place your forearms on the ball with your palms facing each other. Maintain good spinal alignment as you roll forward. Take a deep breath and draw the navel toward your spine. Begin rolling forward, moving from the hip and shoulder joints equally. The movement should terminate at the instant you feel you are going to lose spinal alignment.
E3 SB Arm Lifts - Lie facedown over the top of the ball with abs in the middle. Chest should be off the ball and feet are on toes. Lift your arms above your head with hands clinched and thumbs up. Extend arms up and out as far as you can comfortably (forming a Y at the top).
Swing Fault #7-Reverse Pivot Having a good pivot is one of the most fundamental movements in the golf swing. Without good body motion back and through, golfers will have a frustrating and difficult time getting their club on plane and their clubface square at impact. The basic pivot helps golfers get a stretch in their torso so they can get into a nice coil in their backswing as well allow their body to make a proper weight shift from one side to the other. There are many swing faults which occur when a golfer has difficulty with the pivot. This includes: lateral sway instead of a hip rotation, a reverse pivot, difficulty loading your right leg (or the leg you load at the top of your backswing) and hanging back on your right leg at finish as opposed to shifting your weight again for the point of impact and as you transition to the follow through. The following exercises focus on good body motion, optimal hip and shoulder mobility and separation. Use these exercises and stretches to get the motion you need for a great looking (and feeling) golf swing. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed.
REVERSE PIVOT Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Single Leg Squat 10 to 12 ea leg A2. Hip Adductor Walks 12 to 15 ea way Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Lateral Stretch 10 to 12 B2. Mid Back Stretch 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again C1. Squat 12 to 15 C2. MB Cross Body Rotation 8 to 10 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D1. Hip Flexors and Quad Stretch 10 ea side D2. Lower Back and Glutes 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2
again E1. SB Plank with Place hands 12 to 15 Knee Lift on a chair knee ins E2. MB Side Use light 10 to 15 ea Raises weights side E3. SB Push Ups 12 to 15 Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Single Leg Squat - Stand straight, with your body weight supported on your left foot, which should be flat on the floor. Tuck your right heel up behind you, with your lower leg roughly parallel to the ground and your right knee aligned with your left. Look straight ahead and don t arch or curve your back but maintain neutral spine position. Hold one dumbbell at your side. Lower to a squat position while reaching towards the ground with your dumbbell. Lower to the point where it becomes difficult to maintain your balance, then push through your heel to return to the start position. Make sure you do this in a controlled fashion. A2 Hip Adductor Walks - Stand where you have room to move 10 to 15 feet laterally. Place a mini band around your feet and ankles so it creates tension around your lower legs. Stand with good posture and knees bent slightly. Begin the movement by taking steps to the side while placing emphasis on your outside hip muscles. Try to make the steps progressively larger. Perform a separate set for each side.
B1 Lateral Stretch - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your back straight. Place your left hand behind your head and allow your right arm to rest at your side. Slowly bend your body over to the side extending your straight arm down your leg and towards the ground until you feel a stretch in your side muscles. B2 Mid Back Stretch - Begin by placing one hand on the back of your head and the other on your thigh. Bend forward from the waist into a comfortable position. Start the stretch by lifting your bent elbow back and up. You should feel a good stretch across your mid back. Pull your navel to your spine throughout. Hold and then return to start, releasing the stretch. Make sure your low back is making the movement and you are not just allowing your elbows to lift. Keep your right side stable as you turn into it.
C1 Squat - Stand with a shoulder width stance. Grasp dumbbells with each hand and place on top of shoulders. Sit back and down allowing your hips to reach the same height as your knees. Make sure your knees do not extend too far forward. Push through your heels to return to your start position. C2 MB Cross Body Rotation - Stand with your feet apart about shoulder width. Hold a medicine ball in both hands above your head. Contract your abdominals and hold them tight throughout movement. Move the ball across your body from high to low in an easy repetitive motion.
D1 Lateral Stretch - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your back straight. Place your left hand behind your head and allow your right arm to rest at your side. Slowly bend your body over to the side extending your straight arm down your leg and towards the ground until you feel a stretch in your side muscles. D2 Hip Flexors and Quad Stretch - Place your body in a lunge position with your spine angle straight and stomach muscles contracted. Lean forward into the stretch keeping the same straight back. As you lean forward, try grabbing your back leg and lifting it up as you stretch forward. This will bring your back quad into the stretch.
