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Strength and power are essentials for any golfer and can help improve driving
distance, as well as play from the fairway and also the accuracy of the short
game. Strength is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to produce a great
deal of force to move the body through a certain distance (strength = force x
distance).
A good example of a very strong person is an Olympic weight lifter. Power is the
ability of muscles to move the body through a range of motion quickly (power =
strength x distance / time). An example of this is the powerful explosive
jumping movement of a basketball player as they explode to the rim for a dunk.
In this case, the leg muscles of the player contract very quickly to produce
explosive power. This is the same type of movement that is re- quired in golf
where the muscles contract in an integrated, multi- joint pattern to produce the
swing.
Strength and power training for golf The golf swing is a complex multi- joint
movement. Because of this, strength and power training for golf involves complex
training movements. Although the introductory exercises presented here are
simple, single joint exercises, the intermediate and advanced exercises will
require the use of many joints and muscles. These complex movements are termed
functional exercises, and they are the foundation of an advanced training
program for golf. It is important to focus on both strength and power
development as these are different and require specific training to improve them.
- Strength Training = Slow & Heavy
(Swingnature with weight in)
- Power Training = Fast & Light
(Swingnature with weight out)
The most obvious benefit of improved strength and power in golfing is the positive
effect on club head speed, which can be increased dramatically with proper
training. Fortunately, the effects of this type of training can be measured
directly in driving distance.
Further, stronger and more powerful muscles will give you more fine motor control
– meaning that because you are stronger, each swing is relatively less
stressful, and the likelihood of making a mistake (however small) is decreased.
Fine motor control can be measured in your accuracy – greens or fairways hit.
Perhaps most importantly, a comprehensive strength training program that works
all muscles and joints (even those not necessarily used in the golf swing) will
help reduce the chances of injury by ensuring that you have a strong and stable
musculoskeletal system.
Read about the principles of overload & under load training. Click here.
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