Can weight lifting help Golf playing

[PuttPutt]

I am wondering, can weight lifting help me play Golf better, I mean make my strokes more powerful?
Can it affect my rhythm? For example in basketball players with big muscles can't shoot free throws with high percentage, I don't see also Golf pro with big muscles.

[MikeLowry5]

I don't see also Golf pro with big muscles.

What about the weak safety who is number one in the World Golf Rankings? Tiger looks similar to a bulked up outfielder or as I said someone out of an NFL teams secondary.

Villegas is also an example of someone who "has muscles" although he is a small man with low (5% or so) body fat %. Tiger has those bloated muscles like Triple H, you know, the kind you get with 3 or 4 cycles of Deca/Test stacked . Weight lifting cannot hurt your ability to play golf unless you injure yourself while lifting weights. You can increase your muscle mass (in good amounts) and still maintain flexability or even improve it. It is a myth that adding muscle automatically reduces range of motion. Those who train correctly, use both static and dynamic stretching as part of their routine are on a crash course for INCREASING flexibility and range of motion!

[clubchamp]

I have a workout I do 3 days a week and I think it helps. I don't think you can add 30 yards but if you have a solid workout you can add some muscle and get good flexibility. I've read that getting your chest too big will affect your swing. Mickelson has gotten into good shape over the last 2 years and he is hitting further than ever.

[deronsizemore]

I think it can only help, but only if you do it correctly as was already stated. I've worked out for years and it took me years to finally lift correctly. Knowing how I used to lift, it's a wonder I still have a back or joints in tact.

You'll likely get stronger by lifting but won't get THAT much bigger. I wouldn't worry about getting big muscles and not being able to swing. You'll bulk up a little but unless you've got a lot of time to devote to lifting and a lot of time to devote to eating correctly, you're not going to look like Arnold any time soon.

[uttexas]

I'd focus on your gluts, legs and core. Leg press/leg sled, lunges, hamstrings/quads, squats + deadlifts (if your back is good). sit ups, leg lifts, crunches.
And flexibility/balance--basic yoga

The power in the golf swing isn't in the arms/shoulders/chest.
Overall, I'd say flexibility is more important.

The longest drivers on the PGA tour include Nick Watney, Dustin Johnson, J.B. Holmes, and Bubba Watson. None of them are listed at over 200lb--so you don't need to be huge to hit the ball powerfully.

[deronsizemore]

I'd focus on your gluts, legs and core. Leg press/leg sled, lunges, hamstrings/quads, squats + deadlifts (if your back is good). sit ups, leg lifts, crunches.

What is JB listed at? He's got to be close to 200.

[grantc79]

I am wondering, can weight lifting help me play Golf better, I mean make my strokes more powerful?

First of all, I have pretty big muscles and big size in general and I shoot free throws like a crazy person.

Also see David West from the New Orleans Hornets. He is the best shooting and free throw shooting power forward in the NBA and he's got a body like the Hulk. At the end of the day I would say lift as much weights as you can. Do core/back stuff and leg stuff especially. But stretch religiously too. Make sure you stretch daily.

[KD Epic]

Also see David West from the New Orleans Hornets. He is the best shooting and free throw shooting power forward in the NBA and he's got a body like the Hulk.

He may the be the best shooting and free throw shooting power forward in the NBA that ALSO has a body like the Hulk, but we all know that Dirk Nowitzki is far and away the best shooting and free throw shooting power forward in the NBA. His body is a little more like Napoleon Dynamite but hey, give the man his due.

[Meddle]

I used to really be into weightlifting and took creatine, etc. Since then I've lost about 20 lbs of muscle and am down to about 175, and hit the ball just as far as I used to.

[WUTiger]

The Titleist Performance Institute discusses weight lifting and conditioning on its web site.

TPI trainers emphasize the difference between strength - ability to do work - and power , which combines strength, mobility and speed in a purposeful athletic move. One TPI theme is that golfers who do general workouts often have strength, but often lack power particular to the golf swing.

[James_Black]

I'd say it would.
Gary Player used to work out all the time when he was on tour to try keep up with the big guys

[MikeLowry5]

I used to really be into weightlifting and took creatine, etc. Since then I've lost about 20 lbs of muscle and am down to about 175, and hit the ball just as far as I used to.

