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Tom Houser asked:


Staying active in the whole play of the 18-hole course requires a perfect blend of stamina, strength, flexibility as well as balance all of which are achievable when a player engages in appropriate golf fitness routines.

Choosing what fits your needs will help you address your weaknesses and therefore will be of great help in the improvement of your game. However, with a number exercises to choose from plus other compounding factors such as possible monetary investments and time availability, which ones should you engages in. Here are some things to consider:

effective routines will be those types that you can consistent perform and stick with for a longer period of time – This implies commitment on your end and proper to choosing a particular routine, you should be able to see all its angles and not just try it for the sake of trying only to curtail it a few days after starting the program. Go for exercises, which can be performed in the comfort of your home – as most players hardly have time to play, allotting time for fitness routines might just be additional load for you. So eliminate those that require you to enroll in gyms and fitness centers because apart from you are required to go the gym perhaps on a weekly basis, you are also increasing  your financial obligations by trying out this sport. Consider routine stuff that are quite easy to execute and those that do not require specialized equipment nor the aid of fitness instructors. This is especially true if you are somewhat tight in your budget. In addition, you must be aware that your enticement for playing this sport might not be for a lifetime and perhaps one of these days you will wake up not wanting to play golf anymore. In this case, all those equipment might just be wasted investments of your short fancy for the sport. So choose simpler routines to avoid complications on investments. Be involved on exercises that you can have for a lifetime, that is you need not do it for the sole purpose of improving your game but those that in general help you achieve a healthier state.

A good play requires a sound and prepared mind and physique. Your muscles should be prepared enough to sustain the requirements of the game and at the same time eliminate onset of tension, which may result to injuries. Engaging then in appropriate and easy to maneuver golf fitness routines will help improve your game.

Sean Cochran asked:


Golf fitness exercises can be very beneficial in the alleviation of lower back tightness during a round of golf. We are turning our attention to the time spent playing golf. Yes, the actual round of golf in which your mind is probably not focused on core strength or flexibility exercises, but rather on how to get up and down to save par. Unfortunately certain situations, such as lower back tightness, which can derail your round. often arise. Today we are going to discuss some solutions to such a problem.

Overall the goal of golf fitness training is to prepare the body to play better golf. This will provide you the opportunity to get up and down from that green side bunker where you have an awkward stance, requiring more strength from the lower body and better balance. So, it does not come as a surprise that a question mark may arise in your head when we discuss golf fitness training during a round of golf. Or even more so how golf fitness training can help with lower back tightness.

It is not a common occurrence but there are certain situations where golf fitness exercises can be beneficial during a round. One such situation is lower back tightness: It is not a common occurrence during a round of golf to have your lower back “tighten up”, but if it does, it will play havoc on your golf swing. And we really want to alleviate such a situation and get you back to going after pins rather than thinking about a twinge in the lower back.

Before discussing how to utilize golf fitness exercises in such a situation, lets discuss what is happening to your lower back when it “tightens up” or becomes strained during a round. The biomechanics of the golf swing place large amounts of shear force on the lower back each and every swing. These shear forces stress the musculature of the lower back.

Over time if the muscles of the lower back are not strong and flexible. The stresses placed upon it by the golf swing will cause fatigue. Once the lower back is fatigued, the muscles of lower back will not function properly, and to protect themselves from injury they will shorten (i.e. “tighten up”). This can easily occur during a practice session or even round of golf.

This results in feelings of discomfort, possible spasms, and a decreased range of motion. All of which will take away from the execution of your swing. The long-term solution to this situation would be the implementation of a core program to increase the strength levels of the lower back. Unfortunately, during a round of golf we need immediate relief from the lower back tightness to get you through the round.

The short term fix or “band aide” to use in this situation is the implementation of a few simple golf fitness exercises. These golf fitness exercises will be in the form of flexibility exercises to stretch the “tight” muscles of the lower back. These types of flexibility exercises in the short term will alleviate the tightness in the lower back. Remember this is not a long-term solution, but rather a way to keep you in the game so to speak.

One such golf flexibility exercise I have found beneficial in such a situation is the Dog Down. The flexibility exercise is simple to perform, stretches the lower back, hamstrings, and takes little time to execute. Begin by bending over, allow the knees to bend, place hands on the ground, feet shoulder width apart, and your heels flat. Slowly extend the knees straight until a stretch is felt in the lower back and hamstrings. Hold this position for 30-45 seconds.

This exercise should provide some immediate relief to lower back tightness during a round. Repeat as often as needed, but keep in mind this is only a “band aide” or short term fix. To prevent such situations in the long term is probably best to implement a golf fitness program entailing flexibility and strengthening exercises for the lower back. Remember, golf fitness exercises can be beneficial during a round of golf, but even better is to adhere to a structured golf training program.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly working with PGA Professionals, most notably Masters and PGA Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean Cochran, his golf fitness programs and golf exercises go to www.seancochran.com