Most people assume that golf is a safe sport with not much risk of injury. Yet, there’s evidence to prove that this is not the case. In fact, according to a National Health Statistics Report, the risk of injury in golf is higher than in rugby, football, and even boxing.
The report also states that per 1,000 people, the injury rate is 1.8 for golf and only 1.5 for rugby. Golfers are at risk of having pain and injuries in the lower back, shoulders, and elbows. The best way to reduce the risk of injury is to warm up, exercise, and use proper form when golfing.
Moreover, proper fitness techniques may help to bolster a golfer’s overall game. If you play golf, here are some fitness tips to stay healthy, avoid injury, and improve your game.
Split Squats for Stability and Strength
A solid foundation is a must for every golfer. That’s why it’s important to have a strong lower body if you want to keep playing the sport. One of the best ways to increase front leg strength is to do split squats.
This exercise improves mobility, stability, and leg strength, and it may help you with your swing as you’ll have a stronger foundation to keep you steady. If your legs lack strength or stability, that can lead to a crooked swing.
To do a split squat, take a long step forward from a standing position. Next, raise the heel of your back foot. While keeping your torso straight, lower your back knee until it almost touches the floor. While doing this exercise, keep in mind that you should keep most of your weight on your front foot to maintain the proper form.
Deadbugs for a Solid Core
Core strength is another necessity for golf since it helps to stabilize the torso during the swing. Having a stronger core also leads to a more powerful swing. If you need to strengthen your core, deadbugs are a great place to start. This exercise will build the core strength necessary to transfer power from your upper body to your lower body. It’s also one of the best golf stretches to improve flexibility.
You’ll need to lay flat on the floor to perform this exercise. Your entire back should touch the floor, especially your lower back. If your lower back starts to raise during the exercise, that’s improper form. Keep your back firmly on the ground, they bring both of your hands up. Next, extend both of your legs upright with your knees bent.
Bring your right hand and your left leg down and fully extend your limbs. Raise them back up, and then repeat with the alternate set of limbs.
Push-Ups for Overall Strength
Lastly, push-ups are great exercises for golfers. They improve strength in all the right areas for a golf swing since they work the shoulders, pecs, traps, and biceps to a certain degree. Many professional golfers, such as Joel Dahmen, swear by the effectiveness of push-ups for golf training.
To do a push-up, you’ll need to place your hands and feet shoulder-width apart on the starting position. Then, make sure to keep your spine straight as you lower yourself to the floor. Once you touch your nose to the ground, bring yourself back up while keeping your back straight.
These are some of the most effective fitness exercises for golf. Implementing these exercises will improve your form, help prevent injury, and improve your overall game. These exercises are a great way for golfers to remove strokes from their average.
Push-ups, deadbugs, and split squats will build strength and flexibility for a better golf swing and a more robust foundation.
