This story is part of our new “GolfWRX Guides,” a how-to series created by our Featured Writers and Contributors — passionate golfers and golf professionals in search of answers to golf’s most-asked questions.

Designing your own comprehensive golf fitness program is not all that easy, as I talked about in my story “What should be in your golf fitness program?” In fact, it’s more complex than you’d think and really requires specialist knowledge and experience to put a program together that will target the right areas, in the right order, at the right intensity.

That’s where I come in! I wrote this piece to give you a clearer idea of what to do, how much to do and when to do it. From there, you can either seek professional advice or simply go ahead and make your own program. Just be aware that, like your golf game, you will almost always achieve a better result when you get professional help!

What’s the goal?

In almost every program I write there is an attempt to improve the golfer’s physical capabilities across four different athletic attributes:

• Mobility/Flexibility
• Posture/Movement Patterns
• Stability
• Strength/Power

Most golf fitness experts can all agree that these four areas are essential to improving the athleticism of a golfer’s swing. We need a certain level of all four in order to make an efficient and powerful move.

The order of those four attributes isn’t random, by the way. I have arranged them in the same sequence that I often use for the exercises that aim to develop them. Here’s an explanation of what I include in my programs and why.

Release/Self Massage

This goes first because we really want to free up the connective tissue that contributes to forming adhesions, tight spots and general shortness in our muscles. Using equipment like spiky balls or foam rollers and techniques like the one demonstrated below, we can alleviate trigger points and soreness from the muscles and generally prep the area for exercise. My colleagues and I consider this so important that it is absolutely non-negotiable at the start of every single training session for Golf Queensland and Golf Australia athletes.

Example Exercises: Spiky ball/foam roll various areas of the body that get sore and/or tight. This is a release for the glutes and hip external rotators.

Cardio

Next up is a spot of cardio. It’s main purpose is to warm up the body and increase heart and respiratory rate. This increased blood flow will provide the muscles with nice oxygenated blood and warm tendons and ligaments ready for the exercise movements they are about to make.

Example exercises: Skipping, boxing, running, rowing: Whatever you like really!

Dynamic Mobility

Our body is now warm from the cardio, so it’s the perfect time to work on our mobility. The reason I use dynamic mobility is to encourage the joints and muscles through a range of motion that is relevant to the movements we make in the gym, life and the golf swing (i.e not lying on your back with leg in the air). We can also use this section to work on stability of the hips, core and shoulders if we are smart with the exercise selection and application.

Example exercises: Inch worm, prone step ups, hindu push ups, legs swings, dislocates.

 

Activation

This is another non-negotiable for my athletes. It’s so important to have the correct muscles “turned on” and ready to work. The three key areas for golf and for the gym are glutes, scapula/upper back and core. If these aren’t switched on and ready to go, then other muscles will have to overwork and compensate. This leads to poor technique first and injury second. These type of exercises, combined with the three categories above, make for a really good golf warm-up, too!

Example exercises: Crab walk variations, tubing/band drills, jump and stick.

 

Power

The body is primed and ready to go, but still fresh and with little metabolic or neural fatigue (tiredness). Time to move some load fast! This doesn’t have to mean throwing barbells around, however, as very often a lighter load like a medball or just bodyweight is more than enough. I often use a combination of jumps and throws that get the whole body moving fast as a unit.

Example exercises: Medicine ball slams and throws, squat and lateral jumps and dumbbell power snatch.

STRENGTH

Now we are getting to the guts of the session. Again, load should be relative to ability and experience and technique should be a high priority.

Essentially, this is where we are working hard and making gains. The strength work I prescribe focuses of on posterior chain (hamstrings, butt, back) with pulling and pushing movements in different directions and varieties.

Example exercises: Squats, lunges, deadlift variations (rarely using the standard barbell deadlift from floor these days), dumbbell press variations, chin-ups, rows, overhead press variations.

Core

We all know the importance of core strength for golfers and now is the best time to isolate this area and put in some extra work here. I consider “3D” core training essential, and I aim to achieve this through prescribing exercises that challenge the core from front to back, side to side and also working against rotational resistance.

Here some example exercises that work the body in “3D.”

• Front to Back: Leg lifts, V Sits, Bridges, Back Extensions
• Side to Side: Side bridges, Side Hip Raises
• Rotational Resistance: Pallof press, Woodchops, Lying Turnovers

How much and how often?

So you have the right order of exercises and a selection of good ones to have a go at. Now we just need to work out how many reps you should do and how often you need to train.

Self Massage and Release

• 2-to-3 areas of the body for 5-to-10 minutes

Cardio

• 5-to-10 minutes

Dynamic Mobility

• A mini circuit of 5-to-6 exercises that are done for 6-to-8 reps. Repeat twice.

Activation

• A mini circuit of 2-to-3 exercises that are done for 10-to-12 reps. Repeat twice.

Power

• 2 exercises (1 jump, 1 throw). 5 reps each and 3 sets.

Strength

• 4 exercises (1 squat, 1 lunge, 1 push, 1 pull). 8-to-10 reps each. 3 sets.

Core

• 3 exercises (one in each “dimension”). 8-to-10 reps or 30-to-60 seconds for each exercise. 3 sets.

Frequency / Intensity

Repeat this session 2 or 3 times per week depending on your level of ability and experience. Always use a load that allows you to complete the rep range with good form and technique.

How Does it Come Together?  

To see what it looks like when put into a plan, check out the two example workouts below that have been extracted from a full program planned for four weeks. The first is aimed at a complete gym novice and the second targets the lower body of a moderately experienced gym the user (more than one year).

Click on the example workouts to make them larger.

Beginner

Intermediate

You should now have the basic tools to be able to construct a gym program for yourself. Before you start, however, it’s a very good idea to seek professional advice. Remember these are rough and generic guidelines and might not apply directly to you.

Please feel free to ask questions in the comments section below and I will do my best to answer any queries. If you would like more specific information or a program more tailored to you then contact me directly through email — [email protected] — or check out what we have to offer at www.golffitapp.com.

Disclaimer: Always gain clearance for your training from a doctor or well-qualified exercise professional before commencement of an exercise regime.