Exercise recommendations

[rookie101]

Hi all

Need some useful exercises to acutually get myself into the gym and then to carry on with a decent twice a week routine, golf orientated obviously. I was also thinking to keep myself supple by taking up yoga?

[plark]

Yoga is an excellent way to stay fit. I do insanity right now, and there a yoga day in the workout schedule and I sweat so damn bad but I also become way more flexible. Seems like you're doing ok in my opinion.

[saevel25]

Full Body, complex movements are the best.

Complex movements bring in all the smaller muscles as support. If i was you concentrate on,

Pushups

Pull ups (if not, then chin ups or supported chin ups, work your way up)

Squats

Lunges (split squats)

Shoulder raises

These will hit most all your muscles

As for golf, i like using a medicine ball to mimic the golf swing, really helps get a deep move with the rotation. Russian twists are good. Anything core related.

Just start off slow, if not, you wont be moving right for about a week :p

[Barefoot Golfer]

I agree with the complex movements.  Golf is a power sport, meaning that it is both speed and strength combined.  Along with those compound slower movement, make sure you try and get some  jumping and throwing movements in there.  The medicine ball example above is great.  I would suggest mimicking the golf swing by throwing the medicine ball.  You get more speed and power this way.

I am an experienced weightlifter, so i also do a great deal of heavy deadlifing, squatting, and then I compliment that with Olympic style lifts

If you have never picked up a weight or done any of these exercises before, i would suggest getting a bit of help from someone who knows what they are doing.

I have written a couple posts so far on my blog about golf fitness.

[Righty to Lefty]

Originally Posted by Barefoot Golfer

I agree with the complex movements.  Golf is a power sport, meaning that it is both speed and strength combined.  Along with those compound slower movement, make sure you try and get some  jumping and throwing movements in there.  The medicine ball example above is great.  I would suggest mimicking the golf swing by throwing the medicine ball.  You get more speed and power this way.

I am an experienced weightlifter, so i also do a great deal of heavy deadlifing, squatting, and then I compliment that with Olympic style lifts

If you have never picked up a weight or done any of these exercises before, i would suggest getting a bit of help from someone who knows what they are doing.

I have written a couple posts so far on my blog about golf fitness.

+1 The Oly lifts are awesome for building a strong platform for the golf swing in my opinion because the deadlifts, front squats, and backsquats are a relatively slow movement that build strength and then your cleans and snatches are powerful and aggressive.

I get my Oly work from CrossFit and Iove it because throughout a week we hit on everything from mobility training (which you will be shocked at how much golf improvement comes from increasing your range of motion) and stretching, to Oly work, to box jumps....etc. It is never the same and in my opinion if done correctly, is perfect to develop overall fitness and agility  for golf.

[Shindig]

+1 The Oly lifts are awesome for building a strong platform for the golf swing in my opinion because the deadlifts, front squats, and backsquats are a relatively slow movement that build strength and then your cleans and snatches are powerful and aggressive.

I got into most of [i]Starting Strength[/i]'s described lifts (I'll admit freely that Rip would tell me "YNDTP" due to how often I'm unable to go, and certainly that I've had very few days of 3500 calorie eating that someone of my frame needs to do the program) about two and a half years ago and, while I've had quite a few 3+ month periods of little lifting, and thus very few gains... despite that, I see a huge difference between before and after for driving distance and irons distance (and, to a less important extent, my looks). Even if it weren't for the golf benefits, squats are just plain fun. No idea if the bench or press help golf in any way. Still haven't done clean and snatch. I figure I should get a respectable number at the press first (personal best is 95 lbs, but took time off after hitting that, and am lately comfortable at 85). And also I'm unsure if my gym allows it anyway.