How should a golfer exercise?

[kenhockey2]

My suggestion is to research articles on fitness programs for golfers. Next work with a fitness instructor to design a strength and conditioning program that addresses health and skill related fitness components. Finally, look and your work and personal business schedules to fit this strength and conditioning program into your daily, weekly, and monthly schedules. This is the first step to improve functional work capacity. 

[saevel25]

If you have never worked out before, then look up some basic strength training programs. You probably have some deficiencies somewhere that could cause issues with some sport specific exercises.

I would focus on compound movements, balance, yoga, core strength.

[criley4way]

Really is this a debate? Having better strength, flexibility and explosive power is good for ANY sport. Baseball players train, gymnasts train, sprinters train, GOLFERS train. Getting hurt is a problem in any sport. Find someone who understands the golf swing or at least the motions of the swing and how to properly train. Learn good form and maintain balance. 

Do you need to be able to Squat 300lbs or Bench 400 to be a good player? NO

Does having more power, better explosiveness and more flexibility allow you to achieve a better more powerful swing YES!

Can you take it too far OF COURSE. There will be a point at which your genetics max out for dynamic power and the ligaments and tendons or even muscles are at their limit. If you can't control it and stay in balance you will have issues.

 

<<Climbing down off the soap box>>

[rehmwa]

I workout for overall fitness.  Tailoring to one single activity sounds like a recipe for failure and injury, IMO.  Balanced and varied workouts are the key.  A mix of resistance training (mostly), cardio and flexibility of all kinds, and changing it up frequently works for me personally.  I'm a fan also of the type of yoga that really pushes you hard, high self resistance, balance, making you hold yourself togetehr and sweat and be short of breath - not the flaky breath slowly and meditate type - but the true workouts.

I would concede for any specific sport, only things that help with injury prevention from those motions be introduced or added to the basic workouts.

As I get older, I'm finding increased focus on resistance training that builds and strengthens the complex of muscles about the length of the spine to be more and more important.

Edited November 5, 2018 by rehmwa