The core strengthening exercises for golfers help in stabilizing balance and strengthening the body parts that are well used when playing golf. If you have control of your muscles and joints, you reduce the possibility of injury during a swing as you hit the golf ball.
Core strengthening exercises are often neglected by golfers but this is one of the most important things to do if you are actively playing this sport. Execute the steps correctly and you will surely see a difference in your playing performance. These 10 core strengthening exercises for golfers can be done by beginners, professionals and senior players.
Benefits of Core Strength Exercises
- Reduces bodily pains
If a core exercise was newly introduced to your body, it may cause some bodily pains during the first few sessions. As your body gets used to it, extra strength, stability, and flexibility is added to your mobility. Core exercises specifically target the muscles to withstand extraneous usage of the bodily parts. If your bodily parts have gained extra strength due to core exercises, you can be sure that bodily pains after your golfing experience will be eliminated.
- Distributes the weight all over the body
A core exercise makes you fit. It is effective in converting extra fats in the body to energy. If you have a physically fit body, there’s a higher chance that you will be able to enjoy playing golf without any hassle.
- Improves your balance and stability
One of the goals of core strengthening exercise for golfers is for the development and strengthening of the muscles of the different parts of the body, especially on the lower back, pelvis, abdomen, hips, and shoulders. If you have the right balance and stability, you will be able to play golf efficiently.
- It gives you the energy to do more physical activities
Core strengthening exercises prepare your body to withstand the possibility of wear and tear of the muscles. If you have gained the right level of strength, you can last doing your physical activities without feeling any bodily pain and exhaustion.
Core Exercises For Golfers
1. Seated Rotations
Difficulty Level: Moderate
This type of core strengthening exercises for golfers improves the functionality between the upper and lower part of the body. Doing the seated rotations enhances a stable posture when doing the golf swing and it helps generate the optimum speed. It is important that the thoracolumbar spine is exposed to this exercise to avoid over-usage of the shoulder joints. This exercise prepares your body for more rigid spinal mobility.
How To Do it?
You should be in the seated position in an upright position with your knees and feet together. With an erect position, make sure to extend your arms like the “W” position. Rotate your torso for about a 45-degree angle. Every time you move your torso, try not to move your waist. Do it simultaneously on the left side for 10 seconds, then another 10 seconds for the right side.
2. Standing Ys
Difficulty Level: Easy
This core strengthening exercises for golfers caters to shoulder mobility. In golf, your shoulder blades rotate as you hit the ball. It is a good core strengthening exercise so you will not feel any soreness as your shoulder blades move during your play. This exercise does not only strengthen the shoulder mobility but it strengthens the arms and the abdomen muscles. If you are used to this exercise, for sure, you will not get tired easily.
How To Do It?
The first step is to slightly bend over your waist, make sure that your chest is up and your back is flat. You may hold a workout weight that has a weight that is just comfortable for you to hold. If you do not have weights, you can hold other things that are similar to a bottle of water.
Lift the weights over your head to form a “Y”, hold it for about 10 seconds pull it down then repeat the whole process for a couple of times until you are still able to lift your arms easily. This exercise can be done at any time and in any place.
3. Hand walks
Difficulty Level: High
If you are actively golfing, it can’t be avoided that your elbows would sore. Doing hand walks conditions your elbows for more strenuous activity. This exercise is not only for elbows but it also enhances the overall arms, legs area, and the abs. This is one of the core strengthening exercises for golfers that do not require you to move a lot.
You’ll just need to make sure that you are in the right position with the proper stance. When included hand walks in your core training, you can expect that you will have increased flexibility, power, range of motion and it will highly reduce injuries related to the use of your elbows.
How To Do It?
The first step is to stand up then bend forward just as the level of your waist. Your hands are placed on the ground so you are like an animal position. Make sure that your legs and knees are as straight as possible. To do this position easily, just do the push-up position then slowly walk towards your hands.
Do the steps at least 10 times every time you have your core strengthening exercises. Your hands should keep having stimulation in your muscles. If you feel a little stretch, it means that you are doing it correctly. Not all can do this easily but as you do it regularly, you’ll get accustomed to doing it without any difficulty.
4. 90/90 Stretch
Difficulty Level: Moderate
This core-strengthening exercises for golfers are called the 90/90 because you are in the position wherein the angle between your knees, hips, and ankle is at 90 degrees. This core strength exercise caters to the upper and lower abs and neck flexors.
It aims to give total relaxation while improving mobility and enhances flexibility and stability. This is a good core strengthening exercise for golfers because it ensures that your whole body is conditioned to avoid injuries during your play.
How To Do It?
Lie on your back comfortably. Raise your legs and bend it to form about a 90 degrees position. After three seconds, drop your feet on the ground then raise your legs in the same 90 degrees position. Do it repeatedly 10 times or more as long as your muscles can still take it.
5. Lateral Pillar Bridge
Difficulty Level: High
This core-strengthening exercises for golfers is also known as the side plank. It is responsible for your pillar strength such as your hips, torso, and shoulders. These three areas of the body are commonly used in playing golf. In some cases, these are also the parts prone to injuries.
