May 4, 2005

ACC Sports Sciences Main Page

David Helms, CCS
Golf Strength Coach
Clemson University

Golf specific strength training aids in building functional strength for all golf athletes. The three areas to be trained are; lower body, core, and upper body. All three areas work simultaneously and are dependent on one another in the coiling and release of the golf swing. You just cannot focus your training on one area and not the other two. Each area must be trained so not to have a deficiency in another. In our strength program, here at Clemson University, our goals are to develop muscular strength, core strength, range of motion, power, balance, and overall flexibility. Strength and flexibility of the spine and hips enhances technique and posture while helping develop distance.

The lower body exercises we use to develop strength are: squats, leg press, leg curls, dumbbell straight leg dead-lifts, dumbbell walking lunges, step-ups, adductors, abductors, and calf raises.

The core exercises we use are: abdominal work, med-ball twists arid tosses, physio-ball work, hyperextensions, hyperextensions with a twist, and various stick twist exercises. The majority of exercises are done with body weight, with the exception of med-ball exercises.

The upper body exercises we use to develop strength are: bench press, dumbbell bench press, dumbbell incline press, lat pull downs, low rows, dumbbell shoulder press, dumbbell side lateral and rear deft flys, bleep curls, tricep extensions, med-ball exercises, band exercises, and wrist rollers.

In conclusion, I have given you a basic overview of the exercises we do here at Clemson and have included a generic strength training workout. The workout we use here works for our golf team, but all strength coaches are different and use different methods, but our outcomes are all the same, make our athletes the best they can possibly be. We emphasize safety first, to ensure the safety of our athletes. Strength training can aid in your quest to be a better golfer. A great reference is the book Complete Conditioning for Golf by Pete Draovitch and Wayne Westcott.

GOLF CORE EXERCISES

GOLF SPECIFIC STRENGTH TRAINING

TO DEVELOP

MUSCULAR STRENGTH
RANGE OF MOTION
CORE STRENGTH
POWER
BALANCE
OVER ALL FLEXIBILTY
ENDURANCE STRENGTH

THROUGH

WEIGHT TRAINING
DUMBBELL EXERCISES
BAND EXERCISES
MED BALL EXERCISES
PHYSIO-BALL EXERCISES
CORE EXERCISES
STICK EXERCISES

MUSCLES

LEGS: HIPS, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CALVES
CORE: ABS, LOWER BACK, OBLIQUES
UPPERBODY: CHEST, BACK, SHOULDERS, ARMS, FOREARMS

STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY

SPINE AND HIPS AID IN TECHNIQUE, POSTURE, AND DISTANCE

EXERCISES

LEGS
SQUATS, LEG PRESS, LEG CURLS, STRAIGHT LEG DEAD LIFTS,
WALKING LUNGES, STEP-UPS, ADDUCTOR, ABDUCTOR
CALVES: CALF RAISES. CALF PRESS

UPPER BODY
CHEST: BENCH PRESS, DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS, DUMBBELL INCLINE PRESS
BACK: PULLDOWNS, LOW ROWS, DUMBBELL ROWS, MED-BALL, PHYSIO-BALL
SHOULDERS: DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS, DUMBBELL SIDE LATERAL RAISES, DUMBBELL REAR DELT FLYS, MED-BALL, BANDS
ARMS: DUMBBELL BICEP CURLS. TRICEP PUSHDOWNS, BICEP CURLS, TRICEP EXTENSIONS
FOREARMS: WRIST ROLLERS
CORE: MED-BALL, PHYSIO-BALL, STICK TWISTS

STRETCHING AND FLEXIBILITY

OVERALL STRETCHING ESPECIALLY THE SPINE AND HIPS
MUSCLE GROUPS THAT NEED TO BE STRETCHED:
CHEST
BACK- LOWER BACK
SHOULDERS
ARMS, FOREARMS
LEGS- HIPS, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CALFS
CORE- ABS, OBLIQUES