Jackson Reid
Training for golf season requires a consistent and structured approach to see progress and avoid injury. The off-season is a great time to focus on strength and power training, with exercises like squats and deadlifts, and explosive movements such as medicine ball throws and kettlebell swings. It's also a good opportunity to research new equipment and analyse your swing with training aids and video technology. During the golf season, the focus should shift to maintaining strength and power with a reduced number of exercises, sets, and reps to avoid overloading the body. This balance between training and play is crucial for optimal performance on the golf course.
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What You'll Learn
Weight training
Planning and Tracking
It is important to plan your weight training program based on your fitness level, goals, and access to resources and coaches. If you are new to weight training, educate yourself on the basic principles and practices before beginning. Consider getting medical clearance for exercise, especially if you have any injury concerns.
Diligent tracking of your progress is essential. Track metrics such as the weight lifted, number of reps and sets, and how your body feels. This information will help guide future training decisions and ensure you are making progress without overtraining.
Phases of Training
A golf workout program can be divided into phases, each with a specific focus to help you build strength and power progressively:
- Phase 1 - Off-Season or Foundation Phase: During this phase, the emphasis is on building functional strength and some muscle bulk (hypertrophy). Lift moderately heavy weights to train your nervous system to work in conjunction with your muscle fibers to handle bigger loads.
- Phase 2 - Pre-Season: In this phase, you build on the strength developed in Phase 1 by increasing your ability to move loads at high velocity. This phase focuses on power training, which combines strength and speed. Lift weights with explosive intent, ensuring adequate rest between repetitions and sets. The recommended duration for this phase is 6-8 weeks, with 2-3 training days per week and at least one day between sessions.
- Phase 3 - In-Season: In this phase, you can maintain and apply progressive overload to your training. Use the "Reps in Reserve (RIR)" method by leaving at least 2 reps in reserve in each set. When you consistently achieve more than 2 RIR, you can increase the weight. Focus on maintaining strength and power while avoiding overtraining.
Specific Exercises
While weight training for golf, certain exercises can help build strength and power in the posterior chain, including the hips, gluteals, upper legs, and abdominals, which are crucial for executing a powerful swing:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Medicine ball standing twists
Additionally, upper body exercises like the dumbbell press, wood chops, and lat pulldown can be incorporated, but be mindful not to work to failure on these.
Combining with Other Activities
Remember, it is important to rest and recover adequately between training sessions and throughout the year. Give yourself time to renew emotionally and physically, and stay active with light cross-training during the off-season to prepare for the next golf season.
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Power training
To develop power, you need to focus on building strength and speed. This involves lifting weights with high velocity and explosive intent. It's not just about lifting weights, but also about training your nervous system to send signals to your muscles more effectively. Olympic lifts, for example, are among the most effective exercises for developing power, and they can be modified to suit your needs. Additionally, exercises like squats and deadlifts build strength and power in the posterior chain, which is crucial for executing a powerful swing.
Medicine ball exercises are also an effective way to develop power. Medicine ball wall throws and standing twists can help improve your power and speed. Box jumps are another great way to develop explosive power, as they focus on force production. Similarly, plyometric exercises like jump rope and agility drills teach your muscles to contract quickly, resulting in a more powerful swing.
It's important to note that power training requires adequate rest between repetitions and sets. You should aim for 10 to 15 seconds of rest between repetitions and at least one minute between sets, or until you feel recovered. This recovery time ensures that each movement can be executed with maximum velocity.
Finally, it's crucial to translate your strength and power gains into your golf swing. Working on your swing technique and incorporating speed drills will help you see meaningful results on the course.
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Speed training
One key concept in speed training is the relationship between strength and speed. Power, which is essential for a powerful golf swing, is a product of both strength and speed. To increase power, you can focus on strength training and also train your body to move loads at high velocity. This involves lifting weights with explosive intent and adequate rest between repetitions to maximize the velocity of each movement.
Another important concept is overspeed training, which involves making your body move faster than normal during training. This gradually causes your brain to remember this faster speed, improving your overall performance. You can use tools like Super Speed Sticks or the SuperSpeed Overspeed training program, which includes three training cycles with five levels each.
Additionally, grip strength has been found to correlate with swing speed. Training tools like the SuperSpeed app and its Squeeze feature can help increase grip strength.
If you're new to speed training, it's recommended to start slowly and listen to your body. Begin with a 4-week build-up period, doing 20-30 swings at a comfortable speed three times a week. You can gradually increase the speed and intensity as you progress.
Remember, speed training is just one aspect of golf performance. It's important to balance it with other types of training, such as strength and mobility work, to ensure overall improvement and avoid injury.
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Consistency in training
To achieve consistency, it is important to establish a regular training routine. This involves setting aside dedicated time for training sessions, which can be challenging due to the demands of playing and practising golf. However, by reducing the number of exercises, sets, and reps per workout, golfers can manage their energy levels and avoid overloading their bodies.
For strength training, it is recommended to focus on progressive overload using the ""reps in reserve method" (RIR). This involves adjusting weight and reps to challenge the body without causing complete failure. For example, using the same weight for 2-3 sets of 4 reps instead of 3 sets of 6 reps. This approach helps maintain progress and avoids stagnation, which can occur from performing the same weight and rep schemes.
Additionally, power training is essential for golf performance. Power combines strength and speed, and can be developed through exercises like medicine ball throws, plyometric jumps, and kettlebell swings. These exercises enhance fast-twitch muscle fibres and overall power output, improving swing speed and distance.
Overall, consistency in training for golf involves regular workouts focused on strength, power, and mobility, with careful adjustments to avoid injury and optimise performance throughout the season.
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Golf-specific fitness
Building Strength and Power
The ability to generate power in golf comes from combining strength and speed. Incorporate weight training into your routine to build functional strength and muscle bulk (hypertrophy). Focus on compound exercises like squats and deadlifts to strengthen the posterior chain, including the hips, glutes, upper legs, and abdominals. This will help you make powerful and technically sound swings.
Progressive Overload
Apply the principle of progressive overload to continuously challenge your body. Gradually increase the weight or number of repetitions to stimulate adaptation and improvement. You can use the "reps in reserve" (RIR) method, where you increase the weight when you have more than two reps left in the tank.
Speed Training
If you want to improve your swing speed, start with a four-week build-up period. Warm up and then perform 20-30 swings, gradually increasing the speed until you feel comfortable. After four weeks, you should be ready to swing at 100% speed.
Flexibility and Mobility
Golf requires a full range of motion, so focus on exercises that improve flexibility and mobility. Try lunges, lateral stretches, and seated or standing rotations to improve your rotational mobility, crucial for a powerful swing.
Core Stability
The core is essential in golf, providing the foundation for a stable swing. Strengthen your core by performing exercises like knee hugs, which also stretch the glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors, improving your posture during swings.
Remember, it's important to tailor your training program to your fitness level, goals, and any specific concerns or injuries you may have. Always consult a doctor or fitness professional if you have any doubts or injuries.
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Frequently asked questions
Reduce the number of exercises, sets and reps for each workout. Focus on exciting your nervous system, not fatiguing your muscles.
Power is a product of strength and speed. You can build strength by lifting moderately heavy weights. You can build power by lifting weights at high velocity with explosive intent.
Set up a putting practice area, record your golf swing, and participate in an online training program. Practise your swing speed and work on your short game.
Consistency is key. Dipping in and out of training can result in injury and soreness. Make sure to warm up and cool down before and after each session.
