Better-Golfer-Guide-to-Strength-Training

The Better Golfer’s
Guide to Strength Training
Your golf swing requires
21 different muscles to work together…
You need to train every one.
Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer, Koko FitClub
Let’s Tee It Up
Strength training hasn’t always been part of the
mainstream training protocol for golfers. And many
are still unaware of the profound impact strength
training can have on their golf game. Study after
study has shown that strength training can improve
flexibility, increase power and distance, and
develop better balance. Today, the best golfers in
the world are all strength training – if you’re serious
about improving your game, you should be too!
1 7 Reasons Golfers Should
Strength Train
1.  Improved Overall Strength
2.  Increased Flexibility
3.  Greater Range of Motion
4.  Joint & Tendon Strength
5.  Better Balance
6.  Increased Aerobic Capacity
7.  Delayed Muscle Fatigue
2 Improved Strength
Why it
helps
With improved overall strength, you can
generate greater club-head speed. With
greater club-head speed, you’ll have
longer, controlled drives off the tee, a more
piercing ball flight, and improved distance with
all of your irons.
How You
Get It
The golf swing requires the muscles in your legs,
hips, core, shoulders and arms to work together to
produce the power needed to swing the club. An
optimal training program works the whole body -preferably in a circuit training format -- to ensure
proper muscle balance and overall strength, not just
in certain areas. Remember, you’re body is a kinetic
chain, and you’re only as strong as its weakest link.
A proper training program eliminates all weak links.
“People said weight training was detrimental to golfers. I was
squatting 325 pounds the night before I won my first U.S. Open
in 1965” - Gary Player
3 Increased Flexibility
Increased flexibility, especially in the
Why it
helps
hips, core, and shoulders, allows for a
greater “coil” effect on the backswing.
Think of your body as a spring: the more
flexible you are, the greater amount of
energy you can store when rotating away from the
ball on the backswing. When you release the coil,
the increased flexibility and rotation through the
ball on the downswing will allow a stronger followthrough. The result is more power, yielding greater
distance and accuracy.
How You
Get It
A balanced, full-body circuit training program will
improve your flexibility by working opposing muscle
groups within the same workout. Think biceps/triceps
or quadriceps/hamstrings. As one muscle group
contracts, the opposing muscle group stretches. Add a
dynamic warm-up or cool-down to your routine for
even better results.
“A guy who is very strong but lacking in mobility and flexibility won't
be able to bring his body and muscles to a full range of motion.” - Katherine Roberts, Certified Golf Performance Trainer
4 Greater Range of
Motion
Why it
helps
The golf swing has 3 distinct phases of
movement: (1) the takeaway or the
upswing, (2) the hold or pause at the
top, and (3) the downswing. With an
increased range of motion (ROM), you will
improve your swing plane and be stronger
throughout all 3 phases of the swing. This
translates into increased power & distance.
How You
Get It
To improve ROM, your training should encourage you
to move the weight load through your full range with
every repetition. Short, jerky movements or relying on
momentum to move the weight will not help ROM.
Lifting a weight also involves 3 distinct phases of
movement: (1) the upward movement (concentric), (2)
the top of the movement (isometric), and (3) the
downward movement (eccentric). By focusing on all 3
phases, you will see your range of motion improve and
be stronger throughout.
“Without a full range of motion, you won't be able to reach
maximum potential in strength.” - Katherine Roberts, Certified
Golf Performance Trainer
5 Joint &
Tendon Strength
Why it
helps
Stronger joints and tendons may
decrease the likelihood of injury. In
addition, stronger forearms, wrist and hands
(grip) will allow you to power the clubface
through thick rough and sand without
twisting. You will also be able to “blast” out
of those tough lies more easily.
How You
Get It
Strength training doesn’t just build muscles – it also
strengthens your joints and tendons. As the muscles
contract and lengthen, they pull on the tendons, which
in turn pull on the joints (which pull on the bones). In
the process, everything gets stronger. A good
periodized strength training program will focus on the
specialized muscles that help golfers increase grip,
wrist and forearm strength.
Did you Know? Strong wrists are critical to distance and accuracy.
