Posted on: 18 June
This month I have had another chat with Golf Certified Physiotherapist Brent Vanderloop about some of the most common questions I get asked on the lesson tee in regards to physical condition and golf performance improvement;
1) I would like to generate more clubhead speed to hit the ball further, are there any exercises to help this ?
Research (see link) has shown that doing golf specific plyometric exercises 2x per week for 8 weeks increases driving distance between 5 and 17 meters. Plyometric exercises are ones that improve power and speed through slow lengthening followed by quick shortening of muscles. This is very sport specific to golf as the swing is a plyometric movement. We slowly lengthen muscles in the backswing followed by quick shortening of them in the downswing. A simple example of a plyometric exercise is a box jump. Click here to view the video.
2) I sometimes feel I am not in the correct posture to promote a good swing. Can I check this and how do I know ?
Checking your own posture is very difficult while on the range or on the course. At home it is much easier to do using a mirror to look at yourself from front on as well as from behind. While on the range you can try to use your camera on your phone. On the course if it is the right time of day you can use your shadow to varying levels of success.
Of course all of this starts with working with your golf pro to determine what set up posture is ideal for you.
3) I struggle to find the time and discipline to do a workout . Do you think it’s important for the ‘social’ golfer to do some golf specific workouts?
I think that depends on your physical capabilities, goals and whether or not you experience pain during or after playing. It certainly helps performance for most golfers and reduces injuries/pain with golf. Finding motivation to workout is often tough for many people and I do find that through focusing on how it will improve your golf game can be the added incentive needed to keep motivated. When time is a limiting factor it’s best to focus on exercises that are specific to your most pressing needs to maximize your time.
4) I have seen some very general exercises for golf online. How do I know which is right for me and should I be assessed ?
There isn’t anything wrong with doing general golf exercises as long as they aren’t a risk to your health as they should help with general fitness. With regards to your swing it’s a game of roulette as to whether they will be assisting your game. Getting assessed to determine your physical limitations as well as assessing your swing to determine faults is a much better way to have a program specifically tailored to your needs to ensure your workout is assisting your game.
Please contact me on 0438 951 874 to arrange a lesson and discuss how to improve all aspects of your Golf Performance.