| Normally I shy away from generalizations. I like to look at people as individuals, versus putting people in a “box”. However one common theme I see in older golfers is a lack of power, manifesting as a loss of distance. Many years ago I wrote an article about a gentleman who had two holes in one, on the same course, on the same hole, twenty-five years apart. A remarkable feat! The first time he had his hole in one he used a seven iron. Twenty –five years later he had his second hole in one but this time he needed his driver to close the deal. A well known research study evaluated the factors effecting club head speed in older golfers. The median age of the golfers tested was 64.5. They found two major physical factors effecting club head speed – flexibility in the torso and upper body strength. The study proves that by targeting these two areas of the body they were able to increase club head speed, thus distance, a significant challenge for senior golfers. Over the next few weeks I will teach you a number of exercises designed to increase the range of motion in your torso and build upper body strength, thus providing you the opportunity to increase your club head speed and distance. Last week we targeting flexibility in the torso and this week I want to address upper body strength. Personally I am a big believer in cross training and I believe in the value of weight training for golf. However this week will forgo the weights and utilize our own body weight against gravity to increase strength. Let’s get started! Using your body to increase your upper body strength Plank Pose Place your hands directly under your shoulders and lift your body off the floor. Focus on the core stabilization by pulling your navel towards your spine and keeping a flat back. Roll your shoulders away from your ears and stabilize your shoulder blades. Hold for thirty to sixty seconds. Relax and repeat five times. | ||
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| Plank Pose Push-Ups (no photo)
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| Side Plank On The Knees Begin on your knees, placing your right hand directly under your shoulder. Lift your hips off the floor, pulling your navel in. Pull your ribcage in and press down with your hand. Hold for thirty seconds, rest and repeat five times. Switch sides. | ||
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| Full Side Plank To intensify the exercise lift your legs off the floor and stack your feet. Hold for thirty seconds, relax and repeat five times. Switch sides. | ||
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| Downward Facing Dog Begin on your hands and knees, spreading the fingers wide apart. Lift your hips off the floor and straighten the legs. Relax your head and neck. Flex your quads and have the sensation that you are pressing your weight back into your legs. Hold for sixty seconds, relax and repeat three times. | ||
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