Golf

More people than ever enjoy a round of golf as a way to relax, unwind and keep fit. This spring Harpers Fitness is offering some top tips for would be Tiger Woods and Colin ‘Monty’ Montgomerys.

Develop good core stability and flexibility through a range of functional exercises. Lying on the fl oor and completing crunches just won’t do. A lunge with a woodchop would do you the world of good! Simply lunge forward with your left leg whilst rotating a medicine ball from right to left and over your front knee. The heavier and harder you throw the ball the more your core has to stabilise and decelerate the movement. Progress the range of movement and your fl exibility will begin to develop.

Motion surrounding the shoulder joint is essential, poor flexibility here would lead to injury and a terrible swing. It will help your game if your scapula or shoulder blade can move more. You can develop its range by using a cable machine and completing single arm chest presses or single arm rows whilst in a lunge position. The HumanSport range, which we have in our new Harpers Fitness clubs are ideal for this type of training. Shoulder pressing above your head would also aid in generating greater motion for the shoulder joint. Completing internal and external cable rotations for the rotator cuff muscles will help keep the shoulders strong and injury free.

Being able to transfer your body weight from right to left or left to right (dependent on swing preference) is also important. This can be achieved through the hip complex so basic movements in your hips will work. Wide stance lunging whilst throwing your arms around to help generate rotation will stretch and wake up the muscles. Lunging is a great way to work key muscles.

Transverse lunges and lateral lunges will also help - basically lunge into different directions; right leg lunge forward to 12 o’clock, out to 3 o’clock, spin out to lunge towards 4 or 5 o’clock then lunge backwards with right leg to hit 6 o’clock. Spin across left leg to lunge to 7 o’clock, again across left to lunge to 10 o’clock. Repeat with the left leg. This exercise forces massive rotation through your hips. You could replace this with a squat jump but when you jump turn 90 degrees to the right so you face another direction.

General swiss ball exercises; hyper-extensions, crunches with medicine balls etc. are all good for basic core strength but follow these up with some functional strength work.

Kettlebell swings are a great method of training for golf. Swinging low and through your legs up to above your head is a great exercise. You could replace the kettlebell with a medicine ball and swing the ball back over your head so you’re reaching back – great core work.

But the best advice is to speak to a personal trainer.