Forearm exercise - an effective way to increase distance?

[rkim291968]

In one of my swing lesson sessions, I asked my instructor about how to add distance to my drive.   As part of the discussion, we talked about physical exercise I have been doing for golf.   He then told me to add forearm strengthening exercises - windmills, wrist curls.  I have been doing them for a few months now and feel that it is helping me hit a few yards longer.    I've heard others claim similar result.    Do you agree (or disagree) that forearm strengthening is an effective way to increase distance compare to other strengthening exercises?  

[DaveP043]

If I have my physiology right, most of the forearm muscles work the actions of your hands and fingers, so that strengthening those muscles helps strengthen your ability to grip.  Generally speaking, muscle tension is an enemy of rapid movement.  If strengthening your forearms makes you FEEL like you can grip the club with less tension, then you may be able to generate more speed, and clubhead speed is one of the major influences on shot distance.  I'm sure that others know much more about this than I do, but it all makes sense to me.

[boogielicious]

I do them to prevent wrist and forearm injury. I had a pull in my forearm last winter.

[No Mulligans]

A couple of photos of guys that hit it a long way.  Big forearms vs. small forearms... doesn't seem to matter much.

[rkim291968]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

If I have my physiology right, most of the forearm muscles work the actions of your hands and fingers, so that strengthening those muscles helps strengthen your ability to grip.  

I figured there have to be more than that.   When I do left arm swing exercise, I can feel it in my left forearm fairly quickly.  

[AbsoluteTruths]

Strengthening any muscle will give you more control and help prevent injury. 

My trainer recently gave me the following forearm exercise to replace the wrist flexion and
extension I was doing. He said he was getting better results with this. He said with the 
wrist flexion the tendency was to engage the bicep too much.

This is done with just a two-foot piece of two-inch diameter PVC pipe by working one wrist against the other. Using a firm, overhand grip towards the ends of the pipe and holding it in front of you with your arms straight, attempt to flex one wrist (twisting down) while extending the other (twisting up). Do this for ninety seconds. For the first thirty seconds only grip and twist moderately hard. Without stopping to rest grip and twist almost as hard as you can for another thirty seconds. Then, still without stopping to rest (no matter how badly you want to) attempt to crush the pipe in your grip while twisting as hard as you can for thirty more seconds. Then after a short rest repeat with each hand twisting in the opposite direction. 

[rkim291968]

On 11/15/2015, 5:06:41, AbsoluteTruths said:

This is done with just a two-foot piece of two-inch diameter PVC pipe by working one wrist against the other. Using a firm, overhand grip towards the ends of the pipe and holding it in front of you with your arms straight, attempt to flex one wrist (twisting down) while extending the other (twisting up). Do this for ninety seconds. For the first thirty seconds only grip and twist moderately hard. Without stopping to rest grip and twist almost as hard as you can for another thirty seconds. Then, still without stopping to rest (no matter how badly you want to) attempt to crush the pipe in your grip while twisting as hard as you can for thirty more seconds. Then after a short rest repeat with each hand twisting in the opposite direction. 

That's easy to do.   Another fellow at the gym suggested to hang weight on a pipe with a rope, and slowly reel it in. 

[Dave2512]

Forearm muscle and exercise do little to increase swing speed. The speed you lack is genetic if anything. 

[freshmanUTA]

Short answer: Yes

 

Long answer: It really depends on what time of forearm workout you do. Working with rice buckets will increase the power of your grip which for some people helps, and others it feels restraining. I've always found I hit better when I'm constantly in the gym strength training, but that's just me.

 

On November 13, 2015 at 1:15 PM, No Mulligans said:

A couple of photos of guys that hit it a long way.  Big forearms vs. small forearms... doesn't seem to matter much.

Pretty much.

 

But realize that big forearms != strong forearms. People can have strong forearms with not a lot of size.