| How golf-specific balance training builds the | | | | body throughout the movement. Here are some |
| foundation for your golf swing | | | | traditional exercises and better alternatives that |
| Damon Goddard, CPT, PES | | | | will significantly improve your balance for your golf |
| Before we get knee deep into reading why | | | | game. |
| balance training will help our golf game, do a quick | | | | Traditional Movement (old)- "Balance Training for |
| test for me. Stand up and assume your golf set | | | | Golf" Movement (new) |
| up position. Now pick one foot up just enough to | | | | Bench Press (old), Swiss Ball Alternating Dumbbell |
| slide a piece of paper under it and do not let it | | | | Chest Press (new) |
| touch the floor. Now close your eyes and count | | | | Grab a swiss ball and two dumbbells, assume a |
| how many seconds you can maintain your balance | | | | bench press position on the ball with shoulder and |
| on one foot. Now repeat the same test on your | | | | head on the ball and feet on the floor with hips |
| other foot and let's take a look at how you rank. | | | | parallel to the ground. With the dumbbells in hand, |
| Golf stance | | | | alternate one hand going up and one going down |
| Seconds: | | | | while maintaining your balance throughout the |
| 0-5: Put the Jack Daniels down and test yourself | | | | movement. |
| later! | | | | Lat Pull Down (old), Single Foot/ Single Arm Row |
| 6-10: Bambi on ice | | | | (new) |
| 11-15: On shaky ground | | | | Use a cable or a tube about chest high and grab |
| 16-20: On your way to a solid foundation | | | | with one hand. Stand on the opposite foot than |
| 21-26: You are now hanging with the pros! | | | | the hand with the cable and row with a little bit of |
| I know what you are saying, "When do I ever hit | | | | rotation in the spine. Try to keep your hips quiet |
| a golf shot on one foot?" Unless you are on the | | | | and still. |
| trick-shot circuit you may never hit a golf shot on | | | | Leg Press (old), Single Leg Squat (new) |
| one foot. But this simple test allows us to identify | | | | Standing on one leg and the other foot off the |
| a large factor that may be causing some of your | | | | ground, do a body squat. Remember to maintain |
| swing faults. If you do not have a solid foundation | | | | your weight through your heel and use the glute |
| in balance it is just like swinging a golf club (your | | | | on the standing leg to effectively do the |
| cannon) in a canoe. You simply can't shoot a | | | | movement. |
| cannon from a canoe! The foundation of your golf | | | | The idea here is to take traditional movements in |
| swing comes from your ability to balance or | | | | the gym and add a bit of creativity. Instead of |
| stabilize your body throughout your entire swing | | | | bars use dumbbells, cables, or tubes, instead of |
| pattern. | | | | two arm movement do one arm at a time, |
| Quick fact: touring pros average balancing 26 | | | | instead of seated use standing movement, |
| seconds on one leg with their eyes closed. This | | | | instead of two legs do one. Use the swiss ball, |
| tells us that they are shooting cannons from a | | | | medicine balls, use tools that can challenge your |
| strong naval ship rather than a canoe. They have | | | | balance! |
| an innate ability to load and stabilize into their right | | | | Here is a solid golf-specific balance training series |
| side in their takeaway, and efficiently transfer | | | | you can use to start changing your canoe into a |
| their weight to unload onto their left side (right | | | | naval ship: |
| handed golfer). They also have a keen sense of | | | | 1) Opposite Arm/ Leg Raise (2 sets x 10 |
| where their body is at in space and time | | | | repetitions each side) |
| throughout this aggressive movement. They can | | | | On the floor or mat in a hands and knees position. |
| utilize three components of balance effectively; | | | | Raise one arm as if you are pointing to a target in |
| eyes, ears, and nervous system. Or to use a big | | | | front of you. Now extend your opposite leg |
| scientific word that you can impress your friends | | | | straight as is you are pressing your heel behind |
| with, touring pros have "kinesthesia". | | | | you. From this up position maintain a straight arm |
| Our hips, spine and shoulders take a good beating | | | | and leg while lowering both toward the ground and |
| if we do not have a strong sense of how to | | | | back to original "up" position. Repeat up and down |
| produce, stabilize, and reduce such an aggressive | | | | while stabilizing your body 10 times. |
| swing. This is where balance training for your golf | | | | 2) Single Leg Balance with Upper Torso Turns (2 |
| swing comes into play. The ultimate goal for | | | | sets x 10 upper torso turns on each leg) |
| incorporating conditioning into your golf swing is to | | | | Assume your set up position in good posture with |
| create a machine that operates efficiently. The | | | | your arms crossed on your chest. Bring one foot |
| first step in obtaining an efficient machine is to | | | | off the ground and maintain your balance while |
| make sure that all the wiring is working correctly | | | | moving your upper torso through takeaway and |
| and is balanced. | | | | follow through. Also, keep your hips quiet and |
| The benefits of balance training are simple. | | | | steady throughout turn and do not let your "up" |
| Learning to balance will help stabilize your core | | | | foot touch the ground. |
| (hips, spine, shoulders), it will increase your | | | | 3) Medicine Ball Takeaways/ Follow Through (2 |
| rotational range of motion, it will help you maintain | | | | sets x 10 rotations) |
| increased swing speed, and most importantly it will | | | | Grasp a light to medium weight medicine ball with |
| significantly reduce the risk of injury. | | | | both hands and assume your golf set up position. |
| Let's take a look at where you can start with | | | | Slow and controlled go through your takeaway |
| balance training. First, if you currently workout let's | | | | and hold the top of your takeaway without losing |
| look at some quick and effective changes you | | | | balance or changing posture. Go through your |
| can make in your program. Remember, when | | | | backswing and follow through slow and controlled |
| conditioning you want to do an exercise that | | | | being mindful of the transition of energy from |
| challenges your body's ability to stabilize. With | | | | right to left (right handed golfers). |
| traditional conditioning we would sit down in some | | | | With a host of PGA, Nationwide, and top junior |
| apparatus in the gym and push or pull some fixed | | | | Tour players, Damon has become one of the |
| machine. This is decent for building muscles but | | | | leading experts in golf performance conditioning. |
| does not get our brain involved for stabilizing the | | | | |