Jump to content
IGNORED

Golf workouts?


APrince
Note: This thread is 3832 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

Im going to start exercising again and wonder what kind of exercises i can do that are more golf specific/related? ive never exercised specifically just for golf. However, since im getting more into during this chapter of my life, i taught id look for golf related exercises/lifts.

Right now im completely out of shape, my only exercise is golf. Im 5'11 260, most people dont believe im 260 because of my wide shoulders and chest, they think maybe 210-220. I just gained 25 of those during my partners pregnancy. Im not sure what a good golf weight would be for me to play at. A little physical history: i grew up playing football, basketball, baseball, boxing, weightlifting, biking. Out of those my main sport was 15 years of baseball. I played baseball at 195-200, i boxed at 169-185, football at 210-215.

I havent been on a bike or lifted , hell i havent done any cardio/lifting in 3 1/2 years. When i was i was riding i'd do 10-20 miles a day 7 days a week and circuit training with weights 3x a week - 195 - 200 pounds was a good weight for this. i was focused on everyday strength in lifting, not being ripped or bulking - id generally do 8 reps and 3 sets on all lifts except for the bench; which was heavier weight/lower reps (except for the 8 rep warm up).

Now im planning on doing light cardio (walking/power walking) for awhile, at least the next 4-5 months until i drop some weight. I feel i need to be back at or around 220 before i start pounding my knees and ankles with heavier cardio such as jogging/running. My target weight loss goal is 2-3 pounds a week.

I no longer have a bike and i wont be getting one due to a new child and financial obligations. Nor do i have a gym membership., any lifting will have to be with house hold items, such as water buckets and weighted grocery bags. What kind of lifts/exercises can i do to help my golf game? Ill also be doing push ups/sit ups/ standing squats/lunges and a lot of stretching.

thanks for your help in advance

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 2 weeks later...
Originally Posted by APrince

Now im planning on doing light cardio (walking/power walking) for awhile, at least the next 4-5 months until i drop some weight. I feel i need to be back at or around 220 before i start pounding my knees and ankles with heavier cardio such as jogging/running. My target weight loss goal is 2-3 pounds a week.

thanks for your help in advance

I was 303 pounds back last June. Since then, I have dropped 80 pounds and am in the best shape of my life at 37. I'll share a few things that I've learned in that time.

1. You can't outrun your fork.  By that I mean nutrition will be 80 to 90 percent of your success in losing bodyfat. Keep in mind I didn't say weight. No matter how much exercise you do isn't going to make a difference in the bodyfat department if you eat a poor diet. Do some research on caloric intake for your age/height.  Don't eat too low of calories, that actually stunts progress after a few months. Also make sure you eat plenty of protein.

2. I ran at 285 all the way down to 225 with no ill effects on my knees. I now can run 4 miles at 11 minutes a mile. It's not fast, but it's still more than I ever thought I did. The trick is building up. Don't go out and jog a mile right off the bat. Spend 4 to 6 weeks walking and work up to 40 minutes. Then try a program like couch to 5k. It really works!

3. As far as strength training for golf, most of the benefit will come from strengthening your core muscles and increasing flexibility. I would recommend the squats, lunges, pushups, dips, and pull ups along with russian twists and planks (regular and side planks) for core strength.

The jury is still out on powerlifting exercises such as bench, squats, deadlifts, etc.  I used to powerlift, but I found that when I got back into golf my range of motion was reduced, but I didn't stretch like I should have.

I wish you luck, and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Alright guys. I use golf to burn calories. Dropped 30 pounds just hitting golf balls. It's a fun way to lose weight. Just get a coach to make sure you do the right things.

