Golf may seem like a sport that only uses your hands and arms to swing a club, but to be a great golfer, you need solid muscles all over your body. A weight training program that targets your arms, back and legs will help you add more power to your game and improve your overall fitness level.
Back
Your back is the foundation to your golf swing. A weak back will cause you to get less torque on the club, which decreases club speed and causes your ball to fly shorter. There are several weight lifting routines you can do to strengthen your back, including the deadlift. To perform a deadlift, lay a barbell on the floor and stand with your feet approximately 6 inches away from the middle. Bending at the waist and knees and keeping your back and arms straight, pick up the barbell and slowly stand up straight. Lower the barbell to the floor while focusing on using your back muscles to carry the weight of the barbell. Your arms should remain straight with your elbows locked at all times. Squats are another great back exercise. To do a squat, position a barbell on your shoulders, behind your head. Stand with your legs a little more than shoulder width apart and, keeping your back straight, squat as far to the floor as you can until your legs form a 90-degree angle, then stand up straight again.
Arms
Your arms need to be strong for golf to power the club through the ball, especially when it is sitting low in the grass. Do some basic dumbbell curls to develop your biceps by sitting on a weight bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Curl the dumbbell toward your body, alternating hands with each curl. Perform the triceps flye by standing up and holding the dumbbells in each hand at your side. Raise your hands so your upper body forms a “T,” then lower your hands to your sides. Your wrists need to be strong to keep the club properly aligned through your backswing and follow through. Do wrist curls by holding a barbell in your hands, palms up while resting your forearms on a weight bench. Curl the barbell up toward your body and back down to do a curl.
Legs
Strong legs are the foundation of a solid golf swing. They keep your body planted to the ground and prevent you from making any unnecessary lower-body movements. Work out your quads and hamstrings by doing weighted lunges. Hold a dumbbell or free weight in your hands and do a lunge by standing with your feet together. Take a large step forward with one foot and bend at the knee until your leg forms a 90-degree angle. Stand back up and bring your feet together again, then repeat with the other leg.
About this Author
James Patterson specializes in health and wellness topics, having written and produced material for the National Institutes of Health, the President’s Cancer Panel, and an Inc. 500 Hall of Fame company. He is also a former sportswriter, with writing experience in basketball, baseball, softball, golf and other popular sports, and writes relevant sports titles.
