Strength Training Program for Golf

Now, I can already hear you saying you already have a fitness program in place – fair enough. What we are talking about here is a strength-training program that is golf specific. We will look at the training elements, plan strategies and try to squeeze in some golf too.

Training Elements

In order to establish a strength-training program for golf, we start with the basics – health and physical fitness. I will let you make your own definition of healthy but will give a working definition for physical fitness. Physical fitness relates to the condition of the human body, in which all organs are functioning normally, with sufficient strength to endure everyday use and occasional stress without adverse effects. Fitness also implies a healthy cardiovascular system and a good muscular and skeletal state of affairs.

Naturally, strength plays a pivotal part in fitness, but a strength-training program for golf is something else. We start with fitness and then add task specific exercises – demands for golf are unique and differing from other sports. For example, building a strong chest, back and abs is excellent golf training. Range of motion, flexibility and stretching exercises should also be included in an intensive golf regimen. To top it off, endurance enhancing legwork, lung capacity and heart work are stressed with a program of gradual progressive overload (GPO).

Make a Plan

The serious golfer will add some or all of the typical workout elements into their strength-training program for golf. This includes a trip to the gym three or four times a week. Many country clubs have full gym and spa, so you may be able to find a personal sports trainer onsite. When designing a practical workout schedule, be sure to add cardio workouts and if you are not a runner, add thirty minutes or more of cardio work after each strength training session.

The weight training segments of a strength-training program for golf require regular full body workouts with specific attention to chest, shoulders, back and flexibility. It sounds like a lot of work, but take a good look at Tiger Woods next time out and you will see fitness, strength, function, balance and focus.

.Make a plan, adjust if necessary but stick to it!

Let’s Play Golf!

The good news here is that a typical strength-training program for golf includes lots of link time – probably three to four rounds a week at a minimum. Good luck!