E1 SB - Kneel on the floor, then place forearms on th abs are tight. Push off the ball with your feet. Elbows are flexed and remain on ball. Slowly bring one knee in towards your chest. Hold for 1 to 2 seconds, then return to the start position. Repeat with opposite leg. E2 MB Side Raises - Lie on your side with your elbows beneath your shoulders and your legs extended out. Place a medicine ball between your legs. Begin the movement by contracting your abdominals and lifting your legs up to the side. Breathe out upon exertion. Return to the starting point and repeat. To increase the difficulty, keep the tension on your oblique muscles by lowering your legs without touching the ground completely.
E3 SB Push Ups - Place your hands in the push up position on the ball with fingers pointed down. Contract ab muscles and keep spine in one line. Slowly lower your body until it comes close to touching the ball. Slowly push your body away from the ball until your arms are extended. Always avoid any sagging or arching of the spine. Keep your belly button drawn in towards your spine. Maintain control of the ball throughout the movement.
Swing Fault #8-Difficulty Loading Right Leg Having a good pivot is one of the most fundamental movements in the golf swing. Without good body motion back and through, golfers will have a frustrating and difficult time getting their club on plane and their clubface square at impact. The basic pivot helps golfers get a stretch in their torso so they can get into a nice coil in their backswing as well allow their body to make a proper weight shift from one side to the other. There are many swing faults which occur when a golfer has difficulty with the pivot. This includes: lateral sway instead of a hip rotation, a reverse pivot, difficulty loading your right leg (or the leg you load at the top of your backswing) and hanging back on your right leg at finish as opposed to shifting your weight again for the point of impact and as you transition to the follow through. The following exercises focus on good body motion, optimal hip and shoulder mobility and separation. Use these exercises and stretches to get the motion you need for a great looking (and feeling) golf swing. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed..
DIFFICULTY LOADING RIGHT LEG Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Bench Split Squat 12 to 15 ea leg A2. Reverse Pull Ups B1. Mid Back Stretch 12 to 15 10 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B2. Hamstring Stretch C1. Alt Arm and Leg C2. Cook Lift D1. Back, Glutes, Hamstrings 10 to 12 ea side 12 to 15 10 to 12 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D2. Lower Back and Glutes E1. Shoulder Stabilizers 10 to 12 8 to 10 Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again
E2. Squat to Use light 12 to 15 ea Rotate weights side E3. MB Oblique 12 to 15 ea Crunch side Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Bench Split Squat - Stand with arms in front of you and one foot on a bench or step. Squat down by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position. Repeat. Continue with opposite leg. A2 Reverse Pull Ups - Lie underneath a squat rack or Smith machine. Grab bar with overhand grip just slightly beyond shoulder width. Place feet close together with heels against floor. Pull your body straight up into the bar, then return to starting position. Make sure you stack heavy weights on each side and/or check the stability of the bar prior to performing this exercise. It should not move from its position to ensure your safety.
B1 Mid Back Stretch - Begin by placing one hand on the back of your head and the other on your thigh. Bend forward from the waist into a comfortable position. Start the stretch by lifting your bent elbow back and up. You should feel a good stretch across your mid back. Pull your navel to your spine throughout. Hold and then return to start, releasing the stretch. Make sure your low back is making the movement and you are not just allowing your elbows to lift. Keep your right side stable as you turn into it. B2 Hamstring Stretch - Lay on back with both legs straight. Place a long towel or stretch strap around bottom of one foot and gently lift up until you feel tension in the back of your thigh. It is important that you allow your muscles to do the work for you as opposed to you forcing the muscles into positions. Allow the stretch strap or towel to facilitate the action but not drive the action.
C1 Alt Arm and Leg - Lie on your back with knees bent and arms tog e abdominal muscles and slightly squeeze the buttocks in ord the floor. Alternate arm and leg movements together so the left arm is slowly extended overhead while at the same time the left leg is lifted. Then, repeat with opposite leg and arm. Always keep your back flat against the floor. C2 Cook Lift - Lie fa chest with your hands. Push through your heel to lift your glutes off the ground. Keep your abs contracted and your pelvis neutral. your
D1 Back, Glutes and Hamstrings - Lie on your back with your arms extended to your side and left leg straight. Cross your left leg over your right thigh keeping your leg straight. Place your right hand on your left leg and pull it slowly toward the floor, until you feel a stretch on the outside of your left hip and low back. Keep your shoulders in contact with the floor. D2 Lower Back and Glutes - Lie on your back and bring your knees towards your chest. Place your arms around your knees and gently pull your knees in creating tension in your low back. Don t force your muscles into position, but rather allow your muscles to do the work on their own.
