Want to improve your golf game?
Of course you do.
It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that improvement is so much more than instruction, hitting balls and practicing (but yes, those things are all important). Taking care of your body and being in the best shape possible will go a long way toward helping you see results on the golf course in 2022 and beyond.
Maybe it’s a New Year’s resolution, maybe it’s more than that. Either way, knowing how to work out and the equipment you need to do so is a good starting point. The best part is you don’t need to spend a fortune to get quality golf exercise equipment, and put in the work at home.
Training equipment comes in all shapes and sizes, but in Part 1 of our series looking at golf fitness and the required equipment, we’ll focus on 3 specific products that you can find on our Store.
1. Medicine Ball
The medicine ball (specifically a soft cover ‘slam’ ball) is a great workout companion for golf! Strength and power also come from the core, and medicine ball workouts will help solidify your core – leading to better stability, balance and, of course, you may find yourself hitting it better (or great).
These are core exercises you can do at home, wherever you’re set up: living room, garage, basement, etc. It’s totally up to you, as all you’ll need is a bit of space to stretch out and get a quick workout in.
Exercise 1: Single-Leg Overhead Slam
As the medicine ball goes up and over your head with a full reach, you should be driving your knee up to a 90-degree angle. As you hinge your hip and slam the ball, drive your upward knee back behind you into what looks like a single-leg Romanian deadlift.
Ideally, you want to catch the ball on the bounce. Feel free to modify this exercise by putting your foot down between each rep for added stability.
Exercise 2: Golf Swings with a Release into the Wall
We’re trying to get stronger, hit it better, and hit it farther. So, let’s get right to it.
This exercise is fairly self-explanatory, but we’ll walk you through it. Take your normal golf stance (as if you were at address with a 7-iron), and simulate full swings rotating into your backswing, and then into your downswing. These shouldn’t be at full speed, but more so a simulation (key word) of the swing to get your core working.
Slam the ball into the wall with the pattern of a golf swing, and be sure to do this with a lighter medicine ball–the release point is the key. Repeat this exercise on both sides, no matter if you’re a right or left-handed golfer.
2. Bi-Lateral Resistance Band
Resistance bands are a great tool for a quick and productive golf workout.
See? You don’t need fancy and/or expensive fitness equipment to make a difference. All you need is the RIGHT equipment, which can help all components of the golf swing.
Exercise 1: Single-Leg Press
For this exercise, the attachment point for the resistance band is behind your back. Both handles are in your hand making a “V” from hand to wall, back to your hand. Then, you’ll go onto a single leg, make sure to find your stability before you take your first rep, and use both arms to push out as if you’re doing a push-up. When the bands come back in, keep your core tight to remain balanced on the single leg. From here, proceed to your second rep.
Exercise 2: Split-Stance Single-Arm Row
You’ll be in a split stance, with your knee just slightly hovering above the ground. The knee that’s down to the ground is the same side where your arm will be pulling; stay static in that lunge position, and complete all repetitions before switching sides.
3. Bosu Ball
A Bosu ball is another relatively inexpensive and practical piece of home exercise equipment that will help your golf game.
Most workouts you do with a Bosu ball are helpful for golf, and we’ve highlighted two of them below.
Exercise 1: Push-Up (Single Arm on Bosu Ball)
One arm is on the Bosu ball, and the other is on the floor.
Make sure you brace your core and keep your glutes squeezed for good posture. Complete all repetitions before switching to the other side.
Exercise 2: Bosu Jump with Squat (aka Bunny Hops)
In this exercise, you’ll hop on to the Bosu ball to its rounded side, find your stability, and proceed into a squat. From the squat position, jump off the Bosu forward onto the floor in front of you, landing in a hinged position with your feet flat on the floor. It should look like you’re hopping like a bunny on to the Bosu ball.
Conclusion
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: exercising the right way for golf is easy to learn and easy to execute, but you need to have the proper fitness equipment on hand. And you don’t need to break the bank to do it -- these 3 pieces of equipment are readily available online and don’t cost a ton of money.
In the next two parts of this series on golf exercise equipment, we’ll continue to show products and related HIG exercises that will help you build strength, flexibility and get on the road to hitting it great.
