Golf Fitness

Took my first lesson about 4 months ago, part of it focused on the swing and the other half consisted of the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Program. Considering how athletic the game is getting today, I thought it was important to start learning about specific exercises to help with my golf game and although I have not been the greatest at keeping up with it, I've made it my goal this offseason to get in good physical shape in hopes of seeing better results on the course.

The TPI program was extremely worth checking out as they give you access to their website and lay out a series of workouts to do over a couple month period. Most of it focuses on stretches and getting more flexible, something I desperately need to do, but I also would like to have a routine consisting of weights and cardio. I've always been athletic, but never had the real drive to get in the gym until now and after taking a yoga class last night, I realize just how out of shape I am and how much of challenge it will be.

Never thought I'd be one to take yoga, but I can feel it today and can tell its definitely something I'll want to stick with as its more engaging than just lifting weights.

Do some of you guys have golf specific workout routines you use that would be helpful for me as I really don't know a good place to start in regards to the weightroom. My schedule isn't super demanding, I play in a basketball league once a week and can get to the gym easily, just need to stay motivated. Thanks.

UPDATE: Just used the search function, works wonders.

But still, if anyone does have a simple routine they use a couple times a week at the gym that has been effective, I appreciate the help.

I workout, but it really isn't golf specific. I've been at it consistantly for around 10 months and I do typical mass gaining, heavy weight, low rep, lots of sets. I don't do my chest as I have something wrong with my shoulders and can't push or do flys. It just kills.

The one thing I've noticed or think is helpful is legs for golf. I do squats, straight leg dead lifts, lunges, and calf raises for them once a week and I've had big gains in my size and strength. Maybe not big gains in size but noticable to me. It seems to help on odd lies being stable.

Other thing that I've noticed is my forearms are so much stronger and I can go after it a little harder with the same amount of effort. I'm not one for swing out of my shoes as I find it to be a poor way to swing.

I do alot of rotating stuff (reverse flys with dumb bells or cables) for my interior back and also the oblieques (can't spell, sides of body) and those excercises hit the golf muscles.

I can't tell you what has changed, but my long game has gotten better, I'm driving it far, hitting my irons a decent distance without much effort, and overall feel like I swing the club better. I think it is the added strength along with a better understanding of how to swing the club thus better technique.

Core and leg exercises are awesome for the golf swing. Allows you to be more balanced and stable throughout the swing. A good swing comes from ground up so you should work them out.

do these: . when doing the woodchoppers you can do 4 directions: right shoulder towards left knee, left shoulder to right knee, right knee to left shoulder, and left knee to right shoulder. You can also do planks [both sides and front] for "core" stability.

A general strength program is always a good idea, whether it's golf focused [what does that mean anyway?!] or otherwise. My only suggestion is that for every chest exercise you do [flatbench, decline, incline, pushups, etc] do at least 1, preferably 2, upper back exercises [seated cable rows, bent over dumbbell rows, pullups, etc] to keep you balanced. Too much bench causes the pecs [chest muscles] to tighten, which pulls the scapulae [shoulder blades] forward. Sooner or later you'll develop pain in your shoulders when you do such exercises as bench press and shoulder press [or any shoulder exercise, really].


--I have no affiliation with this video and that is certainly not me in the demonstration.

To me Golf is such a whole body function, there really isn't anything you are not using, except for those who are good, there brains ;b

But, what can help alot of people is balance. Get yourself a workout mat, fold the two ends to the center then fold it over again. Then balance in the center, make sure to brace yourself at first, especially if your not use to working out your ankles. You be surprised how weak your ankles are. This helps out alot, and it gives you a sense of what it feels like to be centered balanced, not on the heels or toes, which alot of people have issues in there address position with. If you find the mat to hard, just balance barefoot with out it, your still working out the ankles.

Work out the wrists, just hold a club in one hand straight out infront palms down, and rotate the club to vertical and back. You can do this sitting down bracing your forearm on your thigh for support, and to isolate the wrist. Definetly helps with tough rough.

I like circuit training, basically doing as many reps as possible in 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds then go to the next station. This is a good way to mix cardio and resistance training together. I try to hit every muscle group, and using compound exercises were i am working out multiple groups at once (ie. Tricep dips instead of kick backs, pushups instead of bench press) I like to alternate between upper, lower, core. I usually can get a full body workout in 30-40 minutes and you feel like you just kicked your own ass.

If you need help with exercises, check out this website, http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html , exercises by type of equipment and by muscle groups. You can also check out Men's Health exercise guide, it has a ton of exercises by body location, sold at borders or amazon.

Hitting the big muscles at least once, using compound exercises hit the smaller ones. Its pretty easy to mix it up to.

As for stretching, don't do static stretching before working out, do dynamic stretching.

Static Stretching, for example is quad stretch were you hold your foot behind you stretching your thigh. Dynamic would be just walking around loosening it up. Static stretching, were you hold the stretch actually shuts down the muscle group and is only good for after workouts, not before. If you want to warm up the muscle group, just mimic the exercise your doing with no weights for like 15-20 seconds.

i have a military/boot camp routine that i have been doing the past 2 months
i have worked some golf related exercises into it as well too (using a swing fan and impact bag)
no weight greater than a 6 lb medicine ball, all body weight excercises

i also do Yoga 2 days a week for a total of a 5 day workout - big cardio on yoga days
i put a 20 lb backpack on when doing cardio, to simulate having my bag on

in 2 months, i have picked up almost a 5mph SS

if interested, PM me and ill email you a copy of what i do

I started P90X, and its the real deal! \

I read that the number of sets dont matter, mostly you get your greatest benefit in the first set you do and anything after that is very little increase in work on the muscles.

I do find my body works better when i am not working on the machines, since there is nothing mechanical supporting me, so i have to use my balance in my work outs as well.

A kneeling woodchipper is one of the power exercises I borrowed from Titleist Performance Institute.

You also mention "general strength." This helps overall balance and endurance. The TPI guys caution, however, that most amateurs who work out have good strength and low power. (Power = purposeful explosiveness in swing).