Keeping the lead wrist from collapsing or “breaking down” impact allows
you to generate maximum distance and the ideal club face angle. Strong
wrists provide power through the “hitting zone”
6 Better Balance
Why it
helps
A golfer must be able to transfer
weight back and forth effectively while
swinging the club. So if you want a
better golf swing, balance is key. A smooth
weight transfer to the front foot on the
downswing and follow through is critical in
maintaining accuracy and limiting any “power
leaks” in your swing.
How You
Get It
To improve balance, your training program should
incorporate a mix of one-legged exercises and bilateral and rotational-resistance movements. The
result will be stronger “stabilizer” muscles
throughout your lower body and improved core
strength. A strong core can help improve your
balance, power and distance.
“I am driving it further. It's a combination of the golf ball, the driver, and just
getting stronger from all the work I'm doing in the gym. If I want to crank
a driver up, I feel like I can hit it harder without losing balance.” – Rory McIlroy
7 Increased Aerobic
Capacity
Anyone who claims to be a
Why it
helps
golfer knows what it’s like to walk 18
holes. Unless you are in good
cardiovascular shape, the physical
meltdown starts to begin around the 15th
hole. By increasing your aerobic capacity,
you’ll be able to finish the round as strong as
How You
Get It
when you started it.
A well designed, full-body, circuit training program will
elevate your heart rate, get you breathing hard and
make you sweat. The key is to keep moving throughout
the program with little or no rest between sets. This
produces a more efficient workout -- one of the main
benefits of circuit training. In golf season, the last thing
you want to do is spend excess time in the gym, so
being able to get stronger and improve aerobic capacity
at the same time is like “holing it out” from the fairway.
Did you Know? “On average, a round of golf (no cart) will require
you to walk 5-6 miles. Even with a cart, you’re still looking at 1-3
miles – depending on your skill level. Hence, the need for solid
aerobic capacity.” - Golf Digest
8 Delayed Muscle
Fatigue
Why it
helps
Similar to the aerobic burn-out, your
muscles can begin to fatigue before
your round is over, wreaking havoc
on your swing and short game. Stronger,
better-conditioned muscles will tire less
quickly and you’ll be able to consistently
produce your best swing
How You
Get It
When you strength train consistently 2-3
times per week, your muscles not only get
stronger, they become more resistant to
fatigue. The key is to remain consistent
with your training, forcing your muscles to
respond to the work.
Pro Opinion: “It would be asinine for someone not to work
out and go play football. It doesn’t make sense for golf,
either” – Keith Kleven, Tiger Woods’ Trainer
9 Strong Body. Strong Mind.
Training for golf isn’t just about strengthening the physical self. There may be no other sport
that requires a stronger mind-body connection. And one of the best ways to get mentally
stronger is to lift weights. As Steve McGregor (Rory McIlroy’s Trainer) points out, “There is a
lot of scientific evidence that links being strong and physically fit with self-confidence and
psychological well-being. Those are great things to have on the course.”
We couldn’t agree more. The mental benefits can take your game to the next level.
Just ask Tiger Woods: “Fitness in golf isn’t simply about striking the ball harder or farther…
Physical fitness directly impacts mental fitness - the ability to weather the pressure of a oneshot lead with two holes to play on Sunday while others wilt, to execute the shot (be it a
drive down a tight fairway, an approach over water to a tight pin, or a 20-foot putt with a
nasty break) when one swing can be the difference between winning and, well, bragging
about a top-10 finish.”
10 Ready to train for your game?
Try the 8-Week Performance Golf Program
Your golf swing requires
21 different muscles to work together…
You need to train every one.
“A strong golf swing requires the muscle in your legs,
hips, core, shoulders and arms to produce the power
needed to swing the club. My 8-week Performance Golf
strength training program works the entire body,
especially the 21 muscles most important for golfers.”
- Koko FitClub Chief Fitness Officer, Michael Wood, CSCS
Koko FitClub 8-Week Performance
Golf Program
• 
8-week circuit training program
• 
30-minute strength sessions, just 2-3 times per week
• 
Customized to your body and fitness level
• 
Designed by fitness expert and former UConn
Strength & Conditioning Coach Michael Wood, CSCS
• 
Quantified results – Koko tracks strength gain,
% body fat, lean muscle levels and other biomarkers
WANT TO BE A STRONGER GOLFER?
Visit try.kokofitclub.com/golf-­‐guest-­‐pass to get your FREE first session.