Golf Fitness Program Outline

A safe golf training program starts with an overall golf fitness assessment.

This consists of:

• Posture
• Balance
• Joint Movement
• Muscular Stability and Co-ordination
• Muscle Flexibility
• Muscle Strength
• Dynamic Muscle Co-ordination
• Muscular Endurance

For a comprehensive set of Fitness Measures & Tests

Fitness Training Equipment

Most golf specific exercise programs do not need to be done in a gym. By using your own body weight, a bit of elastic tubing, light hand-weights and a stabilization [balance] ball.

Golf fitness training aids are also commonly employed, many of which are more gimmick that necessary. A weighted club may be helpful in the early phases.

The most important pieces of golf fitness training in my program are: a video camera and a mirror. In spite of what you may think, you cannot “feel” how you are swinging at the ball, you need to see! Taking a video of your golf swing is invaluable, and many golf professionals employ swing mechanics video software to retrain their bodies to the perfect swing alignment.

The mirror may be just full length windows that allow you to SEE your motion of movement during training workouts.

Fitness Program Progress

The first phase for improving your golf game and avoiding physical injury is improving you general fitness. This means designing a fitness program, based upon the results of the measures and tests

The second phase employs golf specific targeted training that includes stretching, strengthening, and dynamic sequencing exercises that mimic the movements used in the golf swing.

• Golf Exercise Warm Up
• Golf Balance Exercises
• Golf Strength Training
• Golf Flexibility Exercises
• Golf Relaxation Exercises

Progress through the golf fitness program allows your body to rapidly adapt to the demands of the golf swing, without injury. It is very important that you complete the warm up exercises BEFORE starting any of the more dynamic movements. These are the same warm up exercises you use before driving range practice or going out for a game.

The order that you do the remaining exercises is also important. I like to start off with a few simple flexibility stretches after my warm up, but don't push them to the max. This only need take a few minutes. Then move on to the strength section.

After completing the strength workout, the muscles are very warm and really benefit from a more intense stretch and flexiblity workout segment. And it feels so good.

Once the body has reached the delightfully 'worked out' feeling it it a perfect time to move on a few relaxation exercises. I generally couple these with some visualisation techniques to get those powerful images entrenched into the brain when it is the most receptive.

Next Step - Golf Warm Up Exercises

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