Golf Specific Workout Program: Focus on Flexibility and Function

Many of us aren’t professional athletes, but we all like to perform to the best of our ability. When you have a recreational sport or hobby it’s always interesting what I can come up with to help improve that specific activity, but at the sometime work on overall general fitness and weight loss.

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I just did a training session with a client to help incorporate some exercises to compliment his sport of choice, golf.  Here is a golf specific workout program with focus on flexibility and function. (I will add pictures soon)

Flexibility
Foam Roll: Lats
Stretch: Lats, Chest and external rotators of shoulder

Kieser cable machine side chops x20x2 per side
Kieser cable machine low to high chops x20x2 per side
Ball Russian twists x5x2 per side
Ball Prone Cobra, external rotation of shoulder thumbs to the ceiling x20x2

 

If there is one thing that most golfer’s need to focus on it’s flexibility of the latissimus dorsi.  It’s also referred to as the lats.  The lats attach to the front of the arm (under the bicep sort of) and span around the side of the body to the back of the middle to lower back.

That’s a pretty large area to cover.  If you can imagine what happens if your lats are abnormally tight or shortened? When you raise your hands above your head your lats will restrict a lot of overhead movement as well as create many other movement compensations.

When you swing the club and your range is restricted because of tight muscles you’re potential for power is decreased.  These tight muscles can also lead to early fatigue as well.

There is a lot more to improving golf flexibility and functionality, but it’s the first step in improving your performance, not to mention reducing your risk of injury.  Keep in mind that if you’re trying to increase your yardage off the tee, the proper stretching program will help increase your power as well.

Stay tuned for a video coming soon.