Article on Chops: A Good Core Exercise for Golfers

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From golfdigest.com

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/05/fitness-friday-why-you-should.html

I do this exercise in several forms, weight machine, stretch bands and medicine ball.  I use whatever is available.

For weight machine, I do similar to DLIII, but with a slower motion for strength work and I hold the position in between.  For stretch bands and medicine ball, it is more explosive motion with slow release.

Fitness Friday: Why you should be doing chops

By Ron Kaspriske

There are many variations of the exercise called chops. As you might imagine, the movement gets its name from the similarity it has with motion needed to swing an axe. The reason why chops are so good for golfers, says Golf Digest fitness advisor Randy Myers

s that they help improve a number of components to making an effective swing.

"They help with everything from tempo, to weight transfer, to improving torso strength and shoulder mobility," Myers says. "The golfers I work with do them often."

As I mentioned earlier, there are many versions including reverse chops (going from low to high across the body), kneeling chops and pull-and-push chops (moving a bar across and then away from the body).

But to keep it simple, Myers suggests doing a standing chop to improve tempo and weight transfer from the ground to the core and mid-back region, and a kneeling chop to improve torso strength and shoulder mobility.

You can use a medicine ball, dumbbell, or stretch bands to perform these exercises, but ideally you would perform them with a cable machine. To see Davis Love III demonstrate these exercises, click on the video below.

Ron Kaspriske is the fitness editor of Golf Digest.