As much as improving your golf game is about practicing more often and learning how to optimize and adjust your bodily position, it is also about improving strength and balance in your upper body which in turn will make hitting with accuracy much easier. Golf swing technique problems have been attributed to inadequate core strength and stability, lack of shoulder and hip flexibility and insufficient abdominal strength. If you perform certain exercises regularly you will be able to enhance your golf game and become more flexible and stronger throughout your entire swing.
Golf Twist
Stand in the position as if you were about to tee off with feet just over should-width apart and the weight on the inside of each heel. Use both hands to hold a 5 pound or 2kg dumbbell or weight at the centre of your chest. Elbows should be extended outwards. Keeping your feet flat and head still bring the weight through the motion of a backswing until your right shoulder is underneath your chin. Return to the starting position and repeat through to a downswing. This exercise increases your flexibility and range of motion in the shoulders and ultimately helps you generate more power when you swing for real.
Pilates Rolldown and Oblique Twist
Sit down with your knees bent at 90 degrees in front of you. Squeezing a ball between your hands, slowly lie back until your bottom rib touches the floor. Exhale and roll back up to your starting position. Repeat this up to twenty times. If you find this too easy, roll back until you find your abdominal muscles tensing and then bring the ball to the right and left. This exercise works out the muscles on the front and sides of your abdominal wall which is important for back strength. It ensures that you generate more power when hitting the golf ball through your hips.
Core Crunch
With your knees bent and a towel or ball placed between them, lie on the floor. Place your hands behind your head and neck and on the exhale lift your shoulders off the floor (or crunch). Repeat as much as you can or until you have muscle fatigue. For more of a challenge and a stronger workout bring your knees towards you as you crunch. This exercise works the abdominal muscles and is integral for core stabilization when you swing.
Power Rotation
Similar to the golf twist, this exercise does not use any weights. Stand in your teeing off position, palms together aimed at the ground. Raise your right arm in a backswing motion until both arms form a vertical line then swing it back down clapping it with your left. Repeat with your left arm. Finally, rotate both your arms so as your right arm reaches over your head, your left will be down to the ground and vice versa. This exercise is known to help increase the power you can generate from the shoulders. When you bring your right arm down to clap your left hand, imagine your arm is the club hitting the ball.