E1 Shoulder Stabilizers - Lie on the floor on your stomach. Pull your shoulder blades back and extend arms to the side. Point thumbs up and towards the ceiling. Continue retracting shoulder blades until your upper body is lifted up and a T is formed with your extended arms. E2 Squat to Rotate Place one leg on top of a fitness ball and extend the leg to the side. Lower your body to a full squat position while sitting back on your heels. As you raise your body up, begin rotating away from the ball until you are in a standing position.
E3 MB Oblique - Lie on the ground with your legs in a bent position, your arms extended overhead and your hands around a medicine ball. Start the movement by contracting your abdominals and bringing yourself up into a crunch position with the ball on one side of your knees. Do not use the ball's momentum to propel you through the crunch. Use the strength of your ab muscles. Slowly curl back to the start position.
Swing Fault #8-Lateral Sway Having a good pivot is one of the most fundamental movements in the golf swing. Without good body motion back and through, golfers will have a frustrating and difficult time getting their club on plane and their clubface square at impact. The basic pivot helps golfers get a stretch in their torso so they can get into a nice coil in their backswing as well allow their body to make a proper weight shift from one side to the other. There are many swing faults which occur when a golfer has difficulty with the pivot. This includes: lateral sway instead of a hip rotation, a reverse pivot, difficulty loading your right leg (or the leg you load at the top of your backswing) and hanging back on your right leg at finish as opposed to shifting your weight again for the point of impact and as you transition to the follow through. The following exercises focus on good body motion, optimal hip and shoulder mobility and separation. Use these exercises and stretches to get the motion you need for a great looking (and feeling) golf swing. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed.
LATERAL SWAY Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Lunge to Shoulder Press 12 to 15 ea leg A2. Lateral Lunge 12 to 15 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch 10 ea side B2. Back, Glutes, Hamstrings 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again C1. Back Extensions 10 to 12 C2. SB Push Ups 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D1. Lateral Stretch 10 to 12 D2. Hip Stretch 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again E1. Plank to Rotation 6 to 8 ea side
E2. Weighted Crunch Use fitness band 12 to 15 E3. Mountain Climbers 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Lunge to Shoulder Press - Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Brace your abs, and contract your glutes (butt muscles). Step backward with your left leg. Lower yourself until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Move the med ball from your chest level to above your head and shoulders. Return to the start position by pushing with the muscles of the right leg. A2 Lateral Lunge - Place a wooden dowel or golf club across your shoulders and behind your neck. Stand with good posture and feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Begin the move by stepping to the side with one leg, bending at the knee as shown. As your bent leg lands, assume a squat position as you sit back on your bent leg. Hold and then push yourself back into the starting position.
B1 Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch - From a seated position, extend your right leg out and bring your left leg in with foot touching your opposite thigh. Take your right hand and place it on your left knee. Take your left arm, bend it at the elbow, and place it behind your neck. To begin the stretch, reach down your back moving your hand along your spinal column. Hold this position, then release the tension and come back to start position. Repeat. Try to reach a little further with each repetition. B2 Back, Glutes and Hamstrings - Lie on your back with your arms extended to your side and left leg straight. Cross your left leg over your right thigh keeping your leg straight. Place your right hand on your left leg and pull it slowly toward the floor, until you feel a stretch on the outside of your left hip and low back. Keep your shoulders in contact with the floor.
C1 Back Extensions - Lay across a stability ball with your feet extended and shoulder width apart and your hands behind your head. Your stomach will be positioned in the middle of the stability ball. Begin the movement by contracting your abdominals and lifting your upper body off the ball. Do not extend too far up into hyperextension. Return to the start position and repeat. C2 SB Push Ups - Place your hands in the push up position on the ball with fingers pointed down. Contract ab muscles and keep spine in one line. Slowly lower your body until it comes close to touching the ball. Slowly push your body away from the ball until your arms are extended. Always avoid any sagging or arching of the spine. Keep your belly button drawn in towards your spine. Maintain control of the ball throughout the movement.
D1 Lateral Stretch - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your back straight. Place your left hand behind your head and allow your right arm to rest at your side. Slowly bend your body over to the side extending your straight arm down your leg and towards the ground until you feel a stretch in your side muscles. D2 Hip Stretch - Lay on your stomach while placing your hands folded across the floor and your head and neck relaxed. Knees are bent, but together. Slowly rotate heels outward until you feel slight tension in your hips.
E1 Plank t - Begin ulders. Contrac so that your trunk is now facing forward and your arm is straight up forming a T across your shoulders. Concentrate on stabilizing your body and driving the motion through your midsection. Return to the start position and repeat. E2 Weighted Crunch - Lie on your back with a weighted plate on your chest. Flex your waist forward while squeezing your abdominal muscles. Return to your start position and repeat.