You are not saying you gained 20lbs of muscles from creatine are you?

[Ruckus]

I lift 4-5 days a week... although I am not "huge", I would say my body type is very similar to Villegas'. The one thing I notice is that on the days I max out, I lose flexibility and my swing is off. I tend to avoid going to the range or the course after heavy workouts, especially ones where I work out my back and arms.

[ddalet]

Everyone is different.

Mass probably will not help you in golf.... however, strength undoubtedly will.

Look at gary player, tom watson, chichi rodriguez.

gary and chichi were small guys who worked strength to keep competitive.

Personally, I didn't believe strength training could improve my golf game. Man was I wrong. I have been working out religiously for the past 6 months for the first time in my life... not on a focus on mass building but on strength building.

I have gained 10-15 yards on my irons, and at least 20 yards on my drive. I played yesterday for the first time in months.

It wasn't that I was swinging harder, its that the stability in my core/back and arms allowed me to create wider leverage between my hands and the rest of my body.

On the second hole, I drove the green on a par 4, 320 slightly uphill with a 5 mph wind against. The people on the green were not amused. That was the longest drive of the day for me, but still, my best drive before training was 290-295.

Before you think that a couple gym sessions is going to get you 20 yards, consider that I went through an extreme body transformation... went from a flabby belly to a six pack and a significantly stronger back... and I did this not out of vanity but out of pain that had developed in my lower back. Because of the pain I also focused on maintaining my flexibility while training. The pain is gone, but if it hadn't been there i doubt I would've worked as hard as i did.

If I can recommend a few muscle groups to focus on: Work you core (abs) WITH FREE WEIGHTS... this is the one place where mass is better for golf and spine support. Also work your legs, its where a lot of power comes from. Finally, a strong back will give you the ability to whip your trunk around quicker without getting hurt.

Best of luck!

[PuttPutt]

Thanks for response everyone, it really gave me a lot of information. I hope I can improve my game with that.

[Doctorfro]

This past winter I stepped up my weightlifting regimen and right now I'm killing it off the tee. I haven't hit the ball this long in years. Some may be technique but I really think the lifting has helped.

And dude, you need to go to a pro tournament and check out some of these guys playing. Some of these guys are ripped! and some are just plain big 'ol boys.

[right handed phil mickelson]

This past winter I stepped up my weightlifting regimen and right now I'm killing it off the tee. I haven't hit the ball this long in years. Some may be technique but I really think the lifting has helped.

Yep. Some hit it out there big because of weight-lifting (A la Tiger Woods), and others just use leverage and the body god gave them to hit it big (Aka Bubba Watson). But you can bet that almost everyone on tour has consulted a dietition or fitness trainer at some point or another. A healthy diet and some excersize can reduce anxiety while golfing, and relieve pressure in certain situations by learning to relax your muscles.

But as most of the other guys said, if you work out correctly, then there will be big improvements in your game regarding distance. Get with a trainer that works specifically with golf-related muscles and that knows what he/she is talking about. I'm currently reading Paper Tiger, and Tom Coyne tells about his experiences working out with a trainer and getting on the road to playing professional golf. Read that a little bit and you'll get a good idea of the right things to do to improve your game.

[kingface12]

Lifting weights alone may help a bit but if you're going to do something...make it a full change. Eat healthy (if you're not already), work on your flexibility, your cardio and your core. All of these things will have a lot more profound effect on your game than simply lifting weights. I also suggest this because there are things more important than golf....like your overall well being and health. These things will impact everything....not just a golf swing.

If you're going to start on something...start small and basice before you start something. For a week I would just work on stretching. Stretch your legs, arm, back neck etc 3-4 times a day. Youll be amazed at how much your flexibility changes. Then the next week get an exercise ball and start working your core, sit ups, crunches back etc. while still stretching. After that week introduce weights. For a golf swing/ athletic look do a lot of reps and 3 set with each muscle group. the key is going into it slowly. It gets your body accustomed and studies show that if you go into an exercise routine gradually, you'll stick with it longer than if you jump right into something big.

Good luck!