Improve your game with strength-building exercises section

Muscle conditioning is crucial for endurance and flexibility. With increased strength, you can pack more power into your swing and hit longer, more consistent drives. Strong shoulders, lower back muscles and hip flexors also make you far less prone to injury.

Any well-equipped gym will have machinery to work the muscle groups described below. Exercises are broken down by name, by muscle group and by the area of your game the strengthening exercises are meant to enhance.

To find a routine that works for you, consult a fitness professional. The Vitallife Fitness Center at Bumrungrad can design a custom program specifically for your individual needs.

Muscle Group
Exercise
Area of Improvement
Quadriceps
Leg extension
Swing power
Hamstrings
Leg curl
Swing power
Hamstrings, gluteals
Leg press
Swing power
Pectoralis major
Bench press
Swing control
Deltoids
Lateral raise
Swing control
Biceps
Biceps curl
Club control
Triceps
Triceps extension
Club control
Forearm flexors
Wrist curl
Club control
Forearm extensors
Wrist extension
Club control
Lower back
Lower back raise
Swing power
Abdominals
Abdominal curl
Swing power
Obliques
Bench press
Swing power
  • Perform at least one set of exercises for each muscle group.
  • Adjust the weight to allow you to complete between 8 and 12 repetitions of each exercise.
  • Train 2 to 3 times a week with a day of rest in between each workout.

STRENGTH EXERCISES YOU CAN DO ANYWHERE

If regular workouts at the gym don't fit your lifestyle, here are some golf-specific strengthening exercises you can do just about anywhere.


Wrists

Tennis ball squeeze:

  • Place a tennis ball in the palm of your hand (use a sponge or piece of foam if the tennis ball proves too strong or causes elbow pain).
  • Squeeze 25 times.
  • Repeat three times for each hand.

 
  Wrist Curls
  • Perform wrist curls using a 1/2 kilogram dumbbell.
  • Support your arm on your knee or on a table.
  • Raise and lower your hand slowly.
  • Perform 10 repetitions with one arm.
  • Repeat with the opposite arm (3 sets).

 

 
  Wall Slide (back, hip, and leg muscles)
  • Stand with your back against the wall and feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Slide your back down into a crouch (stop when your knees are bent to about 90 degrees).
  • Pause for 5 seconds and slide back up the wall.
  • Repeat 5 times.

 



Leg raises (back and hip)

  • Lie on your stomach.
  • Tighten the muscles in one leg and raise it off the floor.
  • Hold your leg up for a count of 10 and return it to the floor.
  • Do the same with the other leg.
  • Repeat five times with each leg.


 
  
  Leg raises (stomach and hip)
  • Lie on your back and place your arms at your sides.
  • Lift one leg off the floor.* Hold your leg up and
    count to ten and lower it slowly back to the floor.
  • Repeat five times with each leg.

 


Back leg swing (hip and back)

  • Stand behind a chair and center yourself by placing your hands on the back of the chair.
  • Lift one leg up and back while keeping the other knee straight. Return slowly. Raise your other leg and return.
  • Repeat this exercise five times with each leg.