Golf Kinematic Sequence and Workouts

I have never understood why the turn of the calendar year gets people so excited about working out.  Isn’t being healthy a twelve month lifestyle and not an annual statement made in the aftermath of an overeating, mall shopping holiday season?  Maybe it’s just the cold winter air sinking into the brain saying, “Hey, overweight golfer, get off the couch and do something!”

Golf fitness has seen drastic improvement in the last decade largely due to the research done by the Acushnet Company at their Titleist Performance Institute (TPI).  For 12 years, they have studied golfers from PGA Tour players to weekend warriors.  As a result, we can now connect specific physical limitations to specific swing movements and therefore lay out a real fitness plan that will help you play better.

Since the gym is part of your New Year’s resolution and golf is your game, here are three simple suggestions.

Perfect Posture
The ability to maintain correct posture throughout the swing is vital to hitting consistent shots.  Work on creating a neutral or relatively straight spine position while in the gym.

Flexibility
Good range of motion leads to superior rotation and more distance off the tee.  Who doesn’t need that?  Any and all flexibility work will improve your game.

Balance
Rhythm and timing are largely dependent on good balance in the golf swing.  Believe it or not, simply learning to balance on one leg can improve your swing.

This is an exciting time for golfers who want to hit the gym.  We now have access to scientific data that supports golf specific workouts.  My suggestion is to seek out someone qualified in golf specific training.  What does that mean?  Simple.  If they have not heard of TPI or done their certification training, move on and find someone who has.  Click here to find a full list of TPI Certified Instructors.

Todd Kolb