Exercises for Golf

[ks8829]

What exercises have you found helpful for your golf game?

1) Stretching, weights, yoga, pilates, cardio, others?
2) What benefit have you received from the exercise?
3) How often do you exercise?
4) Do you stretch before and after a round of golf?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[ks8829]

I use to do pilates twice a day and found some distance because I was able to turn better and it also helped keep my back stretched.

I played with some light weights to keep the upper body muscles firm for the golf swing but nothing heavy.

[golf_junkie27]

Bear walk-Get on all fours. Legs spread to the point that you are almost stiff-legged. Walk about sixty feet forwards/backwards. Do this for four sets. This strengthens your hamstrings.

Walk out- Stand straight up, feet are shoulder width apart. Move hips back and grab toes with your hands. Now walk, using your hands, until your are perpendicular to the floor. (Feet stay in the same position) You then walk using your feet, until they are at your hands, back in the original position of hands grabbing toes. Again, this strengthens your hamstrings.

Superman-Lay face down on the floor. Simultaneously bring your arms and legs up, like Superman flying, (thus the name) This strengthens your core and lower back.

Plank-Again, lying face down, lift your hips above the ground. Tuck your elbows inside your chest and balance your weight on your upper torso. Squeeze your abs starting for 30 seconds. Work your way up to 2 minutes. This strengthens your core.

Spider Stretch- Lay face down. Arms stetched out, parallel, to your shoulders. Take your left foot to right hand and visa versa. Your chest never leaves the floor. This stretches out your legs and hips.

Quadruple Threat-Skip rope for one minute. Stop, drop and do 10 pushups. Stop, drop and do 10 situps. Stop, stand up and do 10 squats, hands on head. Grab rope and skip for two minutes. Then do the same exercises for 20 reps. Grap rope and skip for three minutes. Then do the same exercises for 30 reps.
DO NOT REST in between sets. This increases your focus, hand-eye coordination and fast-twitch muscle fibers.

POWER BAND

The two exercises I recommend are:

Tree chop-Have band on bar about three feet above you. Take band in hands. Walk out so you would be in the same position as you would be when bringing back a golf club during a swing. You know should feel some tension in your hips. Take the bands, rotate your hips and shoulders and try to touch your left from foot. Switch and try to do this for your right foot. 4 Sets of 15 reps.

You should do this same movement from a different angle. Take the bands and put them on a secure pole/bar on the ground. Take the bands, in your hands, rotate hips and swing upwards. Same movement as finishing a golf swing. This also increases your flexibility in the hip area.

Last movement-Buy a weight belt, insert a chain, and lock into a weighted stack. Walk out about four feet. Run as hard as you can, upright, knees high, for 30 to 45 seconds. Four sets. This will increase the power of your legs.

I hope these help.

[Shindig]

What exercises have you found helpful for your golf game?

I'm renumbering this to 1-2-3-4 for my responses.

Man, I need to write a good response to this once and save it, because I seem to answer pieces of the general exercise question regularly. Not that I'm complaining: I enjoy talking about it. I'll expand on this at a later date if I can, especially if there are questions about it. For the record - prior to starting golf, I was a scrawny little thing; 5'8" 120 lbs. Now I'm 140-145 lbs, I'm eating better (healthier and in real quantities), exercising, and feeling better. 1. Stretching in general, for certain. I do yoga twice a week - the nice thing about a school with a fitness center is that I can take 3 months of yoga for $30. I also use exertubes for arm and core strength. And it's hard to beat the benefit of running or at least a stair-master. I used to do hammer curls, but I've stopped for reasons I don't fully understand. 2. There are obvious health benefits to exercise. It's also helped me gain weight and make said weight as muscles - see above for what I was before hand. As far as golf goes, I started the exercise shortly after taking golf seriously and taking lessons, so I don't know how much of my distance/control comes from form and how much comes from exercise. But I've blasted drives lately that surprised me. Sadly, I've also flown greens. 3. I can do a ten-minute stretch daily, easily . I also do 1.5 hours of yoga twice a week. When I go to the gym, it's 15 minutes of stair-master and maybe 45 minutes to an hour of assorted light weights (repetitions are crucial), mainly for endurance of the golf muscles. 4. Yes, I stretch before and after a round of golf. The aim is to get loose so I can make a nice flowing swing.