As the calendar turns over to a new year, turn your attention to working on your game for 2020 – especially getting longer off the tee, says golf-fitness trainer Kaitlyn Pimentel.
She likes two exercises in particular because of the way they complement each other. “With only these two exercises, you can work on most of the key muscle groups needed for power,” says Pimentel, who trains golfers online (felixfortisgolf.com). “Do them a couple of times a week, and your body will be primed to swing harder without ruining your timing.”
“A strong core is the first step to bigger drives.”
The exercise above – a modified Turkish sit-up –improves strength in the abdominals and upper back. You can’t control the club at faster speeds without stability in the core and shoulder girdle. When doing the Turkish sit-up, start flat on your back with one leg straight and the other bent as shown. Extend the arm on the opposite side of the bent leg away from the body at roughly a 45-degree angle. Using the arm on the same side as the bent leg, reach straight up as you support the move with the opposite arm. Once you reach as high as you can, slowly lower the body into the start position, repeating the exercise until fatigued. Rest, then switch arm and leg positions for another set.
The dumbbell-snatch exercise (see it at felixfortisgolf.com) improves lower-body strength so you can leverage the ground better to create more power. It also teaches good sequencing, mimicking the order of body movements in the downswing, Pimentel says.
For the snatch, hold a manageable dumbbell with one arm between your legs, low to the floor. In a quick motion, hoist the dumbbell with momentum created by leaping straight up. As your body lands, extend the weight over your head and finish in about the same squatted posture you started in. Repeat until fatigued. Rest, then switch sides.
