In Part 1, you learned about several training factors that have been scientifically proven to help enhance any golfer’s health and performance. In Part 2, I’m going to introduce or review some more influential training elements, along with some uncommon programming option guidelines that you can take advantage of to get the most out of the time spent in the weight room.

No. 1: Specific Muscle Mass

Now, I’m going to automatically assume that if a golfer or any other member of his training network hears “more muscle mass” and “golf” together in the same sentence, they will more than likely immediately dismiss the thought based on modern beliefs without any hesitation. This is extremely unfortunate, however, since tightly regulated and precise increases in muscle subsequently produces more strength and club power potential. And please understand that when I say more muscle mass, I’m not talking about adding slabs upon slabs of muscle and potentially higher levels of body fat to go along with it from extreme overeating, which often is the case with most natural bulking approaches. I’m just simply referring to a few extra pounds of functional and raw muscle, which could serve an advantage with everything else on a golfer’s training agenda. The added tissue also helps soften and dissipate the high levels of torque and stress repeatedly placed upon a golfer’s body structure with each swing, which could only help prevent injury or reduce the severity of it if and when it does occur.

No. 2: Anaerobic Conditioning and Mental Toughness

Ironically, our guys love conditioning segments of the workout. Not only can this help expand anaerobic power levels in an honest effort to preserve driving distance over the course of a round, among other things, but it can also help strengthen the psyche in the process. We all know how critical both focus and mental resiliency are keys for success in the sport, and properly performed conditioning protocols can improve this essential asset. Lastly, collegiate golfers are not afforded the luxury of a caddy, so they are responsible for lugging their clubs around for all 18 holes. When you factor in unfavorable environmental conditions, then the strength, endurance and toughness qualities derived from intense physical training can reinforce a greater state of focus, confidence and potential success.

No. 3: Accessory Strength  

A vast majority of development will come from just a select few exercises when it comes to maximal strength. Once that foundation is set, though, there are still some other discrete areas that need emphasis. “Supplemental” exercises are necessary for golfers in order to further increase performance and prevent injury. For example, powerful hip adductors are going to be needed to help drive the hips into internal rotation on a follow-through phase of a swing. The muscles that lay posteriorly or on the back of the shoulder are going to play a small, but integral role in both decelerating and then re-accelerating the extremities and club through impact.

Programming Guidelines

There are three specific areas that I’m going to cover, pertinent to effective and safe program design for golfers. And these areas are:

1. Intensity management
2. Modified lifts
3. Training frequency concerns

“Intensity,” by formal definition, is one’s level effort, and it’s primarily determined by the load or amount of weight lifted in training literature. Other training variables can persuade one’s perceived level of effort, but the amount of weight one performs with a given movement is the universal standard reference. With that being the case, golfers can get by with reduced training intensities for a substantial period of time and make plenty of progress before more advanced and intense approaches need to be employed, if ever.

Moreover, there already still exists a sense of severe apprehension associated with weight training in just about any golfer’s psyche. My staff and I experienced this first hand regularly. But by slowly building a sense of trust and faith into the idea of weight training, you can gradually remove this common fear through increased exposure. Doing so will inevitably unlock a stronger desire to want to partake in weight training, and because of an increased motivational state and work ethic, will result in better performance, both in the weight room and out on the course. This specific strategy of “buffering” or reducing intensity in the interim also allows the body more than enough time to structurally adapt and ensure that it’s capable of tolerating heavier workloads when the time comes later on when the athlete is ready for it.

Modified lifting refers to slight tweaks and variations in standard exercises, which can help the golfer adapt from a physical/athletic standpoint, but the modifications also increase the likelihood that the athlete will embrace the drill from a mental standpoint as well. Examples include hex bar deadlifts rather than straight bar deadlifts, or board presses versus conventional bench pressing, etc. Modified strength-based drills do a fantastic job at improving the target skill while also decreasing the chance of injury, especially during intense competitive phases when collective training (sport specific, athletic development) volumes are very high.

The last training principle I’ll cover in this article deals with optimal training frequencies. By performing high-intensity athletic training consisting of several different forms of training just 2-3 times per week, you provide ample recovery and regeneration windows for all of the involved musculature and training structures. Here is a very basic piece from my website thath covers some practical guidelines and reasons why moderate training sessions work best, and there is loads of research to back it up and explore all over the internet if you are interested in the topic.