In simple terms the golf swing is a powerful rotational movement. You rotate back on the backswing and powerfully rotate forward on the downswing. Increase your rotational power and you will increase your rotational speed. This leads to increase golf swing power, increased swing speed/ball speed and more driver distance. If you can do this there is a chance your swing might soon look like Tiger Woods’ golf swing.

So how do you improve your golf power? Workouts specific for golf? A quality core golf workout routine? Or maybe you can get your hands on Tiger Woods’ golf workout and share it with us all.

If you want improved rotational power you need to upgrade your golf muscles and you can achieve this by participating in a properly designed golf strength/power training program. The article below explains the logic that goes into creating a golf workout program like this and offers a few sample exercises and exercise tips.

If you have not done so already, be sure to download my free golf fitness e-book. It is packet with useful golf performance enhancement information. If you are looking for a custom golf fitness program join my Pure Power Program.

It is typically assumed that strength training is the best way to increase both general and golf specific power, with the assumption being that any incremental strength gains in the weight room will transfer directly and completely to the golf course.

In order to select the right types of exercises to enhance golf specific rotational power it is important to look at the power demands of golf. In the golf swing there is a very light object that must be accelerated to a very fast speed in a very short amount of time.

Knowing this helps determine the exercises that should serve as the focal point of your golf specific power training workouts.

Exercise Sequencing

The order in which power exercises are performed is almost important as the actual exercises that are selected. I like to think of golf specific power training as an extension of technical work done on the range.

You would not do golf swing technique work after a workout, when the body and nervous system are tired and less responsive and generally less capable to performing high quality technical work, and expect to get positive results.

The same idea holds true for rotational power training. In order to get the best results perform rotational power exercises at the beginning of the workout.

What Training Velocities Should You Use?

Training at near maximum velocities using standard weight training exercises to enhance rotational power is not only impractical, but can also be dangerous for you. Because of this it is important to identify exactly what rotational exercises match the demands of golf and are most likely to improve performance.

Once these exercises are identified it is probably best to combine these golf specific exercises with various types of total body (both heavy and light) training stimuli at varying velocities in order to fully develop the muscular, neuromuscular and propriceptive coordination that will improve functional performance, rotational power and total body power.

These exercises can help bridge the gap between the weight room and the golf course. As such, their value in any complete golf strength/power training program is very high and can prove very useful, especially during pre-competitive and competitive seasons, to maximize power output.

Exercise Guidance

• All the exercises described in this article should be performed with care.
  
• Golfers should have a solid conditioning base before attempting these movements. These exercises are not intended for untrained golfers. They would benefit more from mastering basic pulling, squatting, pushing and rotational movements before moving onto any golf specific power training.
  
• The farther away you hold a weight from your body the more rotational resistance that will be placed on your core and the more challenging the exercise.
  
• Start slowly with all exercises. As your proficiency and technique improves you can increase the speed and intensity. Always maintain good body control.
  
• Try to keep your hips fairly stationary while trying to fully rotate your shoulders during any rotational movement. This will help develop the dynamic flexibility in the upper body need to create a good X-Factor and will help you hit the ball further.

Training Benefits
This exercise closely replicates the upper body/shoulder rotation movements that are in the golf swing. The one “limiting” factor of this exercise to take into consideration is that it is performed from a sitting position.

Most rotational power training exercises should be performed from a standing position so as to replicate the body position demands of the golf swing as close as possible during training.

Directions

• Sit on the floor with you knees bent at approximately 90º degrees. Get a partner to hold your ankles to anchor the lower body.
  
• Holding a medicine ball or light weight, lower your torso to about a 130º angle. From this position, rotate from left to right while touching the ball/weight to the floor.
  
• Repeat for specified number of reps.

Training Benefits
This exercise trains the entire core area and also helps to develop the dynamic stability and balance that is need to help maintain control of the athlete’s center of gravity once power levels increase.

This is also one of the exercises where speed of movement can be high without risk of injury. As this rotational exercise is performed from a standing position the improvements from this exercise tend to transfer over well to the playing field.

Directions

• From a standing position with feet shoulder width apart, hold a weight or medicine ball straight out at shoulder height.
  
• From this position, rotate to the right. Once you have rotated as far right as possible, reverse direction and rotate to your left until you cannot rotate left any further. Repeat for specified number of reps. Try to maintain a wide arc with your arms and the weight.
  
• Light weights (2 pounds for beginners, 4-6 pounds for advanced trainees) should be used for this exercise. I’ve seen individuals try this exercise with a 35 pound plate and it completely negates the rotational power enhancing training effect this exercise can offer. Not to mention they drastically increase their chance of injury.

Training Benefits
Side tosses are just one of many medicine ball tosses that are an excellent plyometric training strategy to really maximize rotational power and overall total body power. This exercise takes advantage of the stretch/reflex mechanism to develop and release greater energy from muscles and produce greater rotational/golf specific power.

Directions

• Start with shoulders perpendicular to wall, left shoulder closest to wall. Place feet shoulder width apart.
  
• Holding medicine ball, rotate away from the wall 90º with ball behind hip.
  
• Rotate forward to throw the ball into the wall. Deliver ball at hip height with more weight on the front foot.
  
• Catch the ball on the rebound and repeat motion for specified number of reps. Repeat for right side.

Technique Is Priority #1
Initially, focus on developing good form. You can progress to heavier medicine balls after 4-6 weeks. The key is to train smart. Learn proper technique first and then focus on more speed and/or resistance.

Train With Eyes Closed
Perform these movements from time to time with the eyes closed to help train spatial awareness, dynamic balance and also enhance proprioceptive feedback.

Focus On Balance
It should also be noted that as rotational power levels are increased a significant amount of time and effort should be put into improving dynamic balance and awareness on where the golfer’s center of gravity is.

Constantly training at supra-maximal velocities can compromise spatial awareness and can negatively affect technique and consequently, performance, especially in the golf swing.

Don’t Undervalue Mental Energy
Performing technical and power work requires a fresh, focus mind in order to achieve the best results. Power training benefits from an energized mindset because the increase mental energy can boost the flow of impulses from the brain to the muscles, thereby generating more power.

Perform A Golf Specific Warm-Up
This will help reduce the risk of injury, awaken the nervous system and increase the power available in both general and golf specific movements. By focusing on these basic rotational power training principles during your off-season training you will see significant improvements in your swing speed, club head speed, ball speed, distance, power, flexibility, balance, stability and overall scores.

If you would like more detail on the different components of golf fitness download my free golf fitness e-book. If you would like your own custom golf fitness program join the Pure Power Program.

Off-Season Static/Dynamic Flexibility Training Guide
Off-Season Golf Strength/Power Training Guide
Off-Season Power Golf Fitness Analysis
Off-Season Golf Fitness Training Home
Golf Fitness Blog

Return To Articles Page