Investing wisely in your game – Week 6

By Kelly Blackburn

Welcome to week six of this series.

These days we are all watching our dollars closely and diversifying our investments. Your golf game deserves the same attention. Investing in good equipment, professional lessons and time on the range is just the beginning. Taking time to invest in your fitness regimen for your game is budget friendly and a great return on your investment of time.

It’s important to structure your golf fitness program to enhance your overall performance on and off the course. Focus on stabilization work by using several muscle groups. Implement fitness tools which allow you to move your body in a more functional setting. These include stability balls, weighted balls, balance boards, traditional dumbbells and the benefit of using your own bodyweight. All of these tools are budget friendly and are compact to travel with you! We will be using these tools to increase strength, flexibility, power and balance for your game.

This week we will be using the Momentus weighted club which can be purchased online in the Golf Fitness Pro Shop.

Don’t forget to print a progress chart to note each exercise and the number of repetitions. We will add a new exercise each week and your goal will be to complete each of them 2-3 times a week! If you are just joining us, see the previous weeks to catch up!

Here is the benefit you can receive from this core stretch:
Keeping the back flexible will help alleviate pain associated with the golf swing. A more flexible shoulder girdle will allow you stability at the top of your back swing.

Points to Remember:
1. Start the golf swing by turning your shoulders and your hips in unison to a point where the shaft is pointing at 9:00 before your hands get involved.
2. Start the downswing by shifting your weight off of the right foot as you turn your hips.
3. In the downswing at 10:30, start straightening the right arm and flattening the left wrist to insure a square clubface at impact and beyond impact for 12 inches.
4. Finish in balance and facing the target.

Swinging Drills Routine:
1. Swing SLOWLY and DELIBERATELY holding the completion of each drill for 2 seconds.
2. Repeat each drill for 12 repetitions before moving on.
3. Swing through the 4 backswing drills, rest 2 minutes.
4. Swing through the 4 downswing drills, rest 2 minutes.
5. Swing through the Full Swing Drill for 12 repetitions to complete the Swinging Drills Routine.

 

FULL SWING DRILL

1. Start with the Strength Trainer at address. 2. Swing to the top of your backswing. Hold for 5 seconds. 3. Swing down to 5:00, insuring the left wrist is flattened on the downswing. Hold for 5 seconds. 4. Then, swing through to a balanced finish facing the target. Hold for 5 seconds

If you have questions about your current golf fitness level, take the Fitness Analyzer on KellyBlackburn.com


Editor's Note: Kelly Blackburn has traveled the PGA Tour and Champions Tour circuits as a fitness consultant and trainer for 13 years. Kelly welcomes your email questions and comments, contact her at BlackburnOnTour@aol.com.