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • 2 weeks later...

golf really got me started on losing weight and getting in shape, too.  when i took up the game, i weighed about 350 lbs.  i was so heavy and out of shape that initially, even with a cart, i was wore out by the end of 18 holes.  as time went on, i started forcing myself to walk, and next thing i knew i'd shed the easiest 20 lbs you ever heard of.  over several years, i got my weight down to a little over 300, but in the past few months i've pretty radically altered my diet and joined a gym, and as of tonight i'm down to 284.

all that being said, my routine in the gym pretty similarly matches a lot of what's already been said.  the staples of my workout are 30-60 mins on the elliptical (cause i've still got a lot of fat to burn off), push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, planks, jumping jacks, squats and lunges.  every other trip to the gym i do light work outs on the bench press, lateral pull downs, shoulder press, leg press, triceps and biceps, cause i want to tone everything up, but i don't want to go all Arnold Schwarzenegger with it.  and since i started going to the gym, i've suddenly gained 10-15 yards on each club, so i definitely subscribe to the notion that being in shape equates to more distance.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 2 weeks later...

I really love functional workouts, personally, and have been doing it since the beginning of this season.  I have seen so many positives that every aspect of my golf has improved from using just Kettle Bells.

Below is a a great morning warm up that I used and now have created my own version.

If you search kettle bell exercises and functional movement exercises you'll get a lot of good stuff.

Edit:

APrince since you have no problem cutting weight you'll have to work out what works for you with your swing.  I think weight doesn't really matter much compared to flexibility/stability; as long as your body is strength is proportional you'll have an advantage with your swing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


You could use paint buckets or google diy sandbags since making sure you have a good handle is key with Kettle Bells.

This is just two moves that you can learn - clean and then press.

Another awesome movement, make sure to learn it in small segments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note on the squats, Its recommended you never keep your feet pointing forward. First off, it will lock your hips and you will not be able to get into a deep squat. Most squat injuries come from not getting deep enough in the squat. So, get a good 30 degrees open with the feet, this will free up the hips to allow you to get deeper in the squat.

On that note, i really do like the TPI routine. I can easily work that into the mornings before work. It also has a lot of stability exercises that would benefit those people who are just starting out and need to develop the stabilizing muscles. Anyone who's ever done some split squats or lunges will find that the inside and outside of there legs will be tight, when you'd think you have worked out the quads and gluts. Those abductors and adductors really get hammered good on anything you do when you balance.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I really love functional workouts, personally, and have been doing it since the beginning of this season.  I have seen so many positives that every aspect of my golf has improved from using just Kettle Bells.

hey thanks for the advice, ill see what i can add to the workout. im doing rehab on my shoulder with rubber tubes so i may lay off of kettles or similar weights for awhile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


hey thanks for the advice, ill see what i can add to the workout. im doing rehab on my shoulder with rubber tubes so i may lay off of kettles or similar weights for awhile.

That's definitely something to be very cautious about, but do completely stray from them.  I would recommend working out with someone or even getting a trainer at some point specifically for your weak spots.  I torn my ACL and I, very cautiously, train that leg just a little bit extra.  Of course I'm not aware of what your shoulder rehab consists of, so adding these could be an overkill if you're doing a daily/weekly routine.

When starting out go with Kettle Bells, or what ever you can use, that are 15lbs or even less weight than that

Here is a good shoulder style swing video, as well.  Also, remember that this guy in the video is doing very quickly, but for your shoulder conditioning you'd want to stick with a nice smoothly and stable pace...then slowly get into a fast more ballistic movements.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


hey thanks for the advice, ill see what i can add to the workout. im doing rehab on my shoulder with rubber tubes so i may lay off of kettles or similar weights for awhile.

Olympic lifting is a great way to start working out for your golf game. If you've never done it before just going through the motions of the different lifts slowly and with focus of doing them correctly you will be working out the muscles that are needed for your golf game. Glutes, abs and of course your lower back will get stronger and you'll also learn how to activate the muscles correctly. Your thoracic spine will get a good stretch and you'll get a great way to learn how to hip hinge properly. And the best part? A simple dowel or the shaft of a broom will do for the first few weeks when you want to nail the technique.

Eventually you can do the lifts for power (using strength and speed) which will help you activate the correct muscle types we're using in our golf swing.

