Golf Fitness Program

This program was jointly developed by P.G.A Professionals and  personal trainers. The goal was to develop a program that targeted golf specific muscle groups and did not require thousands of dollars worth of equipment.   Fitness Program Please consult your doctor before doing any of these exercises. If you feel pain, discomfort or dizziness please stop immediately. The golf swing requires high outputs of power through a full range of motion. The body must be strong enough to with-stand and absorb these forces. The fitness requirement is such that improving Strength and Flexibility along with a cardiovascular program will allow us to hit the ball further. Retaining concentration levels for longer periods of time may be an added bonus. In coming up with a training schedule for golf it is necessary to consider various areas of conditioning. Including Golf specific Exercises, Full Body exercises cardiovascular, strength and flexibility. Golf Specific Exercises focusing on core muscle groups, Stability especially in the mid section, strength especially Abdominal, Lats, Lower Back, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Forearms, Triceps and Deltoids Full Body Conditioning Exercises provides balance to the golf specific Exercises. Flexibility Exercises Focusing on Hamstrings, Lower back, Latisimus dorsi, Chest, Fore-arms, Triceps, Quadriceps and Abdominal These Exercises can all be performed with golf fitness package Available Here For golf specific flexibility programs including yoga and pilates please see the collection in our shop. These items are very popular as golfers who do these programs develop greatly increased range of motion, with incredible results.

Necessary Equipment   Tubing Tubing Handles Exercise Ball (Adv) 1/2 Roller Balance Disk Medicine Ball Pump for Fitness Ball Get it all      With all tubing exercises, the tube should be slightly tensed with no slack at the starting position of the exercise.  The tubing is at its heaviest as it reaches maximum elongation.  As with any rubber-band, be careful not to stretch the tube beyond its maximum elongation or it will break.

Golf Stretches and Exercise     Latissimus Dorsi (Lats):   Lat Pull-over Laying supine (back on ball) on the fitness ball, position your head towards the door where the tubing is attached with the door anchor, to the top of the door.  Handle in each hand, with arms extended overhead towards door.  Stabilize on ball while pulling the hands in a downwards motion towards your waist with arms remaining straight.    You must position yourself far enough away from the door to keep tension in the resistance tube while at the start position.  In the start position, the hands are overhead, while lying in a supine position.   Lat Pull Down Sitting up tall on the fitness ball within a few feet of the door, tubing attached to the top of the door frame with the door anchor and body facing the door.  Holding one handle in each hand, pull the elbows down and in towards your sides.   Bent-over Lat Press Down Standing with knees bent and tubing attached to door frame at door knob level.  Bend at the waist and pull the tubing towards your buttocks.  (Imagine lying on a surfboard and paddling with your upper body.  The same pulling motion that is used to pull the water is what we are looking to create with this exercise.   Stretch:  Staggered stance approximately 2 feet away from a wall.  Extend your arms over your head, place your hands on the wall and lean forwards with your head dropping between your arms.  Put pressure on the arms as you push your torso down.

Triceps   Overhead Triceps Extension (with foam roller) Standing with a staggered stance, tubing under your back foot, elbows up as high as you can get them with your hands dropping back behind your head.  The lower arm should be parallel to the ground with the elbows just about even with the top of your head.  With one handle in each hand, extend the lower arm up towards the sky, keeping the elbows perfectly still.  (Add foam roller to exercise for stability challenge. Thread tube underneath the foam roller while standing on the roller.  Stand on rounded part of roller with flat side down for more stability.  Stand on flat side of roller with rounded side down for decreased stability.)       Triceps Kickback (with foam roller) Staggered stance, leaning on front knee with same side hand,  back flat, buttocks back, tubing under front foot, shortened end of tube across front of body in opposite side hand, opposite elbow held up high, extend arm backwards.  (Perform same exercise with the tube threaded underneath the foam roller while standing on the roller.  Stand on rounded part of roller with flat side down for more stability.  Stand on flat side of roller with rounded side down for decreased stability.)   Push-up on Medicine Ball or Balancing Disk (with foam roller) With hands on medicine ball / balancing disk, elbows kept close to the body and in a push-up position, perform push-ups.  (Easier version can be done with knees on floor.)  (Perform same exercise with the foam roller under feet or knees.)     Triceps Press Down (with foam roller) Tubing attached to the top of the door frame with door anchor.  Handle in each hand with elbows at sides and lower arm parallel to the ground.   Extend arms downward towards ground while keeping upper body tall with a slight bend in the knees.  (Stand on foam roller for additional challenge.)   Stretch:  Elbow straight up in the air with opposite hand pushing elbow straight back.