E3 Mountain Climbers - Begin by contracting your abs and placing your body in the top of the push-up position. Pick one foot up off the floor, and slowly bring your knee up to your chest. Do not let your hips sag or rotate. Return your leg to the start position. Alternate sides in a rhythmic movement.
Swing Fault #9-Lateral Sway Having a good pivot is one of the most fundamental movements in the golf swing. Without good body motion back and through, golfers will have a frustrating and difficult time getting their club on plane and their clubface square at impact. The basic pivot helps golfers get a stretch in their torso so they can get into a nice coil in their backswing as well allow their body to make a proper weight shift from one side to the other. There are many swing faults which occur when a golfer has difficulty with the pivot. This includes: lateral sway instead of a hip rotation, a reverse pivot, difficulty loading your right leg (or the leg you load at the top of your backswing) and hanging back on your right leg at finish as opposed to shifting your weight again for the point of impact and as you transition to the follow through. The following exercises focus on good body motion, optimal hip and shoulder mobility and separation. Use these exercises and stretches to get the motion you need for a great looking (and feeling) golf swing. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed.
LATERAL SWAY Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Lunge to Shoulder Press 12 to 15 ea leg A2. Lateral Lunge 12 to 15 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch 10 ea side B2. Back, Glutes, Hamstrings 10 to 12 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again C1. Back Extensions 10 to 12 C2. SB Push Ups 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D1. Lateral Stretch 10 to 12 D2. Hip Stretch 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again E1. Plank to Rotation 6 to 8 ea side
E2. Weighted Crunch Use fitness band 12 to 15 E3. Mountain Climbers 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Lunge to Shoulder Press - Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Brace your abs, and contract your glutes (butt muscles). Step backward with your left leg. Lower yourself until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Move the med ball from your chest level to above your head and shoulders. Return to the start position by pushing with the muscles of the right leg. A2 Lateral Lunge - Place a wooden dowel or golf club across your shoulders and behind your neck. Stand with good posture and feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Begin the move by stepping to the side with one leg, bending at the knee as shown. As your bent leg lands, assume a squat position as you sit back on your bent leg. Hold and then push yourself back into the starting position.
B1 Shoulder, Back and Hips Stretch - From a seated position, extend your right leg out and bring your left leg in with foot touching your opposite thigh. Take your right hand and place it on your left knee. Take your left arm, bend it at the elbow, and place it behind your neck. To begin the stretch, reach down your back moving your hand along your spinal column. Hold this position, then release the tension and come back to start position. Repeat. Try to reach a little further with each repetition. B2 Back, Glutes and Hamstrings - Lie on your back with your arms extended to your side and left leg straight. Cross your left leg over your right thigh keeping your leg straight. Place your right hand on your left leg and pull it slowly toward the floor, until you feel a stretch on the outside of your left hip and low back. Keep your shoulders in contact with the floor.
C1 Back Extensions - Lay across a stability ball with your feet extended and shoulder width apart and your hands behind your head. Your stomach will be positioned in the middle of the stability ball. Begin the movement by contracting your abdominals and lifting your upper body off the ball. Do not extend too far up into hyperextension. Return to the start position and repeat. C2 SB Push Ups - IPlace your hands in the push up position on the ball with fingers pointed down. Contract ab muscles and keep spine in one line. Slowly lower your body until it comes close to touching the ball. Slowly push your body away from the ball until your arms are extended. Always avoid any sagging or arching of the spine. Keep your belly button drawn in towards your spine. Maintain control of the ball throughout the movement.
D1 Lateral Stretch - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your back straight. Place your left hand behind your head and allow your right arm to rest at your side. Slowly bend your body over to the side extending your straight arm down your leg and towards the ground until you feel a stretch in your side muscles. D2 Hip Stretch - Lay on your stomach while placing your hands folded across the floor and your head and neck relaxed. Knees are bent, but together. Slowly rotate heels outward until you feel slight tension in your hips.
E1 Plank t - Begin ulders. Contrac so that your trunk is now facing forward and your arm is straight up forming a T across your shoulders. Concentrate on stabilizing your body and driving the motion through your midsection. Return to the start position and repeat. E2 Weighted Crunch - Lie on your back with a weighted plate on your chest. Flex your waist forward while squeezing your abdominal muscles. Return to your start position and repeat.
E3 Mountain Climbers - Begin by contracting your abs and placing your body in the top of the push-up position. Pick one foot up off the floor, and slowly bring your knee up to your chest. Do not let your hips sag or rotate. Return your leg to the start position. Alternate sides in a rhythmic movement.