To avoid it, the lateral pillar bridge core strengthening exercise for golfers improves the functioning of these three areas. When this core exercise is done on a regular basis, you can expect to feel a pain-free and exhaustion-free play.
How To Do It?
You should lay on your left side and let your upper body rested on your left elbow while your lower body part is rested on your ankle. You would know that you are in the right position if your elbow is vertically lined with your shoulders.
The goal of this position is to be able to hold your hips firmly for a couple of seconds. Do this position on your right side and vice versa until you can still do the balancing. Ideally, you should do the side plank for each side for 3 seconds and repeat it 10 times.
6. Mini-Band Walk Forward
Difficulty Level: Moderate
This core-strengthening exercises for golfers specifically target the strengthening and toning of the legs and the glutes. It is said that when you have a good balance and stability as you golf, you can hit and swing the golf ball without feeling any stress in your body especially on the hips and upper body. If you have strong legs and hips, there are higher chances that you can hit the golf ball in longer distances.
How To Do It?
This core exercise requires the use of a stretch band. Place the stretch band in your legs. It can either be above the knee or just below the knee. The stretch band to be used should have a moderate resistance so that your legs will exert effort as you move.
You know that you are using the right kind of band if you feel the tension on the band. Bend your knees while maintaining your back straight. Walk forward in small steps, alternating your right and left side. You can do this
7. Glute Bridges
Difficulty Level: High
If you are searching for a core strengthening exercise for golfers, the glute bridges should not be removed from the list. It focuses on strengthening the hamstrings and the lower back which is the parts of the body that is commonly used when you are playing golf. The glute bridges not only enhance your hamstrings and the lower back but stretches your overall body. It is a good exercise to do before you play golf to warm up.
How To Do It?
You’ll just need to lie with your face up. Put your hands on the sides with your knees bent and feet flat. Your goal is to make sure that your feet, shoulders, and knees are lined. To achieve this, you need to lift your hips. You may need to get the balance from squeezing out your glutes and abs. If you feel a burn into your upper and lower body, it means that you are doing it correctly.
8. Inverted Hamstring Stretch
Difficulty Level: Easy
This strengthening exercise may not be considered as part of the core but doing it prepares and enhance the core muscles for the strenuous activity. This exercise is a great exercise to improve your balance and it stabilizes your joints.
If you have a perfect balance, there are high chances that you will be able to consistently strike the golf ball in long distances. Since this is a hamstring stretch, it relaxes and lengthens the hamstring. It is said that relaxed and loosens prevent lower-back pain especially when doing a swing.
How To Do It?
The first step is to stand on one leg and slightly bend your standing leg. Make sure that you are still on a perfect posture even though the only source of balance is one foot. Raise your two hands on the sides. Maintain this position for about 10 seconds. Do this position on the other side. It is ideal to do at least 5 sets per leg.
9. Quad Rocking
Difficulty Level: Moderate
This core-strengthening exercise for golfers is specifically an exercise for the hips and it aims to strengthen the lower back. As a golfer, if you have strong hips, you’ll be able to do the swing in golfing free of pain and stress-free muscles and joints.
When your hips are not conditioned to do the swinging, there is a tendency that you will be injured. There are different ways on how you can stretch your hips but the most common exercise for golfing is this quad rocking.
How To Do It?
To do this exercise comfortably, place a mat under your knees just to cushion the knee cap. This is done in the kneeling position. Your knees should be lined within your shoulders and your hands should just be directly lined below the shoulders. You can rock back and forth, side to side to stimulate the muscles in your hips. You can also raise your legs backward and hold it for 10 seconds to stimulate not only the hips but also the upper body.
10. Knee Hugs
Difficulty Level: Easy
This core-strengthening exercise for golfers enhances the hamstrings, hip flexors, and the glutes. As the name implies, this core exercise is just like hugging your legs with both hands. The knee hugs can be done either when you are in the sitting position or standing position. This is a great core exercise for balance which is greatly needed if you are playing golf.
How To Do It?
If you are in the standing position, lift your right foot and hold it for 10 seconds. Do it simultaneously with your other foot. You can do it for 5 sets per leg. The process is the same when you are sitting down just make sure that you maintain the same posture. It is ideal to keep you back straight when doing this exercise so it can fully enhance the upper and the lower body.
What To Do Before And After Core Strengthening Exercises
A. Warm-up
Doing the warm-up session before golfing has a lot of benefits to your body. It not only prepares your body to avoid wear and tear and injury but it also improves blood flow, enhances oxygen efficiency, mental preparation, and it makes the muscle relax faster. It doesn’t need to do the warm-up exercises long, 10 minutes of warm-up exercises are ideal.
B. Cool Down
After your core strengthening exercises, cool down exercises help bring back your normal body temperature and it helps regulate the heartbeat. Stretching exercises is a good cooling down technique because it prevents the buildup of lactic acid to reduce the possibility of muscle stiffness that can lead to muscle cramping. Cooldown also helps each and every part of the body to recover.
Final Thoughts
The core strengthening exercises for golfers do not only aim to enhance the muscles and joints to better prepare yourself for a strenuous activity but it also prevents any injury that might happen if the muscles and joints are stressed. This list of core strengthening exercises for golfers is simple yet helpful exercises to make your golfing experience fabulous.