Obliques   Oblique Crunch Laying on fitness ball, one hand behind head and one hand on stomach, crunch up and twist to the side of the hand that is resting on the stomach.   Oblique Twist with Medicine Ball Toss With a partner or a concrete wall, stand parallel to the partner / wall (with your side to the partner / wall) shift your weight from the outside leg to the inside leg as you rotate the torso and release the medicine ball.   Golf Swing with Medicine Ball Hold medicine ball as though it were your golf club and follow through the same swinging motion.   If you have a partner to throw to, aim for your partner standing a safe distance away.  If using a concrete wall, aim for a spot on the wall.  Otherwise, just follow through the motion and hold onto the ball.   Stretch:  Sit on floor, cross legs with upper leg bent and foot flat on floor.  Twist the torso so you can place the opposite side arm on the far side of the knee.  Press elbow and upper arm against knee to increase stretch.

Shoulders   Shoulder Press (on foam roller) Tubing less than 1 foot or 2, handle in each hand, elbows at shoulder height, 90 degree angle at the elbow, press both hands upwards until arms are almost straight – slight bend in elbow at end of range of motion. (Perform same exercise with the tube threaded underneath the foam roller while standing on the roller.  Stand on rounded part of roller with flat side down for more stability.  Stand on flat side of roller with rounded side down for decreased stability.)       Lateral Raise (on foam roller) Tubing less than 1 foot or 2, lift arms out at the sides to shoulder height.  (Perform same exercise with the tube threaded underneath the foam roller while standing on the roller.  Stand on rounded part of roller with flat side down for more stability.  Stand on flat side of roller with rounded side down for decreased stability.)   Shoulder Abduction (on foam roller) Attach tube to the base of the door with the door anchor.  Stand with your side to the door and use the opposite side arm (the arm farthest from the door).  In a diagonal motion, move the arm outwards from the mid-line of the body at about a 45 degree angle until the arm is outstretched up in the air.  Keep a constant slight bend in the elbow.  (Perform while standing on the foam roller for added challenge.)   Stretch:  Elbow straight up in the air with opposite hand pulling elbow across the back.

Hamstrings and Quadriceps   Hip Lift Lying on back with knees bent and heels in disk, arms out at a 45 degree angle.  Lift the hips up until you have a straight line from the knees to the shoulders.  Keep abdominals drawn in.  Lower until you are an inch above the ground.  Lift up again.  Repeat without resting buttocks down on the floor for the entire set.   Reverse Lunge off Disk or Foam Roller One foot planted squarely on the disk or the foam roller (either side up).  Take a step back with other foot, keeping the weight on the front foot.  The front leg should have a 90 degree bend at the knee.  The knee should NOT travel out over the front of the toe.  Ideally, the knee will be in line with the heel.  When standing up onto the front foot, push through the heel of the front foot.  Repeat.  This exercise works the entire leg.  Focusing on pushing through the heel of the front foot will increase activity in the hamstrings and the glutes.   Squat with Tubing Place tubing under both feet with the feet spread out approximately hip width apart.  Keep hands with tubing elevated above shoulder height.   Squat down making sure to push the buttocks back, while keeping the chest tall.  Again, be sure to avoid having the knees go out past the tips of the toes.  Abdominals should be drawn in.   Hamstring Stretch:  Place your foot on an elevated surface with toes pointing toward the sky.  Reach forward toward the toes.  Keep the knee flat without bending the leg.   Quadricep Stretch:  Pull the heel back towards the buttocks while extending the knee towards the ground.

Lower Back   Prone Back Extension on Fitness Ball Lying prone on the fitness ball with legs extended and open for greater stability, elevate the chest and shoulders.  You will feel the contraction in the lower back.  This is a slight movement.  Avoid coming up too high into hyperextension.   Prone Back Extension on Floor Lying prone on the floor with hands extended above the head, elevate the legs, chest and shoulders simultaneously.   Stretch:  Lie on your back and pull your knees in to your chest.  For increased stretch, roll back and pull knees toward head.