So olympic lifting techniques slow and focused on doing it right I'd say is the perfect help for your golf swing. Adding kettlebell swings and other powerful excercises is great once you have "woken" your body up and get it activated!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Kettle balls are a great addition to any workout.

I am kinda hesitant on Olympic weight lifting until the person gets some form of basic strength. That type of lifting is heavy, aggressive, and really needs some strong stabilizer muscles to perform. As the guy for the commercial in the TPI video, you don't want the clean and jerk to go past your shoulders, it needs to be inline with your center of mass for balance. This requires a lot of coordination and a good amount of starter strength in the shoulders muscles. I recommend going with dumbbells, and get some of the more basic exercises down before trying something more complex. Honestly, you can break down the movements with other exercises, or just take some weights and do some jump squats, it a bit safer on the shoulders.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I fully agree that for the complete lifts you do need good control but also a good basic strength. But the simple dead lift motion done properly in posture and movement will teach you a lot of important things useful in your golf game. So just to clarify, not the complete olympic lifts at first, if ever, but parts of them using just a dowel will be useful.

I've been doing olympic lifting myself for the last 18 months and it has really done a difference when it comes to both strength but even more power and mobility. And I almost never do any of the full lifts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


So just to clarify, not the complete olympic lifts at first, if ever, but parts of them using just a dowel will be useful.

I've been doing olympic lifting myself for the last 18 months and it has really done a difference when it comes to both strength but even more power and mobility. And I almost never do any of the full lifts.

Slow and steady definitely wins the race!

One of the video's I posted also had the turkish get up done while balancing a shoe.  Doing things like that are EVEN better than using weights; especially for injuries that need to be slowly natured.

This is an awesome little thread... I like the idea of olympic lift without weights any videos available to check out....even if it has weights in the video, just good to get an idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


It took me 7 months of mobility and form work to gain full range of motion in all of my oly lifts.  I still don't pull big weight just because I don't feel it is necessary to get the benefits that I am looking for.  They all have their benefits but I find that full range of motion overhead squats really help me as your core is working real hard to keep the weight stable even with light weights.  Snatch is my second favorite because you really learn how and when to deliver the power just as would be needed in the golf swing. Deadlifts and squats provide the stable base needed to support all the power.  Oly lifts and mobility will help your golf game for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 3 weeks later...
  • Moderator

Basics. Bench, deadlift, and squats.  Add in some accessories and stretching and you are good to go.  Deadlifts and squats are the absolute best things for strengthening your core.  I actually don't even use a belt when I squat or deadlift for this reason....I know, there are tons of opinions on both sides of the belt thing, so I won't get into that here.

Squats---feet angled out (knees track that line....think of a string tied between feet and work on keeping that string tight...also called spread the floor)

butt moves first (don't bend the knees first)

go at least to parallel ( I used to do paused deep squats but after injuring my knee, my PT said that you shouldn't go past parallel....user's discretion on that one)

Deadlifts---stance and grip depends on sumo or conventional

grab the bar and lean back to the point that you would fall backwards if you let go

shoulders should not be in front of bar

lift with legs and not all back

once the weight is past the knees, it's just a matter of firing the hips forward (trainer always told me that you should never miss the lift if you get it past the knees)

best to drop the weight, but many gyms don't allow that

These are just some key points that I see MANY MANY people in the gym doing wrong.  Correct form will allow more weight easily.  Start with a basic strength routine like mentioned above and then go from there.  I wouldn't shy away from these though because they are the staples to hitting all muscle groups with minimal movement.  I just don't see much use in a beginner to start focusing on specific movements like most body builder routines in magazines.

Like mentioned above, nutrition will be key for losing the weight.  Do some reading on protein though, most of the time, you don't near as much as everyone used to say.  I think there are even studies out now talking about athletes only needing .75/1lb.  I've heard too many stories of guys eating a lot of protein and ending up with kidney problems.

Bryan A
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Note: This thread is 3832 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...