What Is Fitness Training For Golf?

Fitness for Golf

Before we ask the question about fitness training for golf, let’s take a moment and talk about fitness.  In a broad sense, just heading to the golf course is a general attempt to get fit.  Unfortunately, en-route to the 18th green, quite often the physical experience has taken a shift from fitness to several beers, riding in a comfortable cart and little actual exercise.  Those who step out of the caddy cart too quickly risk not being able to get back in again...

Nevertheless, we’ll start where we’re at and attempt to talk about fitness training for golf as if it were a reality.

Warming Up The Right Muscles

Fitness means a healthy body that can handle a fair amount of everyday stress, breathing easily and recovering normally in a short amount of time.  Naturally, every sport requires some effort and certain muscles are generally called on while others are specifically called on.  Hence, it makes sense to participate in pre-golf day exercises that enhance performance in a natural, fit way – that’s fitness training for golf.

Targeted Strength

I am no pro, so when I considered writing about targeting specific golfing muscles, I turned to a pro for advice.  In this case, I'm fortunate to have a professional physical trainer who has worked with golfers for a wife.  Fitness training for golfers focuses on suppleness to enhance driving as well as building upper body strength.

You only have to look at Tiger Woods for a moment and you can readily see that he works out.  He is an immediate vision of strength, aerobics for stamina, flexibility and focus.

The Danger: Using one side of the body Exclusively

Now, the glitch comes in many one-sided sports, and that is there is an asymmetrical motion that develops as one uses primarily one side of the body.  Unless there is a targeted program to compensate or train in a balanced way, that one side of the body gets more muscular and the game may actually suffer.  Fitness training for golfers requires all four of the above mentioned qualities – strength training, aerobics for stamina, flexibility and focus.
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Specifics

Start on the treadmill to warm up and then stretch all muscle groups.  Next, go to the weight room.  Chest exercises are perhaps where golfers need to concentrate their energies in the gym.  Try ‘pec deck’ or other chest exercises.  For example, in a seated position, you use the elbows to draw the pads from the outer position together at front and center.  Someone at the gym will help you set the weight that works for you.

Ultimately, it’s stretching and strengthening the body core that are most important in fitness training for golfers.  With a fit body, stamina and focus are aided and the scores produced out on the course should reflect that.