Golf is one of the most challenging sports in the world. The precision and skills possessed by the most successful golf players from around the world are a commodity built upon by intentional training in and out of the course. A common denominator amongst the most successful such as Tiger Woods, Phil Nickerson, and Scottie Scheffler is optimized strength training and conditioning protocols that modularize the specific movement patterns that go behind a swing. This individualized program and effective execution of the set program make the difference between a casual player to the competent and the star of the fairway on a crisp sunny day.
Today, we are going to, not just list a series of exercises that can improve your game but analyze why they’re important to conceptually understand the game from a fundamental standpoint. Playing golf, our assets are thoracic extension, rotational core stability, leg drive, parasympathetic nervous system control, and overall body awareness. Here we are going to learn the strength and conditioning advantage of golf.
Let’s get started with the first tee.
Scapula Control (specifically retraction and depression)
Due to our front-facing (anterior) culture with stationary jobs that require us to have our shoulders hiked and rolled forward. Defined as scapula elevation and pronation respectively. The average golf player lacks the control to set our bodies to perform optimally. Specifically, we are missing the ability to execute scapula retraction and scapula depression properly. So, how do we train it:
Reverse Dips- 4 sets of 12-15 reps with a 10-second isometric contraction on the last rep
Dead Hang to Active Hang pull-ups- 3 sets of 8-10 with a 10-second isometric contraction on the last rep
Bird Dog Row
The aforementioned sedentary lifestyle of contemporary society causes imbalance all through the kinetic chain, and the bird dog row is an invaluable asset to correct that. This movement encompasses various aspects of a swing. Rotary stability through the trunk & hips and pulling muscle power while accompanied by said rotational forces. The proper execution of this movement requires body awareness, muscle-specific unified control, and an acute level of strength & stability. Practically the bird dog row is programmed to target a healthy balance of type I and type II muscle fibers:
Bird Dog Kettlebell Row. 4 sets of 10-12 reps with emphasis on 3-4 second eccentric for each rep and hand placement on top of the movement
Active Squat Pallof Press
The common association with lower back pain/injuries within the sport speaks of the training gaps most players have a vulnerability that takes time away from the fairway and stuck at home recovering. This sentiment is all too real and movements such as the active squat pall of press help break that injury cycle by reinforcing the core while building isometric strength in the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. To prevent the player from rushing this difficult movement it’s better to time the set versus giving a number of reps:
Active Squat Pallof Press. 3 sets of 45-60 seconds with controlled and intentional presses throughout the timed set.
Single Cable Low Rotational Row
A common mistake many players make is not reflecting the raw display of the power of their swing outside of the course. The following two exercises will address the training gap. But it’s important to note that power is the peak of athletic performance. It is important to work from the ground up, like leg drive before a swing, before tackling a movement like this as you want your training to be unified and reflected in all aspects of your game. This movement allows you to have full control of the kinetic chain through your use of power and effectively put the pieces together:
Single Cable Low Rotational Row. 5 sets of 8-10 with explosive yet controlled scapula control from pronation-elevation to depression-retraction.
Proteus Motion Chop Down & Up
The second movement to directly transfer and train the power of your swing from the course is done through the 3D resistance of the state-of-the-art Proteus. This is a machine that is able to track real-time velocity, watts, peak power, and more. It allows a golfer to be able to work within the power of their rotational capacity with live data that lets them know if their drive is getting stronger and more accurate. Again, these power movements are superfluous if the fundamentals aren’t airtight. Since your muscular system is governed by the brain, hence the neuro-muscular system, it’s imperative to properly pave the neurological pathways properly before executing. Thus, doing two cable movements in a slow, controlled manner for each pattern before engaging in the proteus is highly recommended:
Cable Rotational Chop Down and Chop Up. 2 sets of 45-60 seconds for each variation.
Proteus Motion Chop Down and Chop Up. 5 sets of 20-25 seconds with explosive power and variable resistance depending on core strength and control of trainee.
Goblet/Front Squat
Every good golfer understands that the preparation and execution of the swing come from the ground up, starting with the power of the lower body. Goblet Squats and other front squat variations help develop an acute hypertrophic response (muscle building). To prioritize this response from the body. The trainee has to be intentional about the time under tension and eccentric lengthening within the set. Thus, it looks as follows:
Goblet/Front Squat. 4 sets of 8-12 with 4-second eccentric, 1-second isometric active hold, and 90-120 seconds of rest in between each set.
Low to Medium Intensity Steady State (LISS-MISS) Cardio
The parasympathetic nervous system is the network of nerves that relaxes the body during moments of stress. Since we established the fact of paving neurological pathways in training to gain better coordination of the neuro-muscular system, it’s imperative to keep the body relaxed in the course. Keeping your nerves under control during the first tee and an arduous Milligan requires a stoic state of mind. Fortunately, this skill can be trained in a player by engaging in steady-state cardio. Working within zone three to lower zone four target heart rate while practicing parasympathetic breathing techniques to keep your nerves at bay:
Heavy incline walking or Elliptical. 30-45 minutes of zone 3-4 while practicing parasympathetic breathing techniques
That’s a small snippet of the strength and conditioning techniques applicable outside of the course to maximize your golf game.
CLIENTEL3 has exclusive access to the Proteus Motion machine to reflect the biomechanics of the game of golf with real-time stats. As well as a team with the skills and knowledge to coach you through becoming the best golfer.