Swing Fault #10-Need More Shoulder Turn Watching the players on the professional tours can help us all understand why a shoulder turn is so important in golf. For most golfers, it allows the body to make a proper body motion, allows the club to stay on plane in the backswing and helps to create more distance off the tee and in the fairway. Most golfers are familiar with the x factor. The x factor is the simple equation noting the difference between the amount of hip rotation as compared to the amount of shoulder turn a golfer can get in their backswing. In an interview done with Tiger Woods long time coach, Butch Harmon, he claimed (when referring to the swing of Tiger Woods), "The shoulders are past 90 degrees and hips turn only about 30 degrees. This combination of a big shoulder turn and modest hip turn creates power. At this point of the swing, he's like a rubber band wound tightly. His great flexibility keeps him in balance." This program will focus on helping you get a better shoulder turn as well as achieve better separation between the upper body and lower body. It will include both exercises and stretches that can be performed up to several times weekly. The exercises and stretches should be performed in supersets. Begin by performing the number of repetitions for each exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise in the pairing. After you perform one set of both exercises, rest 30 seconds, then repeat again. Now, move to the second superset. Continue until all exercises in the supersets have been completed.
NEED MORE SHOULDER TURN Workout Program Exercise Substitution Repetitions Rest A1. Squat to Rotate 12 to 15 ea side A2. Hip Adductor Walks 12 to 15 ea way Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again B1. Mid Back Stretch 10 ea side B2. Hip Flexor Stretch C1. Upper Body Walk Around C2. Glute Bridge D1. Lateral Stretch 10 to 12 ea side 10 to 12 10 to 12 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat B1 and B2 again Rest 30 sec, then repeat C1 and C2 again D2. Upper Back and Shoulders 10 to 12 Rest 30 sec, then repeat D1 and D2 again
E1. Kneeling Cable Rotation Use a fitness band 12 to 15 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat A1 and A2 again E2. Core Shoulder Swings Use light weights 12 to 15 E3. MB Rotation 12 to 15 ea side Rest 30 sec, then repeat E1, E2 and E3 again
Exercise Descriptions A1 Squat to Rotate Place one leg on top of a fitness ball and extend the leg to the side. Lower your body to a full squat position while sitting back on your heels. As you raise your body up, begin rotating away from the ball until you are in a standing position. A2 Hip Adductor Walks - Stand where you have room to move 10 to 15 feet laterally. Place a mini band around your feet and ankles so it creates tension around your lower legs. Stand with good posture and knees bent slightly. Begin the movement by taking steps to the side while placing emphasis on your outside hip muscles. Try to make the steps progressively larger. Perform a separate set for each side.
B1 Mid Back Stretch - Start by flexing your knees and placing both hands on your thighs. Bend forward from the waist until you reach a comfortable position. Begin the stretch by turning your right shoulder in as you open your chest toward the opposite shoulder (shown). You should feel a good stretch across your mid back. Be sure to keep your chest up and stomach muscles taut throughout this movement. Hold this position and then return to your start position. B2 Hip Flexor Stretch - Place your body in a lunge position with your spine angle straight and stomach muscles contracted. Lean forward into the stretch keeping the same straight back.
C1 Upper Body Walk Around In a push up position, place your feet on the ball. IHold your spine straight and maintain head and neck alignment. Use your hands to walk several steps to the right and then to the left. C2 Glute Bridge - Lie down on the floor on your back. Bend your knees and place a med ball between your knees while arms are at your side. Engage your abdominals and glutes, then slowly lift your hips off the ground. Don t let the glutes touch the ground while you perform repetitions.
D1 Lateral Stretch - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your back straight. Place your left hand behind your head and allow your right arm to rest at your side. Slowly bend your body over to the side extending your straight arm down your leg and towards the ground until you feel a stretch in your side muscles. D2 Upper Back and Shoulders - Place your feet about shoulder width apart and your elbows at shoulder height. Stand against a wall with shoulder blades and hips touching the wall. Contract your stomach muscles and extend your arms straight up trying to maintain contact with the wall.
E1 Kneeling Cable Rotation - Position a cable machine at a low level. From a kneeling position, grab the handle with your outside hand and position elbow next to your side. Pull the cable back as you rotate slightly away from the cable machine. E2 Core Shoulder Swings - Hold your dumbbells in each hand while bending forward at the hip. Keep your abs engaged throughout the movement. Extend your right arm forward to shoulder level at the same time you extend your left arm back behind your body. Now, reverse the movement. While it closely resembles a swinging motion, make sure the movement is slow and controlled, keeping the core engaged at all times.