Just how Golf specific should your workouts be?

Me and Joe have spoken a lot about this on the Macro Golf Podcast. You look online and there are lots of exercises/workouts that involve something that looks like a golf swing involving weights. Or trainers saying ‘DO THIS KETTLEBELL EXERCISE TO START HITTING DRAWS’ unfortunately it just doesn’t work like that and I would avoid people posting these gimmiks.

Keep swing changes and golf technique work to the range or with your coach.

We want to be using the gym for what we can change. There loads of physical attributes that golfers need and that will depend on your training history, age, ability etc. You want to identify this first then reverse engineer your training plan and workout sessions.

For example if I’m working with a golfer who has been going to the gym for a while and is strong but during our movement screening discover he lacks in power or speed. Then that will determine what exercises I prescribe for him. The Macro Golf APP has a great power programme I designed that i'm actually half way through phase 2. This potentially would have more balistic movements: jumps, med ball slams/throws, olyimpic lifts etc.

Or if a golfer comes in with lower back pain, we aren’t going to start swining dumbells like a golf club! We will look at the cause of this, potentially weak glutes or a hip impingement and work on the areas around introducing mobility work and lifting safely. Some Jefferson curls, Good Mornings etc...

The list goes on and on, it’s very tempting to jump into these online trends or ‘popular’ exercises. But if you know me, one of my favourite questions with clients is ‘What for?’

I want to squat 100kg. What for?

I want to Olympic lift. What for?

I want to speed train. What for?

I want to put on 5kg. What for?

Our time in the gym is limited, so you want to make sure it’s being spent efficientally. Not just hoping from exercise to exercise you’ve seen on instagram without knowing your sets/reps/rest/tempo...

Most of your workouts shouldn’t look like a swing or rotation. Are there benefits in some of those exercises? Yes definitely both Joe and I use rotationally exercises towards the end of our workouts for clients but think of this as the cherry on top. For example:

Pallof Presses, Cable rotations, Dumbbell rotations, Lateral Kettlebell swings. (100's more can be found in our exercise library)

Are all great core rotational exercises to use at the end of your sessions, still they don’t look like a golf swing but they are using muscles and movement patterns that golfers would benefit from getting stronger.

So it goes back to a point we have been making in the last few blogs now, have a plan, develop that plan from what you need to develop phyiscally to become a better golfer. Not sure on what that might be, drop us a inquiry below and we can get you started on your journey to playing your best golf.