Golf Fitness 101

Tiger Woods has clearly taken the game of golf to a whole new level with his obvious focus on fitness. Prior to Tiger, only a handful of PGA Tour players lifted weights with the goal of increasing strength significantly, and none of these players were major championship winners. Bill Glasson and Keith Clearwater come to mind. A few players, such as Gary Player and Greg Norman did focus on keeping in shape and maintaining a lean body, but neither bulked up the way Tiger has.

Following Tiger's lead, we have seen a few more muscular golfers out on tour, including Adam Scott, Camillo Villegas, and now even Phil Mickelson has toned up his body a bit.

Remember though, you don't really need to work out as hard as Tiger to add significant distance. He works that hard because golf is how he makes his living, and he realizes how hard the golf swing can be on the body. Can you imagine Tiger coming back from his knee surgery if he had the body of John Daly? His career would be over! (Of course, Tiger would never have been as successful as he is now if he looked like John Daly!)

For the normal amateur play, it IS necessary to work your whole body, rather than do a few reps of some so-called golf specific exercise. I have read quite a few golf related websites articles that talk about these exercises, and they simply won't do the job. You'd be better off spending $500 for a new driver to help you gain extra yardage rather than try some gimmicky exercise. Take it from a veteran, competitive golfer and athlete, these gimmicks don't work. If they did, don't you think you would see some big name golfers promoting it?

Physiological and bio-mechanical studies indicate that all of the major muscle groups get involved in the golf swing at some point during the swing, so it is definitely necessary to work out the entire body. However, we are not looking to get as big as a linebacker! We are simply looking to strengthen the entire body to have a more effective golf swing.

As I have mentioned, the golf swing is pretty tough on the human body. The human body was not meant to twist in the fashion of the golf swing as often as it takes to play and practice this game well. As a result, the golf swing can result in a lot of wear and tear. That is another reason why it is necessary to work the ENTIRE body, not just a few specific muscles or muscle groups.

However, if I had to choose which group of muscles to work by themselves, it would be the legs. They are the foundation, and without a strong foundation, the rest of the swing will collapse. Therefore, if your time is limited, at the very least, try to work on strengthening your legs.

When you begin your search for a golf fitness routine, it is important to consider the competitive experience of the trainer/instructor, as well as their experience with fitness training. My own personal amateur competitive career in golf spanned 20 years. I was also a competitive swimmer, and most recently I achieved the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt in the art of Pai Lum Kung Fu. So, I know quite a bit about the role of fitness in sports, especially golf!

Kung Fu is another activity that can result in a lot of wear and tear on the body, and it demands significant strength and flexibility to perform it well, just like the golf swing. With that in mind, a strength and fitness routine I have put together is based upon my training in Kung Fu. These exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home without any weights or other special equipment. Furthermore, a solid routine may be completed in as little as 15-20 minutes per day, six days per week.

By employing a solid fitness routine into your golf practice, I guarantee you will see an improvement in your game!

Scott Allan Cole