Golf physical training in the off season

Off-season golf physical training can greatly benefit golfers of any age in improving their field skills. Often, the golfer will neglect the physical components in relation to the execution of a biomechanically efficient golf swing. Instead of developing the physical requirements of the golf swing, the golfer will spend an unsurpassed amount of time practicing and money on golf lessons with minimal improvement.

The common thread in such cases is the physical limitations in the areas of mobility, flexibility, stability, strength and power that limit the golfer's ability to execute a biomechanically efficient golf swing. The golfer must remember that it is the kinetic chain of the body that executes each phase of the golf swing, and for the athletic movements of the golf swing to be performed efficiently, certain physical parameters must be evident within the kinetic chain.

If the golfer lacks the physical parameters required for the golf swing, compensation is obtained in the execution of the swing. These compensations lead to failures in the swing, such as loss of clubhead speed, poor ball hits, inconsistencies and poor play. To prevent such a situation from happening and provide the golfer with a physical basis to execute the golf swing, the introduction of golf exercises can be of great help.

Golf fitness exercises, as with any specific sports training program, aim to develop the physical components within the kinetic chain required for the sport chosen by the athlete. The end result of the implementation of such training modalities is a transfer of the effect of training in the execution of the golf swing. A transfer of the training effect is the ability of a training program to have a direct benefit on the athlete's performance during the competition (Juan Carlos Santana, Performance Institute, Boca Raton, FL).  Golf

Once the golfer understands the physical components related to the execution of the golf swing, as well as how a specific sports training program can help in the development of these physical components. The next step is the introduction of a specific sports training program for golf. The ideal time for the introduction of this program is during the low season.

The low season consists of the time of the year in which competitive golf is not played, and the amount of practice time associated with the sport is minimal. The traditional low season for golf is in the winter months, where the weather is not conducive to golf rounds and the professional tour is paused. This provides an ideal off-season for any golfer from the recreational level to the professional to implement a specific sports conditioning program for golf. The ideal time frame for a specific off-season golf training program is 8 to 12 weeks. This is the minimum period of time required to introduce specific golf training modalities in conditioning programs to create adaptation in the kinetic chain. In addition, a time frame of 8 to 12 weeks allows progressions to occur within the specific modalities of the customers' specific off-season golf conditioning program.

Outside the ideal deadlines associated with a specific off-season golf conditioning program are the objectives of that program. The general objective of the off-season program as indicated above is the development of the physical parameters within the kinetic chain required in the execution of the golf swing.

To achieve the goal of developing the physical components within the kinetic chain for the golf swing, a basic understanding of the biomechanics of the swing is needed. A brief review on the biomechanics of the golf swing indicates the following: the golf swing generally separates into phases that are; direction, takeaway, backswing, transition, downswing, impact and monitoring. The objective during each of these phases is to keep intact what is called the kinematic sequence.